Everett

Blacklist Evaluations:

This is a captivating high school fantasy pilot, and there are some definite strengths to Caroline's character. The conflict of her not wanting to be there at first is an effective way to really kick the story off as her being a fish out of water. This comes back around in an ironic way, later on towards the end, when her father is actually telling her she should leave and she's manipulating him in order to stay. There are some strong instincts in having Caroline teaming up with the other kids in the finale, and Noah is a powerful character to pull her into things. The fact that he is the brother of the missing girl, Rebecca, is an effective addition to Noah's role. The ways that the animals are used can be quite entertaining and vivid (yet still efficient in the descriptions and blocking). An example of this happens when Jeremy and Colin are fighting as the wolf and cougar, or when Noah steals Caroline's phone as the owl, and even as we see Jeremy struggling in the final moments as the wolf. Knowing the hunter's true identity is on the right track for being a strong twist, when all is said and done, and having him as the father of Abby is a powerful addition to the Reverend's role.

EVERETT is, at its core, very well-written on a moment-to-moment level. The action writing is descriptive without dragging its feet, and the read is an overall breezy, enjoyable experience. The action writing is also the reason the setting pops--while the writer doesn't dedicate a ton of space establishing a deep sense of place, their sentence-to-sentence command of visual detail makes the world feel real. This is aided by a strong premise that pits a group of shapeshifting teens against a shadowy organization that seems to have it out for them. This is a simple, classic setup that works well and presents a world full of conflict and complication to hang stories onto. It also has the right amount of mystery to be fundamentally enticing. The reader understands the organization's immediate goals but not their root motivation, leaving room for speculation and a desire to learn more. The same goes for the true reasons for the teen's transformations, even if their goals are readily apparent. The script even uses that atmosphere of mystery to surprise with its reveal that the teens are shapeshifters, something that it foreshadows heavily but manages to keep it under wraps until the moment that Caroline discovers it for herself, a very strong example of the benefits of lining up the reader's experience with the protagonist's.

The script's strongest element is certainly it's choice of setting. The dense, remote forest feels simultaneously archetypal and newly unsettling - there are shades of Twin Peaks and a long line of teenage horror movies that keep the reader intrigued and anticipating. It's one of many pieces of homage to the YA genre that are practically required of new entries to the canon and that this pilot does well. Other great nods include the action packed opening scene that hooks the reader instantly, the fish out of water "final girl"-esque protagonist, and the missing teenager that fuels the small town gossip. Strong action writing, realistic age appropriate dialogue, and efficient mystery plot development are also highlights.

This script has a lot of potential for a series given how fertile the premise is and how readily the script presents a world full of conflict and plot motivators - Fitting right in with the best teen programming on streaming and basic cable, especially a platform like the CW or Netflix. As a sample, this script is a polished, professional execution of a solid premise, which would certainly merit staffing consideration for a similar series.