Well, if the writers of the American version were going to insist on bringing their show to the same endpoint as the finale for the first British series, then I suppose this is the way to do it. I would have liked a bit more originality in the overall scheme of things, but I can’t fault them for coming up with their own rationale for arriving at the familiar.
I’ll tackle Aiden’s plot thread first. While I was generally pleased with how the British version set up the Mitchell/Herrick showdown, I thought they did a much better job setting up the conflict between Aiden and Bishop. The situation with the Dutch elders not only served to put Aiden and Bishop at odds, but also informed the larger context of the vampire society in a way that hasn’t quite been done in the British original. When Bishop makes his move on Aiden, it feels right. I can only imagine how new viewers, unaware of that moment coming, reacted!
I’ve said it before, but I still believe that Sally’s character arc has been a lot more reasonable than Annie’s constant manic antics, and her journey towards resolution with Danny is a lot more satisfying because she took a more active role in the resolution. Not that Annie was entirely passive, but Sally handled the majority of her confrontation with Danny on her own, just getting a little bit of Aiden/Josh assistance at the very end.
The only new development in this episode was Josh and Nora’s pregnancy issue, and that is straight out of the third series of the British version. Of course, this is a bit of a variation, with Nora being human and bearing the rapidly-gestating werewolf spawn. All things being equal, that doesn’t bode well for Nora, and it’s very uncomfortable to realize that Josh can’t seem to tell her just what the situation is. Here’s hoping Nora survives, because with Rebecca out of the picture, the show needs to retain the cast balance (and Nora is gorgeous!).
The resolution is going to have to move into some new territory, because as I just mentioned, Rebecca is not around to help Aiden recover from this wound. Other solutions are going to have to present themselves (perhaps Aiden’s rescue of the surviving Dutch elder?). But fans of the British original know what to expect out of Josh and Sally in the finale; if Bishop makes a move on Nora, that’s a sure sign that the story is going in expected direction.
This first season has been a wee bit uneven, but on the whole, it has excelled when the writers have been able to stray outside of the confines of the British original, even just a little bit. I only hope that the American first season finale can live up to the potential and remain consistent within its own context. And I truly look forward to a second season that doesn’t rely so much (I hope) on the British roots.
Writing: 2/2
Acting: 2/2
Direction: 2/2
Style: 2/4
Final Rating: 8/10
