Like?
3
0
Who have voted
Waco: The Aftermath - Season 1
In 1993 in Waco, the FBI and the cult of David Koresh faced each other in an armed conflict. However, with the dramatic conclusion of this, the story was not over yet and so Waco: The Aftermath picks up where Waco left off.
However, Waco: The Aftermath brings more than that. There are a number of storylines in this series that do not all fall under the aftermath of Waco. We go back in time a few years, then look at the immediate aftermath of the fateful events in Waco, but also go a few years further in time.
In the 1980s, we see how one Vernon Howell (Keean Johnson, Spooksville) joins the Branch Davidian. At first, he seems a bit insecure, but soon we see how he manipulates and plays the rest until he takes charge of this group. He has already changed his name to David Koresh at that time. It soon becomes clear that he is not afraid of violence and that he finds willing ears with Livingstone Fagan (Michael Luwoye, Bluff City Law) and Ruth Riddle (Kali Rocha, Man with a Plan), among others.
The piece of the past is an essential part of the series, but in my opinion it is not the strongest part. Besides the fact that the dialogue isn't very good, I found Keean Johnson less convincing as Koresh than his "predecessor" Taylor Kitsch in Waco. Of course, Kitsch played an older Koresh (and one in other circumstances), but I also feel that the younger Koresh must have been a more convincing and stronger personality than Johnson portrays.
At the same time, the trial of some of Koresh's followers is taking place. And especially with this part, it becomes a bit more difficult to distinguish fiction from non-fiction. When you watch the series, you quickly get the feeling that the verdict is already set at the beginning of the trial. The strangest legal decisions are made, where it seems obvious that the followers of Koresh must be punished.
But we must realize that the story is based on a book written by a former follower of Koresh. The story has also been adapted for television. I don't know enough about the background myself to be able to judge how truthful it is, but it certainly looks like one big conspiracy that lead lawyer Dan Cogdell (Giovanni Ribisi, Sneaky Pete) can't fight against.
Finally, the series also briefly discusses the story of Timothy McVeigh (Alex Breaux, See). He is also known to have been present during the siege of Waco to support Koresh and his followers. Furthermore, the bomb he detonated in Oklahoma in 1995 was intended as revenge for Waco. Here too, therefore, is a piece of the aftermath of the events of 1993, without going into too much detail.
The siege of Waco (just like, to a lesser extent, the situation at Ruby Ridge a few years earlier) caused a radicalization in America. You can't ignore that and from that thought a sequel to Waco was logical. However, Waco: The Aftermath does not succeed in convincingly conveying this. The history has not been worked out strongly enough and the lawsuit, first of all, is not very suspenseful and also suffers from the same problem as the earlier Waco series: it seems rather biased. The focus is on the mistakes of the FBI and the US government and Koresh and his followers are largely portrayed as victims.
Mistakes will undoubtedly have been made, but the whole is exposed very one-sidedly and for the viewers, this is also over the top. That would have been a little off to me. And if the two main storylines do not immediately convince, then the relatively short pieces about the radicalization of America do not leave enough to take the series to a higher level.
Follow Waco: The AftermathHowever, Waco: The Aftermath brings more than that. There are a number of storylines in this series that do not all fall under the aftermath of Waco. We go back in time a few years, then look at the immediate aftermath of the fateful events in Waco, but also go a few years further in time.
In the 1980s, we see how one Vernon Howell (Keean Johnson, Spooksville) joins the Branch Davidian. At first, he seems a bit insecure, but soon we see how he manipulates and plays the rest until he takes charge of this group. He has already changed his name to David Koresh at that time. It soon becomes clear that he is not afraid of violence and that he finds willing ears with Livingstone Fagan (Michael Luwoye, Bluff City Law) and Ruth Riddle (Kali Rocha, Man with a Plan), among others.
The piece of the past is an essential part of the series, but in my opinion it is not the strongest part. Besides the fact that the dialogue isn't very good, I found Keean Johnson less convincing as Koresh than his "predecessor" Taylor Kitsch in Waco. Of course, Kitsch played an older Koresh (and one in other circumstances), but I also feel that the younger Koresh must have been a more convincing and stronger personality than Johnson portrays.
Stronger is the storyline that takes place immediately after the dramatic day in April 1993. We see Michael Shannon return to his role as FBI negotiator Gary Noesner who struggles with what happened and his role in it. However, he doesn't get much time for anger and shame, because he finds out that there is great dissatisfaction among the more extreme groups in America who are starting to organize themselves better in order to be able to strike back. However, Gary seems to be alone in his belief that there is danger, because the FBI wants above all to prevent a second 'Waco'.When you watch the series, you quickly get the feeling that the verdict is already set at the beginning of the trial.
At the same time, the trial of some of Koresh's followers is taking place. And especially with this part, it becomes a bit more difficult to distinguish fiction from non-fiction. When you watch the series, you quickly get the feeling that the verdict is already set at the beginning of the trial. The strangest legal decisions are made, where it seems obvious that the followers of Koresh must be punished.
But we must realize that the story is based on a book written by a former follower of Koresh. The story has also been adapted for television. I don't know enough about the background myself to be able to judge how truthful it is, but it certainly looks like one big conspiracy that lead lawyer Dan Cogdell (Giovanni Ribisi, Sneaky Pete) can't fight against.
© Paramount+
Finally, the series also briefly discusses the story of Timothy McVeigh (Alex Breaux, See). He is also known to have been present during the siege of Waco to support Koresh and his followers. Furthermore, the bomb he detonated in Oklahoma in 1995 was intended as revenge for Waco. Here too, therefore, is a piece of the aftermath of the events of 1993, without going into too much detail.
The siege of Waco (just like, to a lesser extent, the situation at Ruby Ridge a few years earlier) caused a radicalization in America. You can't ignore that and from that thought a sequel to Waco was logical. However, Waco: The Aftermath does not succeed in convincingly conveying this. The history has not been worked out strongly enough and the lawsuit, first of all, is not very suspenseful and also suffers from the same problem as the earlier Waco series: it seems rather biased. The focus is on the mistakes of the FBI and the US government and Koresh and his followers are largely portrayed as victims.
Mistakes will undoubtedly have been made, but the whole is exposed very one-sidedly and for the viewers, this is also over the top. That would have been a little off to me. And if the two main storylines do not immediately convince, then the relatively short pieces about the radicalization of America do not leave enough to take the series to a higher level.
Reacties (0)