i really wish Point Pleasant had been given more of a chance to find an audience.while i do believe it was a bit slow for the first few episodes, i think it picked up considerably as it went along.and the last four or five episodes especially,i found quite compelling and fraught with tension.the last episode was a real nail biter of a cliffhanger ending(if that makes any sense,and if the show had picked up from that point,i think it would have found an audience.as it is,it only lasted 13 episodes.one minor annoyance for me,was that i felt the acting was not always as good as i'd hoped,but that too improved as the series went along.all in all,i found it worth watching and would recommend it to others.7/10
61 Reviews
Why is it when we finally get a good show they cancel it
skooshie30 August 2006
I wonder why it is here in America that when ever we get a decent show the idiot networks cancel it. Everything from Harsh Realm to American Gothic. Shows that are witty and well written and you actually enjoy watching. Instead we get the Americanized versions of reality shows (and yes the European versions are usually a whole lot better). This show was in now way perfect but was moving along at a very nice pace and could have been really good if they had just finished it. I do not understand why corporate execs think that we here in this country can not think on our own and when we finally get a show that might be even the tiniest smidgen of controversial (especially with religious overtones) the networks yank it. I understand the this is a Christian (haha) country but gives us a break. Those of us that actually like to keep an open mind do not seem to get a break from the rest of the country. PLEASE Give us good TV for a change.
Gets better with repeat viewing
davek289 November 2009
I just want to show some appreciation for this programme as I just re-watched it and found it just as exciting as the first time, if not more so. It is frustrating that the American TV networks treat these things with such disdain, where ratings matter more than quality so good series can be culled before they've had a chance to get into their stride. It's a good thing that parents aren't allowed to take this attitude with their children.
As a big Buffy fan, I latched onto Point Pleasant as Marti Noxon was executive producer. There are certainly lines in PP which are obviously lifted from Buffy, but that's a good thing. I dug out my old Buffy DVDs to find one or two of these lines and discovered that Buffy now sadly seems amateurish in comparison with PP. Christina's situation reminded me of Willow in Buffy season 6.
It helps that all the women in PP are very attractive - even the mousy Judy (Aubrey Dollar) is actually gorgeous if you pay attention - and despite some criticism of Elizabeth Harnois she really does put in a gutsy performance and doesn't hold back in the more emotive scenes. I'm surprised that I haven't spotted any of the cast of PP in US TV series since then - except the adorable Cameron Richardson who was in Harper's Island recently.
Anyway, I think Point Pleasant is a much under-appreciated series and if anyone knows of an appreciation society out there somewhere, please let me know. I'm sure I'll be watching it again one day.
As a big Buffy fan, I latched onto Point Pleasant as Marti Noxon was executive producer. There are certainly lines in PP which are obviously lifted from Buffy, but that's a good thing. I dug out my old Buffy DVDs to find one or two of these lines and discovered that Buffy now sadly seems amateurish in comparison with PP. Christina's situation reminded me of Willow in Buffy season 6.
It helps that all the women in PP are very attractive - even the mousy Judy (Aubrey Dollar) is actually gorgeous if you pay attention - and despite some criticism of Elizabeth Harnois she really does put in a gutsy performance and doesn't hold back in the more emotive scenes. I'm surprised that I haven't spotted any of the cast of PP in US TV series since then - except the adorable Cameron Richardson who was in Harper's Island recently.
Anyway, I think Point Pleasant is a much under-appreciated series and if anyone knows of an appreciation society out there somewhere, please let me know. I'm sure I'll be watching it again one day.
Many are missing Point Pleasant
amandab-57 April 2005
Though I enjoy Tru Calling, the show which replaced Point Pleasant in it's time slot on Fox, I still wish that Point Pleasant was on. Until today while researching what happened to the show, I realized that there are a lot of people who also miss the show. I also realize that the show is definitely made for a specific audience(lovers of the super-natural, like myself. There's only re-runs of Buffy and Angel, and other shows of this genre. I feel that I am speaking for many when I ask anybody out there who may be able to do something about this. Give us back Point Pleasant or something to the same effect. Some people need more than reality t.v..
Elisabeth Harnois rules!
raivan35420 July 2006
I absolutely loved this show. It was the one show during the time of its run that I looked forward to every week.
Elisabeth Harnois and the rest of the cast were great, and the story got better and more intense every week.
Sadly, this was one of the most poorly promoted and scheduled television shows ever... no one ever even knew about it! Giving it one of the worst and most inappropriate names ever didn't help either.
I suppose some thanks should be given for the DVD release.... at least I'll be able to see the episodes that were STOLEN from me when the show was AXED because of network STUPIDITY.
Elisabeth Harnois and the rest of the cast were great, and the story got better and more intense every week.
Sadly, this was one of the most poorly promoted and scheduled television shows ever... no one ever even knew about it! Giving it one of the worst and most inappropriate names ever didn't help either.
I suppose some thanks should be given for the DVD release.... at least I'll be able to see the episodes that were STOLEN from me when the show was AXED because of network STUPIDITY.
"Charmed" For the Teen Soap Crowd
aimless-4629 May 2007
If you have already seen an episode of "Point Pleasant", then you know that it is a good- versus-evil teen soap about a girl born to a woman from New Jersey but fathered by the devil. But if the show is an unknown quantity to you, and all these positive comments have you thinking of watching (or buying) the DVD, then you are the audience to whom my comment is directed.
Imagine a cross between "Charmed" and "Beverly Hills 90210"; don't buy into the "Buffy" and "O.C." comparisons. If you like the digital effects and production design of "Charmed" (which are actually pretty good) and its mystical premise (which is extremely silly), and the Tori Spelling quality teen soap melodrama of "90210"; then you are "Point Pleasant's" target audience. You should be asking yourself how you missed the boat when it was still playing on Fox. Maybe you need to expand your circle of friends.
