The River: The Search for Dr. Emmet Cole Nears Conclusion

There hasn’t been a good mystery adventure series on network television since Lost ended in 2010.  A few projects have attempted to tap into the LOST vibe, but maybe ABC can repeat their success where other networks have failed. “The River” has been one of the most interesting new television series I’ve seen in several seasons.

The premise: global explorer and adventurer Emmett Cole has disappeared in the Amazon river basin. Cole, the host of a known nature adventure program, is lost and presumed dead until his emergency beacon is suddenly activated six months after he and his crew vanished.  Cole’s wife Tess and his reluctant son Lincoln take a television network up on their offer to fund an expedition to find him. They embark on a journey into the deepest part of the rainforest together with Emmett’s former producer and a few other intrepid individuals.

Each episode in the series so far has chronicled the supernatural phenomenon encountered by the main cast members who have located and salvaged Dr. Cole’s ship: the Magus. Fortunately, the entire vessel is a mobile studio used in the production of Cole’s television program “The Undiscovered Country”. The ship’s numerous cameras provide a plausible excuse for some of The River’s interesting production techniques.  ABC has been promoting the series as being “from the producer of Paranormal Activity.” That found footage production style definitely shows in some of the more unusual camera angles here.

If you have been following the series (and the search for Dr. Cole), you’ve probably seen enough to know that the search is nearly over. What does it mean for the future of the series if the crew of the Magnus discovers the fate of Dr. Cole? While I have enjoyed the series so far, I can’t imagine that it would remain interesting very far beyond that singular focus.  The network is hinting that this is only the beginning.  What do you think?

Originally Posted March 9, 2012