So Much Potential, But What About Execution? | Quantico Review (Episodes 1-6)

ABC Sundays @ 10 PM EST

I started this show on a Friday night after catching up on How to Get Away With Murder. The night ended with me going to sleep at 4:30, with one episode (episode 5) left to catch up on. What an intense show! While not nearly as intense as Orphan Black or even HTGAWM, there's plenty going on on this show. 

This is one of the most diverse casts on television, and I love it. It's talked about just enough without making it the focus of the show. It just is what it is. With the exception of the Simon not actually being gay plot (which just upsets me to no end), the characters are not defined by their sexuality, race, religion, or otherwise. It certainly plays into who they are, as it does for all people, but they are more than that.

The constant switching between present and future keeps me at the edge of my seat. It's a bit like the flashbacks in HTGAWM, and in both, it's done very effectively, connecting past to present (or present to future, depending on how you look at it). I look forward to seeing how the story will play out and how the show will move forward once this one mystery/case is solved. 

I love crime shows, and I love getting a look at how their training works. There's so much potential in that, and I'm so glad Quantico is taking advantage of that. There's so much tension between the characters as they come to trust one another but also compete against one another. The intensity and time constraint is reminiscent of so many of my favorite shows.

All the lies and betrayal are a bit confusing to follow, and there are so many times when I wish people would just tell one another the truth. There are so many situations where things could end so differently, but I guess that's what makes the show so addicting.

Episode 6 really opened my eyes to the soap opera quality the show was starting to lean towards. I'm hoping it'll go back to more of the FBI/espionage/intrigue soon, without so much of the cheesy romance. The show reminds me of all the best and worst parts of some of my favorite shows, and I guess that's why I keep coming back for more. But I also slowly fell out of love (and sometimes was brought back, sometimes not) with many of the shows it reminds me of. I'm hoping that the show will start to go back in the direction that will keep me interested. I really love what they're doing on the show right now, and I'd hate to see that go downhill for the sake of trying to appeal to a certain group of people. 

The show started out strong in characterization and dialogue, as well as plot. I can only hope it'll continue on an upward trend from now on. The acting is getting shaky, with some strong performances and some weak. Maybe episode 6 will be the exception or maybe it was more of a filler. Fingers crossed, and let's see where the show will take us!

Stay tuned for updates as the show progresses.