Panic Season One Review

Those looking for a great summer binge watch need not look elsewhere thanks to Panic, based on the book of the same name from New York Times bestselling author Lauren Oliver who also serves as creator. What is sure to be the next big obsession has all the right pieces to fit the bill, however, the season does get bloated with ambition in its handling of its source material. This makes for a fair share of awkward moments while trying to balance all of those elements. That heavy lifting also makes for a hard time connecting with the characters. Nevertheless, the series offers enough engaging intrigue and mystery to keep things interesting but fails to give viewers enough of a reason to care enough about the series moving forward beyond any initial binge. That being said, viewers merely looking for some empty calories for a mindless watch will be right at home.

Panic takes place the small town of Carp, Texas where each summer the latest crop of graduated seniors compete in a series of dangerous challenges in a winner take all competition called panic for a indeterminate cash prize, banking on the fact that it may very well be their one and only chance to escape their small town and circumstances and make lives for themselves. However, this time around was different as the danger level ramped up as stakes became larger and so did the pot for whoever won. Suffice it to say that those stakes meant participants were willing to do whatever it took and go to great lengths to face their deepest and darkest fears, risking their lives in order to win. A tradition among the graduates of the close-knit town, it was just a way of life that flew under the radar and remained unchecked.

The dynamic among these graduates was close but not all that interesting as it was mostly viewed in the context of their relationship with panic. Each player of course had their own reasons for participating in the game though they essentially didn’t matter in the grand scheme. To narrow the viewer’s focus, a few characters were at the forefront to somewhat put a face on those stakes. Heather Nill (Olivia Welch) was someone who was different from everyone else and didn’t take panic as seriously as the others until a change in circumstances forced her to change that view. Participating in the game put her and her friends in the middle of an elaborate conspiracy involving the mysterious forces that be behind the game and some of its players both past and present who may or may not have a vested interest in her success or failure. Suffice it to say that keeping ahead of the mysterious nature of panic and the other competitors proved to be a challenge as the drama regarding these young people’s future and each other beyond the game also dominated the proceedings. Adding stakes to the outcome of the game, the balance between the YA-skewing relationship drama and the game didn’t quite work because of the lack of character development of the players.

That being said, Heather’s journey was still a compelling one as the season does the best job at developing her and giving viewers enough of a reason to invest in her. Meanwhile, the game still had consequences for all involved as some of these games have ended under tragic circumstances for some players thus prompting the authorities to investigate. Seemingly a step behind the yearly undertaking by the forced behind panic, things were different this time around as Sheriff James ‘Jimmy’ Cortez (Enrique Murciano) and the rest of the local police force were on the case and had their own vested interest in putting a stop to it. Their investigation brought upon some interesting backstory on the game as they attempted to put the pieces together to catch up and hopefully stop this year’s incarnation. It ultimately was a race but to see if the graduates could pull of this year’s game without getting caught until the game became something more as the season essentially attempts to stretch the premise into a second season. In the end, the season failed to put all the pieces together in a way to provide enough of a reason to care about whatever happens next.

In terms of the actual game of panic, players competed in a series of physical and psychological challenges designed by anonymous judges using secret puzzles and other countermeasures for points where the player with the most points won. The challenges were mostly on the tame side considering the buildup to them with each episode episode built around each challenge for the most part, connected by the rest of the season’s subplots. The eventual outcome of this incarnation was also on the disappointing side as the series clearly had its eyes on beyond this season fairly early on. On the other side, the performances were fine for the most part with their decent chemistry overcoming moments of mediocre writing. Welch was compelling enough to watch as Heather and Murciano was a nice combination of charming and menacing as Cortez. Mike Faist was swoon-worthy as Dodge Mason while Ray Nicholson was a scene-stealer as the charming bad boy Ray Hall.

At the end of the day, Panic isn’t a masterpiece by any means but will surely hit the spot for anyone wanting something to unwind with this summer.

still courtesy of Amazon Studios

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Keith Noakes

The EIC of the coincidentally-named keithlovesmovies.com. A Canadian who prefers to get out of the cold and into the warmth of a movie theatre.