Although Grant Snow does a pretty good imitation of Jason Priestly, "Point Pleasant" is hardly on the level of "Tru Calling" (although better than its weaker abbreviated 2nd season). Snow, who looks amazingly like Priestly, is a considerably better actor and the main reason to watch "Point Pleasant". His Lucus Boyd character combines the bad qualities of "Tru Callings" Jack Harper and "Charmed's" Cole Turner (Julian McMahon). Snow has a lot of fun with this role which translates to good viewing.
Also good viewing are the pouty lips of Elisabeth Harnois (an extremely talented actress), who plays devil's daughter trying-to-be-good Christina. Harnois is a former Disney Darling gone bad, moving from "My Date With the President's Daughter" to things like "Point Pleasant" and the "R" rated "Pretty Persuasion" (2005). Those who last saw her 10+ years ago playing Alice in Disney's long-running "Adventures In Wonderland" will get quite a shock. The production crew does a fantastic job with the lighting on all the closeups but the close shots of Harnois are exceptionally good. Based on the quality of these my guess is that at least some of the lighting and makeup people responsible for the closeups of Amy Acker in the "Angel" series were part of the Point Pleasant production team.
Those looking for laughs will find little funny about "Point Pleasant" except the unintentionally hilarious casting. There are no children or old people in "Point Pleasant", only high school kids and their parents. And the series suffers from the age compression syndrome often found in this sort or series. Lacking experienced teenage actors, the producers filled these roles with men and women in their mid to late 20's. The flabby upper arms of the actresses are an immediate tipoff. Complicating things was the need to cast attractive "youngish" actors in the parental roles. So you have a bunch of 35 year-olds playing the parents of actors just nine years their junior. Meaning that mothers like Dina Meyer look younger than their daughters or their daughter's boyfriends.
Even those in its target audience will find "Point Pleasant" a little sluggish but here is the basic premise. Christina, who has been living at elite boarding schools monitored by a bunch MBAs in league with the devil, takes an ocean cruise and washes up on the shores of New Jersey's Point Pleasant. Middle age teen lifeguard Jesse (Sam Page) saves her. Christina moves in with a local family whose daughter Judy (played by Aubrey Dollar) is a Tomboy gas station attendant. Why do they always cast the best looking actress as a Tomboy? Judy is weakest "character" in the series; neither the screenwriter, director, or actress seem able to decide how she should be played and the inconsistency eventually gets quite irritating.
Jesse's girlfriend begins to fret when it appears that she is losing Jesse to Christina. She would really be worried if someone told her she looks older than her mother.
"Point Pleasant" is unique in that the story only appears to be a simplistic "good vs evil" tale. The story is told from Christina's point-of-view and to her (and to identifying audience members) the extremes of good and evil seem equally warped; needing each other to even exist. Christina occupies a more moderate middle ground along with a couple of allies but exploring this concept appears to be something intended for the second season that never happened.
There are 13 episodes on the DVD plus a pretty good behind-the-scenes featurette. Only the first eight episodes were broadcast. Unfortunately the pace really began to pick up at about the time broadcasting ended; with episodes 10 ("Hell Hath No Fury Like a Woman Choked") and 11 ("Missing") exceptionally good. The last two episodes unconvincingly stumble toward a conclusion of sorts; having to leave open the possibility of another season made a clean finish impossible. If they knew in advance that season one would have to stand on its own (like "The Prisoner"), I'm sure they would have assembled a much better wrap-up.
Then again, what do I know? I'm only a child.
Imagine a cross between "Charmed" and "Beverly Hills 90210"; don't buy into the "Buffy" and "O.C." comparisons. If you like the digital effects and production design of "Charmed" (which are actually pretty good) and its mystical premise (which is extremely silly), and the Tori Spelling quality teen soap melodrama of "90210"; then you are "Point Pleasant's" target audience. You should be asking yourself how you missed the boat when it was still playing on Fox. Maybe you need to expand your circle of friends.
Although Grant Snow does a pretty good imitation of Jason Priestly, "Point Pleasant" is hardly on the level of "Tru Calling" (although better than its weaker abbreviated 2nd season). Snow, who looks amazingly like Priestly, is a considerably better actor and the main reason to watch "Point Pleasant". His Lucus Boyd character combines the bad qualities of "Tru Callings" Jack Harper and "Charmed's" Cole Turner (Julian McMahon). Snow has a lot of fun with this role which translates to good viewing.
Also good viewing are the pouty lips of Elisabeth Harnois (an extremely talented actress), who plays devil's daughter trying-to-be-good Christina. Harnois is a former Disney Darling gone bad, moving from "My Date With the President's Daughter" to things like "Point Pleasant" and the "R" rated "Pretty Persuasion" (2005). Those who last saw her 10+ years ago playing Alice in Disney's long-running "Adventures In Wonderland" will get quite a shock. The production crew does a fantastic job with the lighting on all the closeups but the close shots of Harnois are exceptionally good. Based on the quality of these my guess is that at least some of the lighting and makeup people responsible for the closeups of Amy Acker in the "Angel" series were part of the Point Pleasant production team.
Those looking for laughs will find little funny about "Point Pleasant" except the unintentionally hilarious casting. There are no children or old people in "Point Pleasant", only high school kids and their parents. And the series suffers from the age compression syndrome often found in this sort or series. Lacking experienced teenage actors, the producers filled these roles with men and women in their mid to late 20's. The flabby upper arms of the actresses are an immediate tipoff. Complicating things was the need to cast attractive "youngish" actors in the parental roles. So you have a bunch of 35 year-olds playing the parents of actors just nine years their junior. Meaning that mothers like Dina Meyer look younger than their daughters or their daughter's boyfriends.
Even those in its target audience will find "Point Pleasant" a little sluggish but here is the basic premise. Christina, who has been living at elite boarding schools monitored by a bunch MBAs in league with the devil, takes an ocean cruise and washes up on the shores of New Jersey's Point Pleasant. Middle age teen lifeguard Jesse (Sam Page) saves her. Christina moves in with a local family whose daughter Judy (played by Aubrey Dollar) is a Tomboy gas station attendant. Why do they always cast the best looking actress as a Tomboy? Judy is weakest "character" in the series; neither the screenwriter, director, or actress seem able to decide how she should be played and the inconsistency eventually gets quite irritating.
