Review - From Dusk Till Dawn: The Series

This year during SXSW one of the screenings that I knew I couldn't miss was the premiere of "From Dusk Till Dawn" created by Robert Rodriguez. This series premiering on the new "El Rey Network" is a TV adaptation of the original film from 1996. 

I arrived at the venue almost two hours before the screening just to get in line to buy a ticket, since I didn't have a film badge. Before the screening, Robert Rodriguez said a few words about the show which got everyone excited! I have always enjoyed his unique film style and it was really cool seeing him in person for the first time!

Once the episode ended everyone in the audience seemed to have really enjoyed it. I was talking to the person next to me and we were both discussing what our favorite scenes were. I particularly enjoyed each scene with Richie Gecko, played by actor Zane Holtz. Richie seems to be quite an obnoxious psychopath, but he is able to add some humor to his character. His brother Seth, played by actor D.J Cotrona, is the less violent of the two. He seems like he is more rational and not as psychotic. I like their dynamic and I think that both of them together will really add a lot to the story. I am looking forward to every crazy thing they will be doing in each episode!

The characters played by Eiza Gonzales (Santanico) and Wilmer Valderrama (Carlos) are some of the ones that I am most excited to learn about. So far we know that they are both vampires and that Carlos is a drug dealer who is involved in a business deal with the Gecko brothers. In the second episode, there was a scene with Carlos which was completely unexpected but still funny. He is very calm and relaxed, so it will be interesting to see how his character develops once the story goes further. The same goes for Santanico, we have seen her in several visions that Richie has had and we can only expect that once they finally meet, something crazy will happen! She seems to be very powerful and I'm sure that her character will add a lot of intense moments to the story. Also, I actually got to meet both Eiza and Wilmer after the premiere, both of them were really cool!

One of the things that I like about the show so far is how the story is connecting all of the characters to each other. For example, in the second episode we learned who the Fuller family is and why they were heading on a road trip to Mexico. Kate Fuller (Madison Davenport) is planning to leave her family and then their road trip takes an unexpected turn. She ends up staying with her family due to something done by Carlos. He did that in order for the Fullers to cross paths with the Gecko brothers. We can also assume that Ranger Freddie (Jesse Garcia), who is chasing the Gecko brothers will eventually cross paths with the Fullers, Carlos and Santanico. I like the fact that each time that new characters are introduced, we are able to learn about their background and their individual motives. I really want to see how Ranger Freddie will try to stop the Gecko brothers.

Overall, if you are looking for a new show to watch, I definitely recommend this one! The cast is great and each episode is like a movie!