EDIT: Okay I realized what I had before was a huge wall of text nobody would really read, but I really want to talk about this show with someone. So here goes again:
Anyone seen this tv show? It's from 1995, available on hulu. It's officially a horror/suspense show (not really that scary with slightly cheesy effects, but a really good story). It's the sort of show Stephen King might have written. It's set in a small southern town, run by a sheriff who appears to be an upstanding charismatic citizen but who basically is the devil (or at least 'a' devil). Each episode he manipulates someone's life into ruin, occasionally using supernatural powers but mostly relying on clever smooth talking. There's a few characters who slowly figure out what his deal is and try to stop him. At first I assumed they were the protagonists. And they sort of are, but what's interesting is that the sheriff, despite being pure unadulterated evil, is essentially the main character.
The only good guy who comes close is the ghost of a girl he killed, who starts out as a minor character who can briefly materialize to offer advice. Gradually she acquires more supernatural powers and becomes pretty badass. There's an episode where she gets pissed off at how everyone in town seems to give into the sheriff's corruption, so she turns the river to blood and makes all the sinners bleed out of their eyes. (that doesn't end up accomplishing much but was still pretty cool to see her character evolve to a point where she'd try it).
The first half of the season introduces all the characters, the second half is essentially a chess match between the ghost girl and the sheriff, after they realize the pointlessness of trying to directly harm each other. What's really weird is that although the story is a very straightforwardly Christian good vs evil, it came across to me as very original because those stories are rarely done well, and the show does not fit neatly into any of the boxes that most shows fit into.
[ August 17, 2009, 02:24 AM: Message edited by: Raymond Arnold ]
Posted by Raymond Arnold (Member # 11712) on :
I'm gonna give this a single bump. Hopefully my trimmed down summary is a little more encouraging.
Posted by Kwea (Member # 2199) on :
I remember the series, but at the time I didn't watch more than one or two episodes.
It sounds like the type of thing I'd like now, though...
Posted by rollainm (Member # 8318) on :
Sounds interesting. I might check it out when I get home tonight. Is it just the one season?
Posted by Raymond Arnold (Member # 11712) on :
Yes. (I haven't actually gotten to the end yet so I'm not sure whether it has a season cliffhanger or an actual ending, but I think it's worth it even if the ending turns out to be terrible)