Jesse's girlfriend begins to fret when it appears that she is losing Jesse to Christina. She would really be worried if someone told her she looks older than her mother.
"Point Pleasant" is unique in that the story only appears to be a simplistic "good vs evil" tale. The story is told from Christina's point-of-view and to her (and to identifying audience members) the extremes of good and evil seem equally warped; needing each other to even exist. Christina occupies a more moderate middle ground along with a couple of allies but exploring this concept appears to be something intended for the second season that never happened.
There are 13 episodes on the DVD plus a pretty good behind-the-scenes featurette. Only the first eight episodes were broadcast. Unfortunately the pace really began to pick up at about the time broadcasting ended; with episodes 10 ("Hell Hath No Fury Like a Woman Choked") and 11 ("Missing") exceptionally good. The last two episodes unconvincingly stumble toward a conclusion of sorts; having to leave open the possibility of another season made a clean finish impossible. If they knew in advance that season one would have to stand on its own (like "The Prisoner"), I'm sure they would have assembled a much better wrap-up.
Then again, what do I know? I'm only a child.
Just like Fox to cancel good shows and keep the bad ones
smallrage127 July 2009
It so typical of FOX to cancel good shows and keep the bad ones and any network that is syndicated such as NBC, CBS and especially CBS who is losing the the syndication rating wars followed closely by FOX.
FOX let a good show like this over American Dad, Don't Forget the Lyrics, King of the Hill and other trash in there line up and axed this great show give me a break. The kicker is a similar show call supernatural which is based on the same principal is a smash hit but it took a few seasons before it really took off. Which goes to show you that Fox axed this show far too soon.
Let's face it folks the world was ready for a show like this because TV has become so dull with the shove down your throats reality TV that anything that is different from that genre is a welcome event. If FOX actually cared for it's views it would of brought it back seeing the huge campaign that was started yet there response was to give us are you smarter than a fifth grader. If anything the people running syndication TV aren't smarter than a fifth grader. So please if anyone at FOX reads this listen to what the viewers want and give up reality TV it time has come and gone for good.
FOX let a good show like this over American Dad, Don't Forget the Lyrics, King of the Hill and other trash in there line up and axed this great show give me a break. The kicker is a similar show call supernatural which is based on the same principal is a smash hit but it took a few seasons before it really took off. Which goes to show you that Fox axed this show far too soon.
Let's face it folks the world was ready for a show like this because TV has become so dull with the shove down your throats reality TV that anything that is different from that genre is a welcome event. If FOX actually cared for it's views it would of brought it back seeing the huge campaign that was started yet there response was to give us are you smarter than a fifth grader. If anything the people running syndication TV aren't smarter than a fifth grader. So please if anyone at FOX reads this listen to what the viewers want and give up reality TV it time has come and gone for good.
Yes, the Anti-Christ wears a bikini... but there's a lot more to this show
misbegotten3 September 2009
Warning: Spoilers
Despite it's various flaws, I enjoyed POINT PLEASANT. In the early instalments it's all a bit soapy, with mother-and-daughter team the Hargroves trying to seduce their chosen men, while the attractive young teen cast spend every other scene wandering about the beach in bikinis and swimming trunks. But as the series progresses, things get more interesting and multi-layered. Everyone has secrets: Judy was having a covert affair with Isabelle's boyfriend; Jesse discovers a mystery surrounding his parentage and realises his destiny is linked to Christina's; several characters - Father Matthew, Jesse's mother and Judy's potential new suitor Nick - know more than they're letting on; Terry's bedridden and seriously ill father begins making cryptic remarks; and Ben Kramer keeps receiving the exact same video tape in the mail - no matter how many times he destroys it.
One of the best additions in the later episodes is Holly, Lucas's girlfriend from the Thirties. Having murdered her, he then sold his soul in return for her being brought back to life. As a result she's immortal but has to go through all the pain and fear of dying and being resurrected every day. Having endured this daily ritual for over seventy years, Holly delights in the devotion and enormous guilt he feels towards her, and their love/hate relationship (and it really is a mixture of love and pure hate) is wonderfully twisted. She's his only weakness, and she exploits this to the full - plus the scriptwriters give her all the best dialogue.
Another surprising aspect is the inclusion of the Believers, a covert Vatican assassination squad who secretly arrive in Point Pleasant intent on killing Christina. A no-nonsense, ultra-efficient bunch, they are certain that they're doing God's will, but are ultimately revealed to be a bunch of arrogant, blinkered, deluded fanatics, who actually make the situation much worse and are mostly responsible for Christina's fall into darkness - thus triggering the apocalypse they were certain they could prevent. Portraying a branch of the Catholic church (and by extension, all organized religion) as not speaking for God and having no idea of what His plan is, was a brave move by the show's producers. And I may be reading way too much into it, but I can't help but wonder if it wasn't a subtle comment on the America Religious Right's unblinking support for the neo-con Bush administration's invasion of Iraq, which had already turned into a disaster when POINT PLEASANT was initially broadcast.
I also liked how the personal journeys of several characters confounded early expectations. Some of the most sympathetic of the town's inhabitants - Jesse, his mother, and Judy - all eventually betray and hurt Christina, admittedly while acting with the best of intentions (the road to Hell, and all that). Meanwhile, those originally appearing to side with Lucas ultimately reject him and find personal redemption: Amber goes all-out to break up the Kramers' marriage, before realising that there's some lines she's not prepared to cross; Her daughter Paula is the town's teen bitch queen, but eventually does some soul-searching and finds true love with Terry, a boy she previously wouldn't have looked twice at; And Terry, practically a younger version of Lucas, selflessly ends his romance with Paula in order to save her from Christina's wrath, and is last seen leaving town with Holly.
