Anthology shows are increasingly common these days. With recent series like American Horror Story, True Detective, and The White Lotus, we’ve been spoiled with shows that offer new, intriguing plots and fresh characters every season. But when a network show took on this format in 2009, it was incredibly ambitious and felt way ahead of its time. Although it was unfairly cancelled before it could churn out more seasons, this horror masterpiece is still begging for a binge-watch.
What Is ‘Harper’s Island’ About?
Harper’s Island was originally marketed as an anthology series, and the plan was for it to take place in a new setting with new characters in the subsequent seasons. In Season 1, the show takes place on an island where a terrifying serial killer named John Wakefield murdered several people, before he was taken out by the island’s sheriff, Charlie Mills (Jim Beaver). Tragically, one of Wakefield’s victims was Charlie’s own wife. Devastated by her death, he sends his young daughter, Abby (Elaine Cassidy), to live in Los Angeles.
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But now we see that seven years have passed, and Abby has returned to the island for the wedding of her dear friend, Henry Dunn (Christopher Gorham). Of course, as soon as Abby sets foot back on the island, the murders start right back up again. Is it possible that Wakefield is back from the dead? Or is someone merely playing copycat by carrying out yet another horrifying killing spree? As the nailbiting season unfolds, the many members of the wedding party and the wedding guests become either suspects or victims.
‘Harper’s Island’ Features Terrifying Thrills and a Talented Cast
In just 13 episodes, Harper’s Island allows the compelling mystery to play out, all while taking place in a spooky and eerie remote location (where it’s conveniently hard to flee). As the murders become increasingly terrifying, each episode is a fast-paced and thrilling ride. Any fans of gruesome slasher films like Friday the 13th, Halloween, or Scream will enjoy the creepy parallels as the victims are picked off one by one. Just like those classic horror movies, Harper’s Island makes it impossible to know which characters to trust, and there are plenty of red herrings to keep the storylines interesting. The show is also reminiscent of Agatha Christie stories — a large cast of characters trapped in one set location presents viewers with both the vicious killer and innocent victims that will likely be slain before the real villain is apprehended. Plus, the island setting means it’s virtually impossible to escape, dooming the wedding from the start. But unlike Christie’s more tame murders, Harper’s Island isn’t afraid to go for the most gruesome deaths imaginable (we’re talking harpoons to the chest and a boat motor as a murder weapon).
Harper’s Island could easily have fallen into cheesy horror television if not for the creative storytelling and the impressive cast. You can’t beat the lead actor, Cassidy, who has since popped up in A Discovery of Witches and Sanctuary: A Witch’s Tale. Her fierce protagonist separates her from the usually helpless horror survivors, and you can’t help but root for her to figure out the mystery of the island’s killer. The supporting cast, including Katie Cassidy, Matt Barr, Brandon Jay McLaren, and Adam Campbell, will all likely be familiar faces to you now, as these actors have popped up repeatedly in other television projects since the series aired. But in Harper’s Island, they help create a cast of characters that are endlessly fascinating, and range from suspicious to innocent.
Even though there were viewers that were glued to their screens to see who would meet a gory death next, CBS wasn’t all that invested in the series after the ratings proved to be less than impressive. They moved the series from Thursday nights to Saturday (which was seen as the kiss of death for network shows). Because of the low ratings, CBS did end up cancelling the show, and discarded the idea of continuing as an anthology series with future seasons. However, despite it not being as well known as some other early 2000s shows, Harper’s Island has become somewhat of a cult hit over the years. Harper’s Island might have only lasted one season, but its gripping murder mystery and fun horror vibes make it still worthy of a binge-watch today.
Harper’s Island is available to rent on Apple TV in the U.S.
