12 Monkeys Recap: "Pilot"

Written by Scotty

THIS IS THE EMERGENCY SPOILER ALERT SYSTEM...YOU ARE ADVISED TO READ AT YOUR OWN RISK...

If you have not been paying attention to some of the new series on the SyFy network, you would have missed the premiere of 12 Monkeys.  I will tell you, if you liked the movie, you are gonna love this series.  As you are following the same plot lines as the movie, you have a cast that is a little bit more under control at this point and writers that are trying to tell the story even better than the original did and after watching the first episode, it is a success.

James Cole has been sent back in time to try to unmake the events that have scarred the world forever.  Knowing that there is going to be an outbreak that will kill almost everyone, Cole has to convince his contacts that he is from the future and humanity is doomed.  This seems to be a lot for a normal person to take in, and after kidnapping Dr. Cassandra Railly in 2013, Cole vanishes and then reappears in her life two years later.  Needing to find a crazed doctor that is going to unleash a virus upon the world, Cole knows that according to history, that Cassy knows the man he is looking for.

But history has changed and in 2015, Cassy is no longer a doctor and has quit her original job.  Thinking that she was going crazy, she is happy to see Cole again because it proves her sanity.  But they cannot tell anyone else what is really happening, since some of the rules of time travel do apply.  Finding his target, Cole is able to fulfill his objective, but nothing changes in his present time of 2043.  There is someone else involved in the event that changes the world forever, there is always someone else.  Finding the markings of the Army of the 12 Monkeys, Cole has to find a way to keep them from releasing the virus, before time is too late.  But he is only able to stay in the past for a short amount of time, but the more information he can bring back, the better in the fight against the Army.

That is enough about the current story, let’s get into what this series is going to bring to the screen.  One of the things that the movie tried to do is show more of what was happening in the future time, but for the sake of pacing the film, they had to cut it short.  Not a problem in the series since there is plenty of time to tell other aspects of the story.  Also being able to dig a little bit deeper into Cole’s background is going to be very entertaining and I cannot wait to see what it brings out.  Meeting the supposed leader of the Army of the 12 Monkeys is going to be a trip as well, as she is not one to be bothered with little things, such as her father being murdered.  

I did not know what to expect from this show when I heard about it the first time at Mile High Horror Film Festival from Sean Tretta, but I am very impressed thus far and cannot wait to see what the series has in store for a great story. I think that the SyFy network has a hit on their hands and it is great for the science fiction fans out there.  

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