Acting-wise, Grant Show steals every scene he's in as Lucas, but he's helped considerably by the fact that it's an absolute gift of a role. Elisabeth Harnois has been criticized in most on-line reviews for her portrayal of Christina, and while I'd admit it's not an outstanding performance, I think most of the time she does okay. She definitely made me care about Christina and her ultimate fate, and that's the most important thing in my book. In contrast, Sam Page gave a very underpowered and vacant performance as Jesse, and therefore I didn't give two hoots about him. Personally, the standout for me was Aubrey Dollar as Judy: she doesn't get much to do throughout the entire series except react to events, but she somehow succeeds in making the character extremely likable. The mid-season episodes, in which Judy learns all about Christina's Anti-Christ status and becomes her loyal confidant and sidekick, were my favourite moments of the series.
Anyone who enjoyed POINT PLEASANT should check out HEX, a darker British series that covered much of the same ground and in my opinion was superior to it's American cousin. Coincidentally, POINT PLEASANT was first broadcast during the gap between HEX's two seasons (2004 and 2005).
One of the best additions in the later episodes is Holly, Lucas's girlfriend from the Thirties. Having murdered her, he then sold his soul in return for her being brought back to life. As a result she's immortal but has to go through all the pain and fear of dying and being resurrected every day. Having endured this daily ritual for over seventy years, Holly delights in the devotion and enormous guilt he feels towards her, and their love/hate relationship (and it really is a mixture of love and pure hate) is wonderfully twisted. She's his only weakness, and she exploits this to the full - plus the scriptwriters give her all the best dialogue.
Another surprising aspect is the inclusion of the Believers, a covert Vatican assassination squad who secretly arrive in Point Pleasant intent on killing Christina. A no-nonsense, ultra-efficient bunch, they are certain that they're doing God's will, but are ultimately revealed to be a bunch of arrogant, blinkered, deluded fanatics, who actually make the situation much worse and are mostly responsible for Christina's fall into darkness - thus triggering the apocalypse they were certain they could prevent. Portraying a branch of the Catholic church (and by extension, all organized religion) as not speaking for God and having no idea of what His plan is, was a brave move by the show's producers. And I may be reading way too much into it, but I can't help but wonder if it wasn't a subtle comment on the America Religious Right's unblinking support for the neo-con Bush administration's invasion of Iraq, which had already turned into a disaster when POINT PLEASANT was initially broadcast.
I also liked how the personal journeys of several characters confounded early expectations. Some of the most sympathetic of the town's inhabitants - Jesse, his mother, and Judy - all eventually betray and hurt Christina, admittedly while acting with the best of intentions (the road to Hell, and all that). Meanwhile, those originally appearing to side with Lucas ultimately reject him and find personal redemption: Amber goes all-out to break up the Kramers' marriage, before realising that there's some lines she's not prepared to cross; Her daughter Paula is the town's teen bitch queen, but eventually does some soul-searching and finds true love with Terry, a boy she previously wouldn't have looked twice at; And Terry, practically a younger version of Lucas, selflessly ends his romance with Paula in order to save her from Christina's wrath, and is last seen leaving town with Holly.
Acting-wise, Grant Show steals every scene he's in as Lucas, but he's helped considerably by the fact that it's an absolute gift of a role. Elisabeth Harnois has been criticized in most on-line reviews for her portrayal of Christina, and while I'd admit it's not an outstanding performance, I think most of the time she does okay. She definitely made me care about Christina and her ultimate fate, and that's the most important thing in my book. In contrast, Sam Page gave a very underpowered and vacant performance as Jesse, and therefore I didn't give two hoots about him. Personally, the standout for me was Aubrey Dollar as Judy: she doesn't get much to do throughout the entire series except react to events, but she somehow succeeds in making the character extremely likable. The mid-season episodes, in which Judy learns all about Christina's Anti-Christ status and becomes her loyal confidant and sidekick, were my favourite moments of the series.
Anyone who enjoyed POINT PLEASANT should check out HEX, a darker British series that covered much of the same ground and in my opinion was superior to it's American cousin. Coincidentally, POINT PLEASANT was first broadcast during the gap between HEX's two seasons (2004 and 2005).
Hot chicks... Good storyline... Good vs. Evil... What more can you ask for in a show?
mitchlb45218 June 2009
I was really surprised when this show was cancelled. There is some really stellar acting and a very cool storyline... If you like good vs. evil kind of movies/shows than point pleasant wont disappoint. Obviously it is short... So it leaves the audience with kind of a cliffhanger... It is a very serious show... not a lot of room for humour - but it is not overly dark... The story is about the daughter of the devil trying to fit in with normal society. Can she look past her heritage and come out on the right side - or will she be the end of makind as we know it? It really is worth watching despite the fact that it only has 13 episodes... I mean, firefly is just as short and it is one of the top rated shows in the world - so don't let that stop you from buying the show, because it's worth watching.
A good series, though a little padded and with no real ending
gridoon202414 September 2016
Warning: Spoilers
"Point Pleasant" might at first seem to be "just" a teenage-oriented soap opera with supernatural elements, but in its course it also poses some thought-provoking philosophical questions: can you battle evil without becoming evil? Can evil feel compassion? Is everything predestined or can we shape out future? Is faith a matter of reality or a matter of will? Though it feels lightweight at first (Point Pleasant, the town, really is pleasant) and padded in the middle (it could stand to lose a couple of episodes), things get pretty dark in the final (and best - closely followed by the flashback-laden "The Last Dance") episode. Speaking of the final episode....it's not really final. The creators were obviously setting things up for a second season that never came, so the big story is left unfinished. It's like going to a football game only to have it cancelled (forever) right after the first goal! So I cannot recommend this series without reservations. But overall the good points outweigh the weaknesses. And one of the best points is the acting, especially by Elisabeth Harnois, who manages to portray the duality of Christina's nature, and Grant Show, as the kind of villain you love to hate. *** out of 4.
