The Following is over - or is it?

I just watched the two hour series finale of The Following. I know it was canceled at Fox, but it's being shopped around. It remains to be seen, therefore, if it's over or not. Let's assume not, for the sake of discussion, and think about what we are left with at the end of the finale.

**SPOILERS AHEAD** In my last post on this subject, I played with the idea that Joe Carroll did not die as supposed. And guess what? Nothing in this episode has proven me wrong! I have to admit finding out who the mole in the FBI was came as a bit of a shock. For just a moment, I wondered if I was wrong, and she was the brains behind it all, but then no.... I realized she wasn't.

I think I became really suspicious when the mysterious person who wanted Ryan Hardy said to take him alive, much to Theo's chagrin. That really got me to thinking. Who would want Ryan alive? Who but Joe? And when they began to speak of this person as "he", my suspicions were only confirmed.

After Ryan fell off the bridge into the turbulent water below, I knew he could not be dead, because if he was, how could they shop the show to anyone? With Ryan and Joe both allegedly dead, there is no show. So that was a given, and sure enough that hunch panned out when he showed up at the hospital, at Lisa Campbell's bedside, where she whispered the name of the man into Ryan's ear.

I have no doubt that she whispered Joe's name. So when the show returns - if it returns - we have that to deal with, as well as the issue of Ryan's unborn child, and his struggle with his alcoholism, and trying to get back into Gwen's good graces so he can be part of the child's life. Did Theo live or die? That we don't know. Daisy is gone, and since Mark died earlier, that is the end of the Grey psycho story arc.

Now, there is another situation that was never dealt with, and one that should not be pushed under the rug. Max betrayed Tom Reyes with Mike, and he found out because of the laptop they found which was being used to watch Max, unbeknownst to her. He kept the laptop and kept spying on her, after seeing the footage of her and Mike in bed, feeling horribly betrayed, justifiably so. But his actions grew out of control, and he killed an FBI agent, and he ended up dead himself. His knowledge of what he saw should come out. Then will Max and Mike feel guilty? They should. I suspect Max will, and maybe this will tear them apart at least temporarily. But it just needs to come out.

So, those are my ideas. I still maintain that without Joe alive, the series will fizzle and die. I saw the list of possible spin-offs, and I have to say I'm not interested in any of them. All I want is Ryan and Joe. It's what I signed on for.

Now we wait and see.

Raise your hand - who thinks Joe Carroll is really dead?

***SPOILERS AHEAD***

I just watched the episode of The Following which contains Joe Carroll's execution by lethal injection. (Side note: why do they wipe your arm with antiseptic when they're about to kill you?)

So naturally, Joe didn't go quietly, he had to kick up a fuss. The episode before he killed a man and stole his sunglasses, fashion a weapon of sorts from the frame. Today he used it, once he was alone in the room with a few guards, his lawyer, the doctor, and the governor's aide, quickly killing all but three: the doctor, the lawyer, and the aide.

Then he asked for Ryan Hardy.

Who was really surprised? Joe was upset when he learned Ryan had turned down the invitation to view his execution. Obviously, he had to gain Ryan's attention and get him down there for one last scene.




In the meantime, the crazy serial killer Theo picked up his sister and is hiding out with her, while she keeps an eye on current events.

Joe threatens to kill everyone unless Ryan shows up within two hours. A reluctant Ryan agrees. His

girlfriend calls and tries to dissuade him, but to no avail. She has a trump card to play - the fact that she's pregnant - but he hangs up before she can play the card, leaving her in agony.







Ryan reaches the prison and is led outside the door where Joe holds his hostages. He negotiates for the release of one, agreeing to enter the room, handcuffed.  Much conversation follows, during which Joe asks Ryan to admit that he is Joe's soul mate. Matters are discussed, and Ryan agrees to answer some questions, including does he dream of Joe? He does. He dreams they are friends, and Joe is teaching him.

Makes you wonder. We know he has those kind of dreams, so what does that mean?

Joe gives himself up, as agreed, but on their way back through the cellblock, Theo's sister throws a monkey wrench in things. Apparently she's a master hacker too, and she unlocks the cells of the other killers in the cellblock, initiating a free-for-all.





Ryan saves Joe's lawyer from being raped, killing two men in the process, rather brutally, then he saves Joe, and ends the stand-off. There is talk of postponing the execution, but it goes off, now with Ryan in attendance, much to his girlfriend's dismay.

Joe's last words are fitting:  "Quoth the raven, nevermore."

So I ask you - who thinks Joe is really dead? Granted, we saw him given the lethal injection, watched the monitors as they flatlined, watched him lie there with the staring eyes of death. And then the viewing screen was closed off from our sight.

Is it conceivable he pre-arranged everything, it was all fake, and even now he is being spirited out of the prison, to freedom?

If Joe is really dead, then what happens to the show? I content that Joe's death will bring it to an end. What point is the Following without the followers or their leader? Without Joe, the show falls flat. If they attempt to keep it going, it will not be pretty. Loonies like Strauss, Theo, and Mark/Luke Gray can only take you so far.

I think that in order for the Following to survive, Joe has to live.  I'll paraphrase Hannibal Lecter's words to Clarice Starling, when the question arose would he kill her. He said: "The world is a much better place with you in it."

I prefer the world of The Following with Joe in it.  Just food for thought. Only time will tell, right?