Fans are rediscovering a 'jaw dropping' crime thriller that is bingeable in as little as a week, with some saying it is as good as Broadchurch.
Where to Watch 'The Following'
All episodes of the dark serial killer drama The Following were recently added to Prime Video. However, those without a subscription to Amazon's premium service can find three seasons of the show available on Channel 5's streaming platform at no extra cost.
Episodes initially aired from 2013 until its third and final season in 2015, with 15 episodes in each season.
Plot Synopsis
According to its synopsis, the FBI calls on former agent Ryan Hardy, despite having left the service with physical and emotional scars. He is brought back into the fold after a notorious serial killer named Joe Carroll escapes from death row. Carroll, who used to work as an English professor and novelist, has a fixation on Edgar Allan Poe and mutilated and killed 14 women before he was caught.
Hardy and the FBI learn that while incarcerated, Carroll spent his time gathering a collection of cultlike followers. The recruits prove themselves willing to commit murder, facilitate abductions, and even sacrifice themselves to help Carroll with his deadly objectives and achieve his ultimate goal: exact revenge on Ryan Hardy.
The first season follows Hardy's attempts at recapturing Carroll while his own family are thrust into harm's way. The following seasons introduce new villains and other dangerous cults.
Cast and Crew
Kevin Bacon takes on the role of FBI agent Ryan Hardy across all seasons, while James Purefoy, known for starring in fantasy and period drama titles like Rome and The Witcher, plays killer Joe Carroll. The show was created by Kevin Williamson, who was also behind the Scream film franchise, as well as Dawson's Creek, The Vampire Diaries, and Netflix's The Waterfront.
Fan Reactions
One fan, after watching the entire series, took to Reddit asking for recommendations of other things to watch that were similar. One of the most popular replies was someone suggesting: 'Just as good as The Following are Broadchurch, The Killing, The Sinner, Mindhunter and Hannibal.'
Others quickly replied with their own thoughts on The Following. One fan admitted to speeding through the entire thing after discovering it on streaming. They said: 'I binged all three seasons in just one week. The first season was jaw droppingly incredible to me.'
Another added: 'Wildly underrated and unpredictable. Worthy of your time!' While someone else warned: 'Definitely not for the squeamish though. So many twists and turns, you never know who is going to be a goody or baddie. Amazing acting James Purefoy is brilliantly evil!'
Someone else posted: 'This show is simply one of the best shows. Literally right from episode one I was hooked. It's unbelievable how good this show is. This show, when it came out on streaming literally messed up my sleeping schedule. I wouldn't be able to go to sleep without knowing what happens next.'
The Following is streaming on Prime Video and Channel 5.