Dullsville
ctomvelu12 August 2009
Short-lived soap opera targeted at a very specific demographic, teenagers, PP is about a young woman with paranormal powers who moves to a coastal New Jersey town. In fact, one of the episodes is a direct snatch from CARRIE, involving a school dance and something dangling high above. Not all that much seems to happen, and the show was gone after only a few episodes. All the teenagers are very pretty, including the boys. Look for two familiar faces playing series regulars: veteran TV actor Grant Show and Dina Meyer of "Starship Troopers" and the "Saw" movies. Unfortunately, the show was so dull, I figured it for yet another one of those endless, cheaply made Canadian jobs. But apparently it was a Hollywood production. Go figure.
Show aged really well and the best episodes were never shown in its initial run...
scarletminded28 September 2010
Warning: Spoilers
I recently re-watched Point Pleasant on Chiller. The channel showed all the episodes. When I watched it in 2005, I didn't get to see all of it and the episodes I saw, I thought might be a rip off of Twin Peaks minus the quirkiness. I think I wrote my first review in 2005 in haste, for it was before I saw Last Dance, which was my favorite of the series when I watched it on Fox.
It was a show ahead of its time. It did remind me of the OC at first, but given the uprising of bad reality TV, Point Pleasant has aged well. Maybe TV needed to get worse so I could see the sophistication of the show. Christina, first washes up on shore, rescued by a life guard, who has powers of his own. The supernatural aspects show up very subtle and take a while to be known, which is the magic of this series. One doesn't know in the beginning if Christina is the daughter of the devil or maybe something else. The citizens of Point Pleasant are like the people of Twin Peaks, moral small town people up front, but very immoral down below and as the show unfolds, you begin to realize Christina has a choice of becoming good or evil, since she is the devil's daughter but has a mortal mother. Yet the people in the city are what makes Christina choose the dark side towards the end of the series. Christina has no connection of family, no mother, the father who raised her treats her like a business, giving her money and telling her she is on her own. The family who she befriends, seems to do so because Christina replaces the dead daughter, Isabelle is a very Laura Palmer household where the mom has visions and the dad drugs her. Once Christina shows that she is not normal, the family rejects her. She falls in love with Jesse, the lifeguard who saved her, but after they make love, he has a vision of her dark side and leaves her, driving away. No wonder Point Pleasant was chosen to be Christina's first playground for her evil side, everyone in the town deceives her. No one gives her love or a choice to not be evil, even her real mother, who Christina was looking for, turns on her. I think the character of Christina showed a lot of restraint before she finally lost it and turned to her morbid side.
The Twin Peaks influence probably turned me off at first, since I loved that show, but given some time and the ability to watch all the episodes (Fox only aired up to show 8, but I only caught up to show 5), it has given me a new appreciation for the show. As the episodes progress, they get more weird and interesting. One wonders how good the show would have gotten if given a second season (or even a first full season). I didn't even get to see all original 8 episodes shown on Fox in the US because the schedule for airings was constantly changed and American Idol replaced where the ninth (the episode of the series where there was a lot of character development) show should have aired. Point Pleasant was a slow moving series and needed all 13 (a great number) episodes to be seen by viewers. The psychological parts I loved came out a lot more towards the end, where Christina is using her evil powers, to have a regular "family" dinner with the people who rejected her. She is struggling to have what everyone around her has and it is done in a dark comedy style. The ending leaves you with the feeling that "evil won" and really, it is a nice twist, made even more sinister by the fact the show isn't coming back and Christina is still walking down the street with thousands of ravens behind her (one of the main symbols of the series) soon to be destroying the whole town while Boyd watches.
Another fun thing about Point Pleasant is you get to see Jon Hamm of Mad Men as a doctor turned crazy kidnapper, who offers a girl in sacrifice to Christina and Aaron Paul of Breaking Bad, who has a small role as dead girl Isabelle's boyfriend who cheated on Isabelle with her sister, Judy. I guess the casting knew these guys would be headed for greatness.
I highly recommend this series to people who like supernatural or surreal shows like Twin Peaks, Buffy, Angel or Reaper. Chiller shows the whole series and you can also buy it on DVD. You may also want to watch it for its Mad Men/Breaking Bad connections if you are curious.
It was a show ahead of its time. It did remind me of the OC at first, but given the uprising of bad reality TV, Point Pleasant has aged well. Maybe TV needed to get worse so I could see the sophistication of the show. Christina, first washes up on shore, rescued by a life guard, who has powers of his own. The supernatural aspects show up very subtle and take a while to be known, which is the magic of this series. One doesn't know in the beginning if Christina is the daughter of the devil or maybe something else. The citizens of Point Pleasant are like the people of Twin Peaks, moral small town people up front, but very immoral down below and as the show unfolds, you begin to realize Christina has a choice of becoming good or evil, since she is the devil's daughter but has a mortal mother. Yet the people in the city are what makes Christina choose the dark side towards the end of the series. Christina has no connection of family, no mother, the father who raised her treats her like a business, giving her money and telling her she is on her own. The family who she befriends, seems to do so because Christina replaces the dead daughter, Isabelle is a very Laura Palmer household where the mom has visions and the dad drugs her. Once Christina shows that she is not normal, the family rejects her. She falls in love with Jesse, the lifeguard who saved her, but after they make love, he has a vision of her dark side and leaves her, driving away. No wonder Point Pleasant was chosen to be Christina's first playground for her evil side, everyone in the town deceives her. No one gives her love or a choice to not be evil, even her real mother, who Christina was looking for, turns on her. I think the character of Christina showed a lot of restraint before she finally lost it and turned to her morbid side.
