The Fades: Season One Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		3.5
Audio		3.5
Extras		2.0
Overall		3.0

The Fades: Season One Blu-ray Movie Review

"The past is a hole and it's full of what-ifs. I live in the present. You? I don't know where you live."

Reviewed by Kenneth Brown February 21, 2012

Looking for a young Brit's stab at a bloody Supernatural arc? One seasoned with a pinch of Stephen King for good measure? Consider giving The Fades a go then, dearies. It isn't as sharp, it isn't as snarky... it isn't as good frankly. But it has promise, and promise amounts to a lot these days. It isn't as tight, taut, or intense either, but it has the makings of a solid horror series. All creator Jack Thorne need do is devise a way to plug a few gaping plot holes, build on his already compelling cast of characters, and ratchet up the stakes even further, finally ascending to the fanboy-frightfest heights he continually sets his sights on throughout Series One's six-episode run. For all its ups and downs, for all its hits and misses, The Fades sunk its claws in deep enough -- just deep enough -- to keep me watching. Here's hoping Thorne's blend of ghoulish chills and vamp-y thrills continues to build on everything he gets right this time around.

"Every nation has its bloodied beginning. And now it's time for a new nation. Our nation."

Meet Paul Roberts (Iain de Caestecker). Your normal, everyday seventeen-year-old film geek... who, after a fateful encounter with a devilish beastie, begins having apocalyptic visions, seeing and speaking with the dead, and sprouting wings at inopportune moments. Turns out Paul is an Angelic, a human capable of communing with Fades; trapped spirits who are unable to "ascend" and leave the mortal plane. Unable to taste, touch or communicate with the living, the earthbound Fades have a tendency to grow bitter and vengeful, a turn to the dark side that leads one particularly nasty band of Fades -- lead villain John (Ian Hanmore/Joe Dempsie), his prodigy Natalie (Jenn Murray) and a growing number of undead disciples -- to begin feasting on blood and, eventually, human flesh. The process not only blesses them with flesh and blood, it makes them impervious to bullets and blades, effectively rendering them immortal. Before you can say "chosen one," it falls to Paul to face John and his Fades, help Neil Valentine (Johnny Harris) and his fellow Angelics stop the coming apocalypse, and save his friends and family -- his best friend Mac (Daniel Kaluuya), new girlfriend Jay (Sophie Wu), kindly mother Meg (Claire Rushbrook) and spiteful twin sister Anna (Lily Loveless) -- from certain death and becoming Fades themselves.

When the series sticks to Paul, Mac, Jay and the Roberts family, everything falls into place. Not perfectly, mind you, but close enough for this BBC junkie. And when Thorne turns his attention to his antagonists, whether it's Valentine or John, the remaining pieces snap together neatly. There are some considerable growing pains (Paul and Mac's movie references and semi-clever one-liners sometimes fall flat), several elements that are inexplicably abandoned for long stretches of time (Paul's wings pop and then go MIA for what seems like an eternity) and, for all the "dead shall walk the Earth" banter, there's hardly any mention of spirituality, a higher power or any subject matter that would naturally come up if someone found themselves in the middle of a war between humanity and the undead (at least before Episode Six). No, it's the extraneous subplots and characters that serve as little more than filler -- Mac's dad, Detective Inspector Armstrong (Snatch's Robbie Gee), high school history teacher Mark Etches (Tom Ellis), his dead ex-wife Sarah (Natalie Dormer), and the vast majority of the Angelics, who are somehow organized despite the fact that Fades have only recently begun interfering with the world of the living -- and it's not always clear what role each one is meant to play in the story. There are plot holes aplenty too, some of which are patched in later episodes, some of which are clearly the product of oversights and unanticipated dead ends.

The Fades grows stronger as it barrels along, though, and you have to credit Thorne for upping the ante with such bloodthirsty regularity. Death comes early and often -- every now and then to one of the few selfless souls or walking corpses you least expect -- and results in some bold twist and turns, airtight storytelling be damned. And that's the cost, so long as you're willing to pay it. Between a handful of narrative chasms, silly leaps in logic, spotty rules and mythology (the Fades' powers and limitations are never quite sorted out), and iffy performances (which Thorne sets straight by Episode Five), the series has to work through a number of issues, some of which leave early episodes bruised and battered. There's also the matter of the jarring shift that occurs in the fifth episode. As it begins, the first series shoots for comedy laced with horror; as it nears its endgame, it drops the jokes and cranks up the tension, leading to a leaner, meaner, fiercer Fades. Suffice it to say, the more it takes itself seriously, the better it gets. I'm sure some will lament the sudden humorlessness that comes to dominate the proceedings, but the end of the world as we know it demands a certain seriousness, and in that regard Thorne takes his cues from Torchwood and other dark and slightly demented British exports.

