Disappointment with Harper's Island Finale

Posted by Francine Brokaw Jul 15, 2009

Harper's Island was a new kind of series. It was meant to last a total of thirteen episodes, with a beginning, middle and end. Last weekend it concluded with the killers being revealed and the reason for all the murders explained.

But the explanation was far-fetched and there were many holes in the storyline. I'm a persona who likes all the t's crossed and i's dotted. I don't like it when I find flaws in stories. Of course, I do realize that it is a work of fiction; however there were many things that simply did not add up.

Perhaps that is the reason the plug was pulled on this show. At least the viewers were not left wondering who was behind all the bloody murders. That fact was revealed. But the reason for the brutal attacks was lame.

Even though I was disappointed with the conclusion, I, along with all the other fans of the show, am grateful that CBS completed the storyline. They could have pulled the plug weeks ago, leaving viewers wondering what in the world was going on on that island. I give the network credit for wrapping up the series.

Serialized Television

Taking into account that this fictional, far-fetched story was created for entertainment, the show held many viewers’ attention for thirteen hours, myself included. I like the fact that it was a short-lived series. Many shows that go on and on year after year often lose their intrigue and get tiresome. After several years, a lot of viewers simply get tired of the same thing week after week in serialized TV.

Serialized TV requires that for the most part, viewers need to watch every single episode, which is often not easy, even in this day and age of digital video recorders. And if they miss a week or two, they are often out of the loop when they return to the show.

Serialized TV requires a commitment by the viewers, and a commitment by the network to complete the story and not leave the viewers hanging, as they have done several times in the past. Sitcoms are a completely different genre and viewers can miss a week without wondering what is going on with the characters.

While Harper’s Island is now complete, it was an interesting experiment in short-term television. It was implausible and left a lot to the imagination, but it was highly regarded by die hard fans of the show.