The Twin Peaks influence probably turned me off at first, since I loved that show, but given some time and the ability to watch all the episodes (Fox only aired up to show 8, but I only caught up to show 5), it has given me a new appreciation for the show. As the episodes progress, they get more weird and interesting. One wonders how good the show would have gotten if given a second season (or even a first full season). I didn't even get to see all original 8 episodes shown on Fox in the US because the schedule for airings was constantly changed and American Idol replaced where the ninth (the episode of the series where there was a lot of character development) show should have aired. Point Pleasant was a slow moving series and needed all 13 (a great number) episodes to be seen by viewers. The psychological parts I loved came out a lot more towards the end, where Christina is using her evil powers, to have a regular "family" dinner with the people who rejected her. She is struggling to have what everyone around her has and it is done in a dark comedy style. The ending leaves you with the feeling that "evil won" and really, it is a nice twist, made even more sinister by the fact the show isn't coming back and Christina is still walking down the street with thousands of ravens behind her (one of the main symbols of the series) soon to be destroying the whole town while Boyd watches.
Another fun thing about Point Pleasant is you get to see Jon Hamm of Mad Men as a doctor turned crazy kidnapper, who offers a girl in sacrifice to Christina and Aaron Paul of Breaking Bad, who has a small role as dead girl Isabelle's boyfriend who cheated on Isabelle with her sister, Judy. I guess the casting knew these guys would be headed for greatness.
I highly recommend this series to people who like supernatural or surreal shows like Twin Peaks, Buffy, Angel or Reaper. Chiller shows the whole series and you can also buy it on DVD. You may also want to watch it for its Mad Men/Breaking Bad connections if you are curious.
interesting potential in the premise
SnoopyStyle26 July 2015
Jesse Parker (Sam Page) rescues a mysterious girl during a storm in the beach community of Point Pleasant, New Jersey. The girl is Christina Nickson (Elisabeth Harnois) with supernatural powers who is born to The Dark One and an innocent woman. Christina is uncertain of her origins and is searching for her mother. Judy Kramer (Aubrey Dollar) befriends Christina and her parents (Susan Walters, Richard Burgi) take her in still suffering from the death of their daughter Isabelle. Christina's powers pulls in Jesse and threatens his girlfriend Paula Hargrove (Cameron Richardson). The Dark One's minion Lucas Boyd (Grant Show) arrives in town to watch over Christina.
The show starts out with an interesting premise. It reveals way too much too early. Instead of revealing the story little by little, it dumps everything right away and struggles to move on. It also becomes too soapy with too many characters. It needs to settle down to a few core characters in a group around Christina. It also has clashing tones. Sometimes it has the Gothic religious overtones. Then it's beautiful girls in bikinis with teen drama. I also wonder if the show should lessen the adult stories and concentrate on Christina and the teen characters.
The show starts out with an interesting premise. It reveals way too much too early. Instead of revealing the story little by little, it dumps everything right away and struggles to move on. It also becomes too soapy with too many characters. It needs to settle down to a few core characters in a group around Christina. It also has clashing tones. Sometimes it has the Gothic religious overtones. Then it's beautiful girls in bikinis with teen drama. I also wonder if the show should lessen the adult stories and concentrate on Christina and the teen characters.
Supernatural teen drama with a slightly darker tone
tapio_hietamaki27 March 2017
Warning: Spoilers
Okay so this show was a cancelled supernatural teen drama that was a bit darker in tone. Recommended for fans of Buffy the Vampire Slayer and campy horror movies. Don't expect a lot of fancy special effects.
The story is about a pretty blonde called Christina who has a symbol representing the number 666 engraved in her eye and who seems to have a power that causes bad things to happen around her. Yes, she's the daughter of the Devil, no surprises there.
The show is set in a small coastal town called 'Point Pleasant' and mostly focuses on the relationships of the teen characters. If you liked the show and are looking for something similar, I recommend you watch The CW's 'The Secret Circle'.
The story is about a pretty blonde called Christina who has a symbol representing the number 666 engraved in her eye and who seems to have a power that causes bad things to happen around her. Yes, she's the daughter of the Devil, no surprises there.
The show is set in a small coastal town called 'Point Pleasant' and mostly focuses on the relationships of the teen characters. If you liked the show and are looking for something similar, I recommend you watch The CW's 'The Secret Circle'.
Fox bring back Point Pleasant!!!
sanderson-146 April 2005
It's a plot-based show. It takes time to tell the story and to build things up.
There are many of us who really loved this show and it was not given proper time to gain an audience.
Also I felt cheated by Fox, just as I was really getting into the program "WHAM THEY CANCEL IT"!!!
I hope that the rest of the episodes will be either aired VERY SOON or put to DVD. But even if that happens I am still disappointed that a show this great and with so many possibilities has been CUT SHORT!!!
All I can say is do the right thing FOX and bring Point Pleasant back!!!!
There are many of us who really loved this show and it was not given proper time to gain an audience.
Also I felt cheated by Fox, just as I was really getting into the program "WHAM THEY CANCEL IT"!!!
I hope that the rest of the episodes will be either aired VERY SOON or put to DVD. But even if that happens I am still disappointed that a show this great and with so many possibilities has been CUT SHORT!!!
All I can say is do the right thing FOX and bring Point Pleasant back!!!!
bring it back please
anticwarfare7 October 2006
all i can say about this TV series is that my heart breaks when i found out that it was cancelled. so..... fox, pleas bring back Point Pleasant. all of the actors are so talented,all of them, i don't get why fox cancelled the show, maybe not many people tuned in to the program when it was on because they don't know that program and its new and fox did not give any chance for the show to gain some popularities, already after 1 year of its premier release, the show has gain quite a lot of fans worldwide judging from votes on this websites and the comments. so i am very sad that this TV series is cancelled. fox, please bring it back. FOX BRING BACK POINT PLEASANT!!!!!!!!
Best mini-series ever.
kleinmarkr1 September 2006
Oh those eyes. Elisabeth Harnois has eyes I dream about. On the 3 disc DVD set (which I purchased) you see her in real life and her eyes are still out-of-this-world. Okay back to Point Pleasant.
Believible. The show felt real. The characters became their part. Boyd was a cool "Bad guy".
Part two would have been great but Fox couldn't air part one. I can't understand it.
Better than OC. Better than the Omen. Original? Yes, very. Many comments on this show missed the point.
