HARPER'S ISLAND

One by one.............
This is what you call real watchable television.
The premise is take the slasher horror movie and mix all the elements of mystery, thriller and a dash of romance and keep the audience guessing who the killer is.
Spread the mix over 13 episodes and the audience is in a quandry because you not only want to spot the killer but you do wonder about who is next.
HARPER'S ISLAND begins with a party of people arriving from Seattle to attend the wedding of Henry Dunn to Trish Wellington. Among the guests is Abby Mills who is returning home. Abby is full of trepidation as the island was the scene of her mother's murder by the serial killer John Wakefield. A killer that was killed by Abby's father, Sheriff Charlie Mills.
The arrival of the party sees the re-union of Harper's Island resident and fisherman Jimmy with his ex Abby and old friend Henry. From the start there is no doubt that there is a strong bond between the three of them.
Right at the start, though, of the episode it is clear that something is afoot for one guest doesn't make up the numbers. He's tied up beneath the boat awaiting decapitation by the propellors.
With the passing of each episode so members of the wedding party and some of the residents come to meet the reaper. While the body count rises so does the number of possible suspects rise.
Trish Wellington's father doesn't want his daughter to marry Henry and pays an ex-boyfriend to try and get her away. Ex-boyfriend becomes a victim as does future father in law. The Sheriff, too, comes under suspicion when it is revealed that he never found John Wakefield's body.
Even Henry has his moment when Abby finds him covered in blood and his brother, J.D., dying after being stabbed. "It's all about you, Abby," are his dying word. Cue Abby as suspect.
Enter John Wakefield. This is The Grim Reaper and he just shows no emotion as he rips his way through the remainder of the wedding party.
But, Wakefield is not alone. He has come for his child. And the mother of his child was Abby's mother. Abby is now the key suspect again because by now it has been worked out that Wakefield is not acting alone.
Tonight was the denouement where everything comes together and the other killer's identity is revealed. The storyline was outlined in Episode 1 which made everything in the final two episodes make sense.
Something that should have been corny was really good and that was the romantic intervals between Cal and Chloe and that has to be down to the actors Adam Campbell and Cameron Richardson. You had to be hard hearted to watch them die without being sad that they had become Wakefield's victims.
Elaine Cassidy takes the lead as Abby Mills. With Christopher Gorham and Katie Cassidy as the prospective groom and bride, Henry and Trish. Nor would I want to meet Callum Keith Rennie up a dark alley not after his acting skills at bringing John Wakefield to life.
If you missed it I can only hope that it comes out on DVD.