Hemlock Grove, I really, really wanted to like it, I really did.

Oddly enough it was not because it was marketed as a werewolf series, if you watch just the first three episodes if becomes clear the focus is not that at all. It's a murder mystery with science and a rather interesting set of magic/psychic phenomenon going on in a town ruled by the oddity of these two ideas. The characters are pretty decently done, in fact they are well written until it all ends. It's the ending that gets you.

IF Hemlock Grove was a werewolf series I'd rate it a flat 1 out of 10. There's some werewolf action (episodes 2 and 12) but the bulk of the series is a journey into the bizarre world of Hemlock Grove itself and its ruling family the Godfrey's whose name is plastered on everything including a rather ominous genetics lab placed in the heart of a dying steel mill. I am not sure how much of this was covered in the book if anything. The setting is believable which makes the surreal that much more so.

Sadly these are the only strengths the series can boast. In fact the surreal scenes and events are down right confusing and left totally up to interpretation just like a Twin Peaks episode. Only problem unlike Twin Peaks there is NO explanation for some of these weird happens, example what is up with Roman's disfigured sister? What happened to her? What is in the black box? What was up with the snake eating its tail so prominent in the series? All the imagery and set up to what could have been a great story is left hanging like a chad in a Floridian election. The confusion starts early and seems to mellow out after episode 3 where you are roped in hopelessly wondering if there will be answers to a lot of questions. The series completely at times side tracks from the over all plot line (ie find out who is the murdering werewolf) to take us on trips that are in the end pointless because you know the great mystery already (ie the whole surreal Roman dream scape and only finding out in the last episode that which has been slapped upside your head in the first place was correct.) It makes for visually a great series, but sadly it's so disjointed with the overall story arch that when you think back on what you watched it really makes no sense.

The biggest problem. The end. I don't know if they intentionally left so much out to cover a second season which could be forgiven, but for a series marketed as a werewolf murder mystery and failing to deliver on that time and time again, we are treated to the worse possible idea for a second series, that the Godfrey's some how, some where became dun dun dun, vampires. This is NOT surprising if you watch the series. The amount of blood, the drug use, heck there should have been a giant sign that read VAMPIRES HERE. It's disappointing that once this if finally revealled in the season closing episode the viewer realizes this series may well be yet another vampire series only this time with more super science going on. It's a shame because I hear the book was so much better.

Finally let's get to it. Eli Roth, his name is on this series and it was hoped it would be the reason it would be a good horror. It might be that but I'd label it more as a surreal suspense series as the horror really isn't there. There's more what the fuck moments then there are true horror moments. Of course being Eli Roth the gore effects are over the top and in some cases make you wonder just how this is even possible. From the werewolf eating it's own human left overs to a woman left with practically no skin (yet somehow still alive) we are treated to a full on gore fest that sadly does appear often enough. It seems a common theme in this series that what they did there was some actual effort but it is all slapped together so painfully that any viewer is left more confused than entertained.

On the other side it is the first season, maybe it will find it's footing more solid in a second, but there's one problem, the series is marketed as a werewolf series and the werewolf has left town, so what is the point now? In fact that's sort of what Hemlock Grove leaves you with, what was the point to all this?