One question I've asked every person I lent this movie to. Would you date Christina?.....I would. hehehehe.
Later.
Believible. The show felt real. The characters became their part. Boyd was a cool "Bad guy".
Part two would have been great but Fox couldn't air part one. I can't understand it.
Better than OC. Better than the Omen. Original? Yes, very. Many comments on this show missed the point.
One question I've asked every person I lent this movie to. Would you date Christina?.....I would. hehehehe.
Later.
Had potential, but pacing was slow.
OllieSuave-0077 November 2017
This is a somewhat intriguing show about a teenage girl who has the ability to cause strange things to happen whenever she gets angry. She is unbeknownst to the townspeople the daughter of Satan, and she is unwittingly about to fulfill a prophecy of war between heaven and hell in the town.
The acting wasn't bad and the story-line for each episode was unique. However, I thought the traction and pacing of the plot was slow and there were too much cliffhangers, which doesn't give you much satisfying answers or conclusions after each episode. It had potential and intrigue, but the overall suspense and entertainment wasn't really there.
Grade D+
The acting wasn't bad and the story-line for each episode was unique. However, I thought the traction and pacing of the plot was slow and there were too much cliffhangers, which doesn't give you much satisfying answers or conclusions after each episode. It had potential and intrigue, but the overall suspense and entertainment wasn't really there.
Grade D+
Garbage.
sykenbod13 May 2010
This show was awful. I bought it on DVD a few years ago because I needed a Buffy fix and I knew one of the writers of that show had gone on to create Point Pleasant, though I wasn't sure which one. I soon found out that it was Marti Noxon's pet project - the woman who was solely responsible for the destruction of everything good about the series Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
Aside from the role played by Grant Show, this show couldn't be any worse. It was boring and pointless. Characters were paper-thin in motive and personality. And I could care less which of them are dating, as it didn't matter. The characters' motives were stupid and didn't even feed in to the overall story; they were just for filler. This show wanted to be the OC with a witch. It shows.
"Haunted" recently released on DVD (starring Matthew Fox before he hit it big with LOST) and if you're looking for an average-yet-entertaining short-lived TV series that you might've missed between the cracks, I highly recommend that over this garbage. It also predates Supernatural, which I hear is phenomenal. If you're looking for something amazing, check out anything by Joss Whedon, namely Buffy, Angel, Firefly, and most recently, Dollhouse. I also recommend Dexter if you want something really gritty. Not into sci-fi as much? Check out Leverage, which is absolutely amazing. Californication isn't bad either.
Aside from the role played by Grant Show, this show couldn't be any worse. It was boring and pointless. Characters were paper-thin in motive and personality. And I could care less which of them are dating, as it didn't matter. The characters' motives were stupid and didn't even feed in to the overall story; they were just for filler. This show wanted to be the OC with a witch. It shows.
"Haunted" recently released on DVD (starring Matthew Fox before he hit it big with LOST) and if you're looking for an average-yet-entertaining short-lived TV series that you might've missed between the cracks, I highly recommend that over this garbage. It also predates Supernatural, which I hear is phenomenal. If you're looking for something amazing, check out anything by Joss Whedon, namely Buffy, Angel, Firefly, and most recently, Dollhouse. I also recommend Dexter if you want something really gritty. Not into sci-fi as much? Check out Leverage, which is absolutely amazing. Californication isn't bad either.
Welcome to Point Pleasant
prydain1512 March 2005
I was unbelievably excited when I heard about this show, and even more so when I saw the promos. Despite the fact that this show was taking the place of "Tru Calling", which I am a HUGE fan of, this show looked so excellent I could hardly stand the wait.
Fortunately I was not disappointed. While the pilot *is* a bit weak, the show gets better and better every week. It is a very different show. It is a teen supernatural thriller, but not like "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" - the monsters are more or less human and there is very little comedy to speak of. It is a religious thriller but unlike most.
I appreciate all the symbolism in the show. Many fans and bashers think it's corny, but it's actually quite the opposite. Symbolism causes you to think and ponder, and it is not dumbed down for the average stoner.
The actors do their job well, in my opinion. They work well together and fit their roles. The only problem is that they portray high school teens and they are in their 20s, which is a bit annoying because I am a junior in high school and NO ONE looks like that.
It's truly a pity that FOX puts this show up against "CSI" and "The Apprentice", because it's a wonderful fun show that is very gripping and delightfully spooky. Yes, the pilot was a turn-off for many but the show got over ten times better with the second episode.
If you haven't caught "Point Pleasant" yet, you definitely should. It's more original than "CSI" and "The Apprentice", and is definitely more worth your hour each Thursday.
Fortunately I was not disappointed. While the pilot *is* a bit weak, the show gets better and better every week. It is a very different show. It is a teen supernatural thriller, but not like "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" - the monsters are more or less human and there is very little comedy to speak of. It is a religious thriller but unlike most.
I appreciate all the symbolism in the show. Many fans and bashers think it's corny, but it's actually quite the opposite. Symbolism causes you to think and ponder, and it is not dumbed down for the average stoner.
The actors do their job well, in my opinion. They work well together and fit their roles. The only problem is that they portray high school teens and they are in their 20s, which is a bit annoying because I am a junior in high school and NO ONE looks like that.
It's truly a pity that FOX puts this show up against "CSI" and "The Apprentice", because it's a wonderful fun show that is very gripping and delightfully spooky. Yes, the pilot was a turn-off for many but the show got over ten times better with the second episode.
If you haven't caught "Point Pleasant" yet, you definitely should. It's more original than "CSI" and "The Apprentice", and is definitely more worth your hour each Thursday.
Point Pleasant TV series
carolinecoo5155 August 2005
I really enjoyed this Gothic/Horror TV series, it was very well acted with a superb cast, especially the main character Christina, and was an ideal show for those of us that are missing the Buffy & Angel TV series that have now both unfortunately finished. I thought that the acting, special effects and ideas behind the series were all excellent, and was really disappointed that the series suddenly ended without notice and without even airing the last 3 episodes. I would like to know the reasons why it ended, and I am keen to see those last few episodes eventually. It is such a shame that such an interesting show that in my opinion is much better than some others that have actually continued, had to suddenly end like that.
