A horror-inspired drama, this CBS series is about a group of friends and family who meet to celebrate a wedding on an island just outside Seattle, an island that is famous for a streak of unsolved murders seven years ago. Suspense ensues when they end up dead one by one; has the killer returned or is someone else to blame?Harper’s Island, the guiltiest pleasure of the 2009 summer TV season, is part Agatha Christie and part Friday the 13th. This cleverly plotted 13-episode CBS mystery event invites return visits to the eponymous island where a good portion of an ill-fated wedding party will not survive to celebrate the happy couple’s first anniversary. Harper’s Island begins with a “Whap” and goes out with a “Sigh” (each onomatopeaic episode title replicates the sound of a victim’s demise). Here’s the set-up: Pauper Henry (Christopher Gorham) and princess “Trish” (Katie Cassidy) have invited family and friends to Harper’s Island, located 37 miles off the coast of Seattle, for their nuptials. Seven years earlier, John Wakefield slaughtered six people there. These were the first murders in the history of the island. A title card warns us they will not be the last. One by one, episode by episode, a killer (or killers) methodically picks off the wedding guests in grisly and gory fashion. Some characters are more expendable than others, and those who are dispatched early don’t get the chance to make much of an impression (cousin Ben doesn’t even make it out of the dock in the opening episode), but as the mystery unfolds and the body count escalates, viewers become more emotionally invested in those who survive the longest. For Abby Mills (Elaine Cassidy) this is all kinds of personal. Abby, Henry’s once-inseparable childhood friend, has not been back to the island since Wakefield, presumed dead, slaughtered her mother. She is reunited with her estranged father, the sheriff (Jim Beaver), and Jimmy (C.J. Thomason), the boy she left behind. Harper’s Island will keep viewers guessing until its final twist, which is a doozy, although somewhat suspect. But until then, the series is an effective horror show that gets under your skin with its attractive cast, soap-opera dramatics, tantalizing red herrings, and quality kills (although nothing in the show is as creepy as the unnerving little girl named Madison). Those who missed the boat when Harper’s Island first aired are advised to steer clear of the spoiler-heavy bonus features until you’ve watched it through to the bloody end. –Donald Liebenson
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February 18, 2006
#1
This was far and away the worst television mini series I have ever seen. Horrible writing, direction, camera work, editing, sound, and acting only begin to describe this cheap “Friday The 13th” type series. I was hoping for a smart thriller each week, but all I got was a cheap horror flick with very loud noises and “scary” music in place of the smart, edge-of-your-seat writing that should have been there.
In the last episode we learn who the killer is. What a whimp. Gee pal, did ya have to go to so much trouble to kill everyone and confess your unrequited love to your childhood friend? Then he is shocked when he is rejected!!!! Why not just sink the boat on the way over and kill everyone at the same time and save us the excruciating pain of watching such a poorly written show. Ya, I am bitter. I am an optimist and hoped that each week a smart twist would surface and turn the series around. Alas, I did nothing more then waste 2.5 months of time on this dreck.
Some found the humor in such a poorly written show and I am happy for them. I’ll admit that I did laugh at the casting of Henry (Christopher Gorham) Trish’s (Katie Cassidy) soon to be husband. C’mon nowhere in the universe would that chick even give the time of day to that guy. It showed too, there was negative chemistry between these two so-called actors. Campy acting and some of the ways these twits were killed was worth a chuckle now and again. I guess I was wanting too much for this to be a smart show. Uh, CBS is a garbage network, so in the end I guess I am not surprised. Maybe the joke was on us. Who knows? Ratings for the entire series were in the tank so I hope CBS took a bath on it.
For those of you who missed the series do not buy. Rent if you must, but be warned it is a lot of air and no substance. Let’s face it, Hollywood writers are way out of new material. All of the creativity is gone. Thankfully we have reality shows and documentaries to keep things fresh. One star ONLY for the hot women cast for the show…even if none of them can act they were nice to look at each week.
February 18, 2006
#2
This show could have been good, but every week it gets worse. Haprer’s Island is very unrealistic, one example being the island is huge but there is only one sherif that does anything, I think that there is two more that stay at the jail the whole time you would think this island had a major serial killer years before that there would be more protection than one sherif. Also the killer kills state troopers but no one even comes to investigate or look for them. Their are other expamples but I will not go into them because I dont want to ruin the show for anyone else that might watch.
February 18, 2006
#3
Harper’s Island went a bit overboard with the blood and guts, but then, I’ve always loved blood and guts, as well as a good mystery. This is NOT a good mystery, more a mish mash from other films and TV shows especially Then There were None and Friday the 13th.
I did, however, think that the details of the script were a bit amateurish. For one, the writers insisted on portraying women as spineless water Lilies. The number of opportunities these wilting flowers had to kill Mr. Wakefield and didn’t take was unrealistic. Are they trying to tell me that there were no hairy-chested women, particulary women raised in the wild northwest, who wouldn’t have wasted the bastard as soon as look at him?
Another problem was the casting. The actors made the series look like a Revenge of the Nerds sequel rather than a gory murder mystery. My god, with the exception of Wakefield, the men in the series didn’t look like they could pop a balloon much less defend themselves against a homocidal maniac
and lets not get into the overuse woods! An island is so big and this place seem like 5 strips of land
This show was a test to see if they could do a closed ended show–IT failed. Lets not try this again and then put it to video
SO DONT GET IT..Save your money and buy the first few Friday the 13th or 1960′s Psycho, you will enjoy it more
Bennet Pomerantz AUDIOWORLD
February 18, 2006
#4
I was waiting for DVD to watch this show but apparently I will be Netflixing it. As of June 20th, for a September 8th release, they want 38 dollars and change foe this set. I WILL NOT pay that much money for something only 13 episodes long.
Rental here we come
February 18, 2006
#5
The show could be so good, but unfortunately you know from the beginning who the killer is. It really spoils the pleasure. And he is the most ugliest and ungifted leading man in a recent history of TV.