12 Monkeys, which is arguably the most audience friendly of all Terry Gilliams’s films and one of the 1990s best science fiction films, was based on 1963 French short film La Jetée. Twenty years later it was itself remade in the form of television series, which borrowed its basic story and characters, while adapting structure and style to the parameters of modern television series.
The plots deals with the catastrophic pandemic created by ever-mutating virus strain which in 2017 wiped out most of the humanity. In few pockets of civilisation scientists build time machine and in 2043 launch desperate attempt to stop the virus by sending James Cole (played by Aaron Stanford) in the year 2015 with the mission to discover source of the pandemic. Key to his quest is brilliant virologist Dr. Cassandra Railly (played by Amanda Schull) who is, at first skeptical to his claims, but later help him deal with often confusing aftereffects of time travel, but also in the struggle against mysterious Army of the Twelve Monkeys.
Like in so many modern day science fiction shows, first seson of 12 Monkeys requires some patience from the audience. Schull and Stanford look uncharismatic in comparison with Madeleine Stowe and Bruce Willis who had played same characters in the film, and their chemistry develops only in the last episodes of the season. 12 Monkeys, on the other hand, presents very interesting narrative structure, split between segments set in modern-day 2015 and post-apocalyptic 2043. Even better is the script that, unlike most time traveling stories, doesn’t take any shortcuts and consistently tries to evade time paradox, so the screenwriters had to keep everything within the single timeline (with an exception of single episode that takes place in parallel universe) and they took great care about continuity. This, and good performance by supporting players, like Kirk Acevedo and veteran Germans actress Barbara Sukowa, make first season of 12 Monkeys quite deserving of continuation.
Starring: Aaron Stanford, Amanda Schull, Kirk Acevedo, Noah Bean
Created by: Terry Matalas & Travis Fickett
Number of episodes: 13
Pro: well-written and constistent script, great care for details, good supporting players
Contra: slow start, lack of charisma and chemistry between leads in first episodes
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RATING: 7/10
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