TV review by Merrill Barr, co-host of The Idiot Boxers

Show: Persons Unknown
Airs: NBC, Mondays, 10pm
Episode: Premiere

One of the great things about mini-series’ is that you can get into the story and not worry about the show being canceled or worry about not knowing answers. With that said, I say now, Persons Unknown might end up being the surprise hit of the summer.

There is no other way to describe Persons Unknown than a bonafide mystery. A bunch of people wake up in a strange place, all with no clue how they got there. All of them are from locations far beyond the reach of each other. Once they have the standard meet and greet, things start to get interesting. One poses the classic question “what if one of us is them?” That is the basic mystery of the show, who is them?

Perhaps the most intriguing device is the use of security cameras. We know that whoever “they” are, they’re watching these people through various security cameras throughout the “town.” That also goes for the families of the people who are kidnapped.

The astute viewer will notice that the “town” looks a lot like a certain back lot. Normally that would be a sign of poor set design, but in this case, that only adds to the mystic of the show. It isn’t an accident that the town looks like something just built last week with ply wood. Everything in it is fake.

When the concept of other people in the town is introduced, that’s when the twists start to come. Out of know where, a hotel clerk and a restaurant full of Chinese chefs begins to feed and serve the hostages. The entire episode does nothing more than set up questions that will most certainly be answered throughout the course of the series.

Persons Unknown is a mystery/thriller through and through. But, it is definitely some of the best writing on TV at the moment. It’s nice to see the show use subtly to keep the pace up. This episode had no explosions, no chases, and one blast of a shot gun while it was being taken away from another person, just great characters and great questions. I can’t wait to see what the rest of the series has to offer, and I really can’t wait for the answers at the end of the summer.

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Related Reading

• Idiot Boxers Review: Persons Unknown, Ep: 04
• Idiot Boxers Review: Persons Unknown, Ep: 03
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Tags: Mini Series, NBC, Persons Unknown