Guilty pleasure TV that left me wanting more
boy_in_red9 March 2006
Point Pleasant isn't high brow television. It isn't art. It isn't even especially clever. But for the most part, the show is a lot of fun.
I picked up the DVDs as I guess I was looking for a post-Buffy fix. Marti Noxon's involvement, as well as the dark supernatural theme, drew me to this show. A lot of the complaints I've heard regarding the show aren't unfounded- it can be a little slow, even boring, in places, the quality of the episodes and acting is variable, and at times the soap opera elements (who's dating who etc) seem to act as a distraction from the overall story, rather than complimenting it.
However, the show does get stronger by the end- a lot stronger in fact. It's unfortunate the final 5 episodes weren't aired upon original run, because the last 4 of these had me glued to the screen. Things are so much more focused, and there are some deliciously dark twists, and a real sense of intensity as things build up to the finale.
A special mention has to go to Dina Meyer (Amber Hargrove) and Grant Show (Lucas Boyd). These guys seemed to be having a lot of fun in their roles, especially playing the darker sides of their characters. You can't help but grin while watching them. Elisabeth Harnois deserves credit also- she seems to be the focus of a lot of criticism, but for me she really got across the vulnerability of Christina (you kinda want to hug her) but is also very convincing when the darker side of her arises.
To conclude I guess there's only one thing to say- when I watched the closing shot of the final episode I found myself really wishing for more episodes. I guess, overall, that's a pretty telling compliment in itself.
I picked up the DVDs as I guess I was looking for a post-Buffy fix. Marti Noxon's involvement, as well as the dark supernatural theme, drew me to this show. A lot of the complaints I've heard regarding the show aren't unfounded- it can be a little slow, even boring, in places, the quality of the episodes and acting is variable, and at times the soap opera elements (who's dating who etc) seem to act as a distraction from the overall story, rather than complimenting it.
However, the show does get stronger by the end- a lot stronger in fact. It's unfortunate the final 5 episodes weren't aired upon original run, because the last 4 of these had me glued to the screen. Things are so much more focused, and there are some deliciously dark twists, and a real sense of intensity as things build up to the finale.
A special mention has to go to Dina Meyer (Amber Hargrove) and Grant Show (Lucas Boyd). These guys seemed to be having a lot of fun in their roles, especially playing the darker sides of their characters. You can't help but grin while watching them. Elisabeth Harnois deserves credit also- she seems to be the focus of a lot of criticism, but for me she really got across the vulnerability of Christina (you kinda want to hug her) but is also very convincing when the darker side of her arises.
To conclude I guess there's only one thing to say- when I watched the closing shot of the final episode I found myself really wishing for more episodes. I guess, overall, that's a pretty telling compliment in itself.
Please Help!
xtina_fan393925 March 2005
Hello All
Though I am sure you are not all fans of the doomed show I am writing you hoping to gather some support for all of us , and there are a lot, who are putting our best foot forward to 1. bring back the show we love. 2 get a DVD release from fox. We feel the show was not given a true chance to succeed due mostly to a dead time slot and lack of advertisement. We have started a campaign to save point pleasant. We were hoping to get a little publicity from you if possible? Go to save point pleasant.com to show your support as well as sign the petition we have an excess of 2500 signatures to date. You can Also find a link to an on-line store for the purchase of items to be mailed to fox to make our case...
Please let us know if you can support us in any way.
Thank you C. Brown and the Save Point Pleasant team
Though I am sure you are not all fans of the doomed show I am writing you hoping to gather some support for all of us , and there are a lot, who are putting our best foot forward to 1. bring back the show we love. 2 get a DVD release from fox. We feel the show was not given a true chance to succeed due mostly to a dead time slot and lack of advertisement. We have started a campaign to save point pleasant. We were hoping to get a little publicity from you if possible? Go to save point pleasant.com to show your support as well as sign the petition we have an excess of 2500 signatures to date. You can Also find a link to an on-line store for the purchase of items to be mailed to fox to make our case...
Please let us know if you can support us in any way.
Thank you C. Brown and the Save Point Pleasant team
Outstanding series
njfunguy429 October 2005
With the loss of some supernatural shows, Point Pleasant is an absolute winner. The cast and plot is well thought out and was evolving at an interesting pace. It is a shame that the network decided to give it an early execution as I believe the fan base would grow as the series matured. Most people who are not into the supernatural type series (Buffy, Angel, Charmed, and etc.) probably would not like this type of show purely because of the genre. I would hope that Fox may resurrect this show if their impending release of the first season DVD sells well. That is scheduled for October 25th, 2005 and includes 5 un-aired episodes. The only problem with that is the commitments of some of the actors to new endeavors which would preclude them from re-joining the show. My only critical comment is that the location of the series being on a New Jersey shore town is pretty evident that this is a West Coast locale.
Intriguing story that has some breath taking moments
amzosima28 May 2005
When I saw Ep.1 of Point pleasant I said this is a stylish soap with some potential but I wasn't very impressed. I thought let's see what's next. The second episode made me a fan of Point Pleasant. The story had a good plot and there were great possibilities of a very intense drama. I place Point Pleasant next to Lost (another very good TV show). Although their story are not similar in any way (except for the mystery maybe) the both shows have a way to keep you in front of your TV because of the ongoing story that develops with every episode. Unlike other shows when there are some pre-established actions(saving people every medical shows or catching bad guys every cop show) these two shows have only the STORY to sustain it. And their story are good. More mystery in Lost and perhaps more drama in Point Pleasant makes these two shows so different and yet so alike. Coming back to Point Pleasant only I conclude that the story is great (I can't wait to see how Christina manages to handle the the outside and especially the inner threats). The casting is very good every character adding a little more drama to the story. The result is a very good TV show that I hope to see at least 2 seasons of it.
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