‘The Hunting Party’ Review: NBC’s Serial Killer Procedural Is a Deadly Bore

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Regardless of other factors, it’s not desirable to reside close to a maximum-security prison, yet such areas seem to be highly sought after for broadcasting purposes by television networks.

It’s quite clear why this is the case. A high-security prison, often referred to as a supermax, which houses the most dangerous and infamous offenders, serves as an abundant source of intriguing storylines for procedural television shows, much like a cornucopia of plot ideas trapped within concrete walls, yearning to be told.

Many popular TV series, such as Prison Break, Heroes’ third season, Alcatraz, and various Batman stories linked to Arkham Asylum, have drawn inspiration from this concept. This idea also fueled several successful NBC shows of the 2010s, including The Blacklist and Blindspot, which hinted in their premieres that a series of formidable villains were interconnected, either through a peculiar man with a hat or a woman adorned with tattoos.

This format is convenient as it provides an array of villains ready to be apprehended, preferably by a dynamic group of heroes. Essentially, it serves as a structure that can be expanded upon in various inventive manners.

Alternatively, NBC’s show “The Hunting Party” appears quite straightforward and lacking in creativity within this genre, using a supermax prison setting as a pretext to essentially produce a less authentic, less engaging spin-off of “Criminal Minds” (a series I often refer to as the epitome of monotony and sensationalism on broadcast television). It seems plausible that some viewers might tune in for “The Hunting Party”, perhaps due to NBC airing it after the NFL playoffs, or because the public’s appetite for serial killer themes is typically voracious. However, nothing distinctive about “The Hunting Party” is likely to boost its viewership.

Over four installments, this feels like typical, unremarkable TV that often goes overlooked during the offseason or, more frequently, pilot episodes that don’t make it past development and never become a series.

The series, crafted by JJ Bailey, unfolds in a distant and enigmatic underground prison, inspired vaguely by Jeremy Bentham’s Panopticon concept without thorough research. This facility houses the most sinister and notorious serial killers, although it should be noted that the majority are male. It’s commonly believed that these individuals were executed, but it appears they were spared. The opening scene presents an ominous, unexplained blast. Clearly, things aren’t looking good.

A variable quantity of inmates manage to break free. However, for broadcast television, it’s customary to say “100” prisoners, a figure derived from an old syndicated format that holds no relevance to modern TV economics. Yet, when pitching to the audience, make sure they know you have 100 episodes prepared and ready to air.

To clarify, Melissa Roxburgh’s character Bex Henderson, a renowned profiler known for her unique jargon, has shifted from the FBI to working security at a casino in Portsmouth, Virginia. The reason for this change of occupation or location isn’t explicitly explained, and it seems that the show is subtly hinting at some backstory without fully revealing it after four episodes. However, the specifics behind her departure from the FBI don’t appear to be central to the current plot.

Bex has been called upon by Jacob Hassani, a CIA operative who seems to be holding back information, regarding an unauthorized detention center that’s recently been destroyed. The primary target they need to find is Richard Harris, a notorious serial killer that Bex encountered during her initial investigation – an operation she undertook alongside her former partner and mentor Oliver Odell (Nick Wechsler). Initially, we only see glimpses of him in flashbacks, but later on, he appears in the present as well.

Shane Florence, previously a guard at the enigmatic site referred to as ‘The Pit’, lends his help (Josh McKenzie). This facility shouldn’t be mixed up with ‘The Pitt’, a new medical series starring Max, which is far more engaging. Sara Garcia portrays Jennifer Morales, an Army intelligence officer, who later joins the group, but so far has yet to contribute anything significant.

NBC claims that “The Hunting Party” is a complex, suspenseful thriller, but in reality, it seems more like an aimless, unengaging drama.

Essentially, the series lacks an engaging opening point or unique selling proposition. Any intriguing idea that might have initially caught the attention of NBC executors, such as “this could be exciting,” seems to have been smoothed out during production, leaving nothing notable behind.

The Pit’s idea and its execution across four episodes fail to engage or intrigue me intellectually. The actions of these killers in the Pit and their experiences never sparked any curiosity or understanding. By the third episode, it became clear that the experimental treatments given to the killers were intended as a hook, but any potential insights into criminal psychology are squandered. I had planned to write about why the premise is unrealistic, but it’s so low on the list of issues with the show that I don’t see the point in discussing it.

As the fugitive killers methodically emerge from The Pit’s debris on a weekly basis, their subsequent actions prove both uninteresting and illogical, resulting in episodic narratives devoid of tension or enigma. These events are captured with a consistently gloomy, drab aesthetic that lacks any significant variation.

And the characters aren’t close to a hook either.

Characters like Bex, reminiscent of Clarice Starling-type investigators with their genius rooted in ordinary hardships, harbor hidden truths that might not be particularly intriguing at this point. Similarly, Oliver, Shane, and Jacob all conceal secrets in the shadows. It seems everyone has their own set of mysteries, yet none have managed to captivate us just yet. As for the characters in The Hunting Party, none stand out with a unique personality or style, and when they begin to interact, there’s little depth or chemistry in their relationships.

It’s not unexpected that none of the actors playing dull roles are particularly engaging or are given much engaging material. Bex, in particular, is irritating in a way that overly-knowledgeable, omniscient TV detectives often are. She shares a link with a secondary character whose identity is meant to be somewhat surprising; I won’t reveal it, but let me say that the relationship was intended to humanize her, but falls short (a flaw that can also be found in relationships from Bex’s past, which fail to make her more relatable in the current context).

If a TV show lacks an engaging premise that appeals to both networks and viewers, it can be equally frustrating for the casting crew. It’s puzzling how you can produce four episodes centered around four infamous serial killers or any other unremarkable theme, yet fail to elicit a standout performance from a notable guest star. Indeed, managing to do so without any memorable acting feats is quite an accomplishment.

The fourth installment, while not technically a season finale, carries a climactic atmosphere and seems to be the one offering hints towards the show’s mythology or narrative progression. Regrettably, it is uncertain whether the clues dropped in this episode will lead to any significant revelations.

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2025-01-19 19:25