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Whitney tells herself and everyone she meets that shes not like that.
Shes not a slumlord like her parents.
She knows her colonial history.
Shes one of the good ones!
The whole world of the show opens up.
How much of what will come next is paranoia?
How much is supernatural?
Especially at the start, that overwhelming uneasiness is a testament to the shows success rather than a failure.
Asher insists hes just pulling friendly pranks like when they were younger.
They keep dancing around the issue of her participation.
Will Cara sign a release?
What does she want in exchange?
Stone and Austin play these scenes with beautiful, awful wariness.
And althoughThe Cursepulls it off in specific set pieces, the whole of it quickly starts to dawdle.
That shuffling, skipping structure from one idea to the next may well be intentional.
Its certainly off-putting, which is clearly what the show wants its audience to feel.
IfThe Cursewere one of Fielders previous works, those minor characters would have been real people playing themselves.
Other than Cara, these characters lack the fictional development necessary to disguise their functionary roles.
InThe Curse, they look like standees propped around the town in judgmental poses, implying depth.
Even when its plodding,The Cursehas a sharp visual language.
At times Ashers obsession with the curse feels justified.
Unfortunately, these qualities wear thin.
Even if thats the thematic aim, though, it doesnt do the circling, repetitive series any favors.
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