The Fades

The Fades

The Fades manages to do something extremely impressively right out of the gate. Make horror on TV good. Usually it either comes off as hackneyed, cheesy, or just downright dull. That The Fades managed to do it so well at its very first attempt is a real commendation.

The show’s premise is only just the beginning of the craziness. The show centres on mild mannered Paul, a geeky teenager who starts having apocalyptic dreams and begins seeing the vengeful spirits of the dead, or ‘fades’. Alongside his even dorkier best friend, he discovers a giant fight between the forces of life and death.

To say it hits the fan from there is somewhat of an understatement.

The show’s utter weirdness was its ace in the hole. With plot twists that will leave you gasping in disbelief, the show was never afraid to look at big questions surrounding the afterlife and go the absolute whole hog.

The show’s cast was also absolutely top notch. Iain De Caestecker is a fantastic base for the show as Paul, brilliantly accompanied by the brilliant Daniel Kaluuya as his best friend Mac and the utterly creepy Johnny Harris as ‘mentor’ Neil.

The Fades also managed to be incredibly unpredictable, as the show felt very little about trimming down the already Spartan list of characters at the drop of a hat.

Despite being praised by both critics and amassing a strong cult following instantly, The Fades was hit by the BBC’s giant guillotine after its first series. Sighting budgetary issues, BBC Three decided to carry on Being Human and Lip Service in its two available drama slots.

The show went on to not only be nominated for a Royal Television Award, but claimed the prize for Best Drama Series at this year’s BAFTAs. Perhaps the BBC should have reconsidered cancelling the show.

Dark, twisted and very, very odd, The Fades is an incredibly compelling show throughout its small six episode run. That there’s not a second series in the works is a truly crying shame.

 

You can buy The Fades on Blu ray right here.

FemaleFirst Cameron Smith

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