The question, then, is this: is The Fades, imperfect as it is, worth investing in? The short answer is yes. The long answer is a bit more complicated. If you're willing to give the series a legitimate chance, if you're willing to put in the long hours up front and only reap the benefits as Paul approaches the ashy room in his visions, it's a show worth tackling. If, however, you don't have the patience (or the optimism) to follow Thorne wherever he leads without questioning where he's taking you, you may want to opt out. Having read a pair of negative reviews, I came to The Fades expecting the worst. But, you know, I kinda dug it. It wasn't the best new BBC series I've been introduced to lately, but it has promise. And, as I mentioned at the outset, promise amounts to a lot these days. If Thorne can deliver more of what works and less of what doesn't the next time around, The Fades just might be another BBC series worth keeping on your radar.

The Fades: Season One Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The Fades breathes its first breath on Blu-ray thanks to a decidedly decent 1080i/AVC-encoded video presentation; one that serves its purpose well, even if it leaves something to be desired. Noise and minor macroblocking rise from their graves too often to earn a pass, and black levels are never as deep or devilish as they could be. Granted, some of the more noticeable issues -- the angsty artifacts that haunt Paul's wings for instance -- trace back to the source and the series' hit or miss visual effects. But others can simply be chalked up to a less-than-stellar encode. Even so, color and contrast, dusty as they tend to be, stay true to Thorne's intentions, skintones follow suit, and detail is more than serviceable, capturing everything the original photography has to offer. Closeups are fairly revealing on the whole (and incredibly crisp now and again), edge definition is nice and sharp, and delineation, dark and dank as it can be, is in keeping with each episode's grit-n-gore aesthetic. Ultimately, the presentation isn't going to blow anyone away, but it won't prevent anyone from enjoying the series either.

The Fades: Season One Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

You might find yourself scowling at the words DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 track, but don't judge a lossless mix by its channels. While it doesn't offer the LFE oomph or rear speaker chills that would dramatically benefit a series like The Fades, the included stereo track is a notable step up from its broadcast counterpart and, more importantly, gets the job done. Dialogue is clean and well-prioritized, with only a few screams and whimpers being consumed by the madness. Sound effects are just as crisp and clear -- guttural groans are suitably creepy, everything that goes bump in the night is present and accounted for, and every hiss and jolt connects reasonably well -- as is Paul Thomson's catchy theme song and slither-y score. The only real disappointment comes in realizing how much more effective and immersive the whole experience could be if The Fades was blessed with a 5.1 lossless mix. Be that as it may, fans with appropriate expectations will be pleased with the results.

The Fades: Season One Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Behind the Scenes (HD, 18 minutes): Six featurettes offer a bit of insight into the show and its episode-to-episode routine, but at just three-minutes a piece, they're too short and too reliant on clips from the series. Segments include "Apocalypse," "Polus Revealed," "The Chosen One," "The Fades are Here," "The Real Neil" and "Writing the Fades."
• Interviews (SD, 4 minutes): Johnny Harris and Natalie Dormer talk about The Fades, their characters and the Angelics. Each interview involves a chunk of plot synopsis, though, so neither one delivers the sort of details fans are hungry for.
• Extra Scenes (SD, 12 minutes): Just as he provides a series recap at the beginning of every episode, Mac tops off each episode with a brief chat with Paul or a sign-off message.
• Mac Explains (SD, 5 minutes): Mac addresses six questions: What is a Fade? What is Ascension? What is an Angelic? How is everyone connected? Why is Paul special? And what is a Reborn?
• Deleted Scenes (SD, 12 minutes): Deleted scenes are available alongside five of the six episodes. All of the scenes include director or producer's introductions.
• Outtakes (SD, 3 minutes): If you've seen one gag reel, you've seen 'em all.

The Fades: Season One Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

The Fades gets off to a slow, shaky start, but it finds its footing as its story comes together, Iain de Caestecker and Joe Dempsie close in on one another, and the series takes a sharp turn toward the deadly serious. It has its share of issues, but none that frustrated me to the point of walking away. Truth be told, I'm curiously anticipating the show's next outing. Season One's 2-disc Blu-ray release isn't without its flaws either, but between its solid video presentation and DTS-HD Master Audio stereo mix, it should bring a few new fans to the fold. So give it a shot and see if you can add yet another BBC series to your collection.