It is hard to believe that Harper's Island premiered six years ago on CBS. A thirteen-week slasher movie? For me, it was a horror fan's dream come true. If you missed this treat when it originally aired, take my advice-run, do not walk, over to Netflix and binge-watch all thirteen episodes. Granted, I do not always make the best choices; for instance, my choice in husbands sucks, but for important things such as this, you can trust me. Even if you watched it six years ago, I encourage you to revisit this gem. I went into it the second time knowing the punch line, but my goal was to see if there were clues I missed the first time. Perhaps I should just list thirteen things about Harper's Island that made it so fantastic and ahead of its time. (I was extremely careful not to include spoiler.)
1. Being an English teacher, I will begin with the first thing I noticed about the show. It was clearly inspired by Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None (1939). An isolated island where people, many with secrets, start being murdered one by one definitely pays homage to Ms. Christie's masterpiece as do most slasher films as I think the novel is the perfect template for such films.
2. In addition to the slasher features, it is an excellent who-done-it mystery. Even after a second viewing, I found no clues that the perpetrator was involved until near the end of episode 11. In fact, it did a great job using "red herrings" to distract the viewer.
3. Speaking of those red herrings, more than once during the series, I was convinced of the guilt of several characters only to have those characters murdered…then it was back to the drawing board!
4. Something else that Harper's Island did well that slasher films usually do not have time to do is develop the characters. For instance, one stereotypical-looking blonde character went on to be more than I anticipated in the first episode meaning she was not the "dumb" blonde (this is coming from a blonde, BTW).
5. The concept that one season could tell one complete story is yet another reason Harper's Island was way ahead of its time. Think about shows such as American Horror Story that have become so popular in the years since Harper's Island. Sadly, this concept did not "jive" with the public in 2009.
6. Discovering in the first episode that no character was safe, even a well-known actor in a cast of lesser-known actors, let me know that all bets were off when it came time for killing. I remember thinking about this when I watched the first episode of Sleepy Hollow when a known actor was killed off in the first minutes of the show.
7. Having emotional reactions to the deaths of characters I had come to care about was something I had not anticipated the first time I watched the show. For instance, the deaths of one couple in particular left me sobbing. This couple in the first episode did not made an impact with me, but as the series progressed, I came to care very much about them, so when their time came, I was crushed.
8. The isolation and atmosphere of the setting added greatly to the suspense of the show. Knowing that these characters were essentially cut off from the outside world made my tension increase with each episode. A small island that can only be accessed by boat or aircraft, a big, creepy hotel with hidden passages, and a deep, dark forest with danger possibly hiding behind each tree was a prescription for terror!
9. Having a creepy, socially awkward child in the cast is always a plus. You just know that at some point a) they are going to say creepy things, "One by one" and b) are going to go missing at the worst possible time, "Has anyone seen _______?"
10. Keeping the identity of the killer hidden until almost the end was quite impressive to me. Typically, I can figure it out sooner, but like I said at the beginning (#2), it was near the end of episode 11 before I even suspected this individual.
11. Something else I found effective in the show was the characters did not discover anything was off until several characters were dead. Granted their technology was not as advanced as now, clever use of text messages led people to believe that certain characters had left, so they did not suspect foul play…at first.
12. A sense of betrayal made some of the last deaths more devastating. The fact that said characters trusted this individual without question (as I had as a viewer) made the reveal that much more heart wrenching.
13. Lastly, even though some found the eventual motive didn't make sense, I was fine with it. Why, you may ask. Well, for thirteen weeks I was glued to my TV experiencing something I thought I never would-a "slasher movie" on network TV. So bravo to CBS for having the balls, nads, nards, or whatever you want to call them to do it!
Thanks Mickster! I really enjoyed and now miss this show too. This list has me itching to watch it again.
I watched back then, too, and enjoyed the show. The idea of a slasher show with a victim each week was a cool idea to me. I would have loved different seasons and settings for the show. You are right, it was ahead of its time in that regard. I might have to go back and rewatch the show, too. 🙂
This show is indeed a helluva ride… one completely satisfying, fully realized experienced. It should also be noted just how explicit some of the deaths are, which certainly pushed the envelope as far as primetime television broadcasting is concerned. In fact, each episode is named after the grizzly sound that's made when a character is off'd ("Crackle", "Gurgle", "Thrack, Splack, Sizzle".)
The whole series has a nice, slow burn. But, MAN, when the shit hits the fan and the remaining survivors realize what's happening it goes into high octane gear. It's a pretty terrific thrill ride.
Unkle L, that is the perfect trailer that does not reveal too much! Thank you, for allowing me to gush over this underrated show.
Caffeinated Joe, I hope you do go back and rewatch the show. Like I said, even though I knew, it was still great.
RATSAWGOD, I cannot believe I forgot to mention the episode title tidbit! I am so happy to see follow fans of the show here!
Oh my gosh, I loved this show! And something I also wasn't anticipating was the way the last few episodes tore the heart right out of me! It took me a week to get over it! A specific scene on a bridge was the worst!
As I recall I watched this on streaming at the recommendation of Kindertrauma. I REALLY enjoyed it with special admiration for the great (and explicit) kills, the endless and believable misdirection & the admirable character development.
I power watched the series so I didn't have as much suspense from episode to episode but I recall telling my partner "I know they're all going to die… but I don't want them to! They're so great!" Now, how many slashers can you say *that* about?
JennyD13, I know exactly what you are referring to, and I was devastated by that scene!
M Kitka, Indeed, I completely agree with you on that! I knew they were going to die, but I was upset when they did! That says a lot!