Luke Owen reviews the second episode of From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series…
In an interview promoting the show’s debut, Robert Rodriguez said that this television adaptation of From Dusk Till Dawn would be “much better” than the 1996 cult classic. Based on the second episode Blood Runs Thick (aired last night on the El Ray network and now available on Amazon and Netflix), he might just be right.
Last week’s pilot received some flak by its viewers for being “pointless” and “redundant”, as it was basically the opening 10 minutes of the original movie stretched out over 45. Blood Runs Thick on the other hand gives fans more of what they were clamouring for with last week’s outing – namely the bank robbery that set Seth and Ritchie Gecko on the journey that would eventually lead them to the Twitty Twister. We’re also introduced to the Fuller family prior to their restaurant introduction we get in the movie which gives a chance to delve into Jacob’s loss of faith and the impact it has had on his two children.
It’s reasons like this which are why this adaptation exists. Rodriguez has more time to develop his characters and it gives us a chance to see first hand what we were only told about in dialogue exchanges nearly 20 years ago. The bank robbery scenes in particular are fantastic and the two leads shine. Even though we know where it’s heading, Rodriguez still manages to add a level of gripping tension. D.J. Cotrona as Seth is an incredibly watchable presence, but it’s Zane Holtz who steals the show as the unhinged Ritchie. The voices he heard in his head last week play more of a role in this episode and there are subtle hints as to where they might have originated from, sure to be explored further down the line. While the show is treading “old ground” so to speak, Rodriguez has made efforts to add new elements to the story which are give the show some purpose.
And it doesn’t just stop with Ritchie’s “powers”. We’re given a tiny slither more of Freddie who is now chasing down the Gecko Brothers to avenge Earl’s death and there is an interesting twist in the tale for Wilma Valderrama’s Carlos. In the movie, Carlos is more of a ‘name’ than anything else who shows up at the end to add a bit of a punchline gag, but this series is taking him in a totally new direction which is a nice and refreshing touch. Valderrama looks to be quite good in the role and there is an excellent scene towards the end which gives us an idea of what we can expect from him as the series progresses.
Kate Fuller (Madison Davenport) has been given a character overhaul as well, although this one is not for the better. Gone is the shy and quiet girl who is thrust into a situation she adapts to and in her place is a bratty teenager who texts “a boy” and accuses her father of kidnapping her. Likewise her brother Scott (Brandon Soo Hoo) has been turned into a caricature of what the media perceives “geek culture” to be (writing poems in elfish, saying “frak” etc) which, while are fitting 21st Century updates, does make them a little less likeable. Perhaps as we get further into their story we may grow to like them, but Kate in particular is a little irksome who inexplicably changes her mind on a dime.
With that said, From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series is quickly becoming a ‘must watch’ show (much to the dismay of Anghus Houvouras I’m sure). The acting is incredible, the writing is Tarantino-esque without trying too hard and the story is really starting to get interesting – even if you’ve already seen the movie. Rodriguez should be praised for this show and, while these earlier episodes may end up being the most interesting, it is definitely worth your time.
Luke Owen is one of Flickering Myth’s co-editors and the host of the Flickering Myth Podcast. You can follow him on Twitter @LukeWritesStuff.
Originally published March 19, 2014. Updated November 9, 2019.
