From the onset, episode 4 of the first season of The Manifest managed to significantly undermine its own potential. The performances ranged from tolerable to decidedly subpar, with one notable display teetering on the brink of unwatchability.
The woman tasked with smuggling a character onboard the vessel was, without a doubt, the nadir of the episode. Her performance was disconcertingly stilted, hampered by a delivery that managed to be both monotonous and overly dramatic. The result was a character who was as compelling as cardboard and a subplot that languished in mediocrity.
However, the blame can't be placed solely on the shoulders of the actors. The woeful writing did them no favors, depriving them of any chance to salvage the scenes they were in. The dialogue was full of cliches and stodgy exchanges that reduced the characters to one-dimensional caricatures rather than fleshed-out human beings.
The directorial approach, too, left a lot to be desired. The artistic interpretation was sorely lacking, transforming what could have been a compelling drama into a banal soap opera. The scenes were shot with a lack of nuance, the framing was uninspired, and the overall direction failed to breathe any life into this lifeless script.
In sum, episode 4, session 1, of The Manifest fell disappointingly short of expectations. It is a clear testament to the fact that a high-stakes storyline is no guarantee of high-quality television, especially when acting, writing, and direction all fail to hit the mark.
0 out of 1 found this helpful.
Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
