Clarice (1×01) The Silence Is Over Review

Synopsis: A year after rescuing Catherine Martin from the horror of Buffalo Bill’s basement, FBI Agent Clarice Starling gets an urgent assignment to join the Violent Criminal Apprehension Program, VICAP, in the investigation of three serial killings. (CBS)

CBS is attempting to dive headfirst into the crazy world that 1991’s Silence of the Lambs created with its latest series, Clarice. Taking place a year after the events of the film, FBI agent Clarice Starling (Rebecca Breeds) is still facing the trauma left behind by serial killer, Buffalo Bill. The original film ended with Clarice catching serial killer Buffalo Bill and rescuing a woman named Catherine Martin. But a year later, the PTSD is very real, and it’s not something she’s come to terms with. Breeds should be commended for putting a pretty solid spin on Clarice, although there may be a bit too much emphasis on her trying to nail Jodie Foster’s accent from the film.

The pilot kicks off with two female bodies found in a ditch with a lot of apparent differences between the two. From what we understand about series killings, the MO is usually the same, and the victims all share similarities in physical appearance. But something is askew here, despite the wounds being identical. Given Starling’s experience with Buffalo Bill, now Attorney General Ruth Martin (Jayne Atkinson), mother of Catherine Martin, is insistent on bringing Clarice onto this case. After what happened with her daughter, Ruth created the Violent Criminal Apprehension Program (VICAP), and wants Clarice to join it and help track this murderer down.

The program is spearheaded by FBI investigator and attorney Paul Krendler (Michael Cudlitz) who is in agreement with Ruth over the fact that they’re dealing with a serial killer. They refuse to see it any other way, which is why when Clarice is brought into the mix, Paul isn’t too eager to hear what she has to say. In fact, he goes out of his way to put her down and say that she basically has no voice in this program and must do as she’s told. I wasn’t on board with that plot point only because we know Clarice is still a newbie to the whole deal, but she’s more than proven herself. Do we really need another male character feeling threatened by his female coworker’s abilities? Thank you, next.

That’s nothing to say about the fact that Clarice is forced to join the program despite not feeling ready to take anything on after being traumatized by both Buffalo Bill and Hannibal Lecter. There was room for improvement with this plot point in which they balanced her denial and refusal with her needing to face her demons. It all felt a bit too messy. Clearly, a lot is going on with Clarice and her therapist isn’t too eager to let her get back out there. After all, she’s been in touch with all the families of Buffalo Bill’s victims, except for Catherine, who was actually a survivor of his heinous crimes. Presumably, it feels too real to be in direct contact with her so Clarice avoids her at all costs.

Even after Catherine manages to get through to Clarice via phone call, it doesn’t seem like Clarice is in the mindset to be there for her in any capacity. The PTSD comes rushing in and she can’t help but not be there for Catherine, who is clearly not doing well in the aftermath of it all. In any case, Clarice has no choice but to take all of this one and head to Washington D.C. upon Ruth’s command. Even her therapist isn’t too eager to let her go, but duty calls.

Upon arriving at the scene of the crime, Clarice realizes that she is not in agreement with Krendler or Ruth regarding the serial killer theory. In fact, she doesn’t feel like there is enough evidence to prove such a theory, at least not until she gets a closer look and analyzes the findings a bit more. But neither Krendler nor Ruth wants Clarice to say anything but what they think, and essentially force her to say as they want. I know Clarice is in a bad way, but I’m so annoyed with them pushing her to do something she didn’t want to do and then proceeding to make her do what they want.

As the episode goes on, Clarice and the only FBI agent that was kind to her, Agent Thomas Esquivel (Lucca De Oliveira) figure out that the thing that links the two victims are their children, who both have congenital disabilities. When a third body is found, and they learn that this victim’s child also has a congenital disability, things start to come together. As expected, Clarice figures out that these three women were actually whistleblowers in a case against a pharma company in which clinical trials went really horribly. Someone was hired to take these women out (seriously?), and just as the killer arrives to kill yet another victim, Clarice and Esquivel arrive in the nick of time to stop him. Of course, things aren’t as they seem, and there is still a larger conspiracy at play here, one that Clarice is most likely going to do her utmost best to get to the bottom of. And despite Krendler’s efforts to try and make her do their bidding at the press conference, Clarice begins to push through and tells the press she will be sticking around to see this one through.

There is potential here but it the jury is still out. The series, in general, is trying so hard to live up to the hype of the original movie, and it just doesn’t seem possible. In doing so, they’re sort of approaching this all in a messy manner. But with this just being the pilot, perhaps there is room for this series to grow and figure itself out. We’ll have to tune in to find out!

Check out my TV blog to read reviews, recaps, and much more! Be sure to follow me on Twitter, Instagram, and like my Facebook page! @watchwithreebs

If you liked this, please read our other reviews here and don’t forget to follow us on Twitter, follow us on Instagram, and also like us on Facebook.

Ariba Bhuvad