The Path, Hulu's riveting new drama, works precisely because series creator Jessica Goldberg (Parenthood) and executive producer Jason Katims (Parenthood), pull the levers of belief and doubt so convincingly and have assembled a superb cast, with Aaron Paul (Breaking Bad), Michelle Monaghan (Gone Baby Gone, True Detective) and Hugh Dancy (Hannibal) going all in with exceptional performances.

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There's a lot to like about The Path, from the strong visual sense of place that director Mike Cahill established in the first two episodes to its theoretical take on faith, and of course the exquisite acting and deft writing.

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But the lack of imagination goes deeper; it affects the show’s core thematic underpinnings, and the absence of a clear focus ends up squandering the efforts of the more skilled members of the cast. Unlike “The Leftovers,” a drama concerned with many similar ideas, “The Path” doesn’t use faith and disillusionment to spur the development of believably complex characters, nor does it create the kind of intense atmosphere or propulsive storytelling that would mask its dearth of coherent ideas. The loss of a belief system, which is what Eddie faces, should be shattering, but the Meyerist movement seems so wispy and derivative that it’s hard to care much about his slow-burning crisis of faith.

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Given that deep spirituality is often about questioning reality and sometimes involves mystical mental states, it would be unfair to expect “The Path” to provide a pat series of answers. But a set of rigorously examined and deeply felt questions might have been enough to give this rambling story the spark that it needs. As it is, the drama’s overly deliberate pace and under-cooked character dynamics may cause some to lose faith before the season finale arrives.

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Creator Jessica Goldberg has done a masterful job telling the story of the organization through the individual characters. We see each major character evolve in a naturalistic way, rarely following anything close to a predictable pattern. Similar to the character development in “Breaking Bad,” the seed of each character’s destiny is already gestating within them-- Sarah’s conflicted feelings about both Eddie and Cal, Eddie’s agony as he tries to balance loving his wife with his growing doubt about the Movement, Cal’s attempt to temper his lust for power while trying to keep secrets about his past and present.

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The TVLine Bottom Line: The Path is good, but falls just short of being sect-tacular.

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The Path is best when it offers more than just skepticism and cynicism. It’s most interesting as an allegory about our relationship to truth and the value of religions in a seemingly godless world, at a place in history far removed from their point of origin. Perseverance is required. The premiere clunks as a premise setter and paranoid thriller.

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Despite its flaws, The Path builds one hell of a foundation for seasons to come. It demonstrates the potential to grow deeper and more rewarding as it matures, like any drama Katims has been associated with. Should The Path make it to, say, a third season, it could be among the contenders for the unofficial title of best drama on television. For now, it’s a mustard seed.

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Overall, it’s not a bad beginning to a series intent on exploring human suffering and the lengths people will go to in order to stop hurting. The dialogue is grounded in in the dark realism of everyday life. When stacked up against a series like “The Leftovers,” which also examines a cult, it feels flat at first. But once the story does finally get rolling, the intersecting elements begin to build towards a compelling story with more complexity than first meets the eye.

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Like 11.22.63, Hulu has chosen to release its new series one episodes of the time, which again feels like a mistake. Though the idea is to keep bringing viewers back and staying engaged for longer with the site, Hulu doesn’t yet appear to have the cachet to sustain that kind of model. That means that both series might get drowned out in a landscape with so many other high-profile premieres that are more easily accessible, which would be a terrible shame — both are not only unique, but eminently binge-able. Like the adherents of Meyerism, The Path should allow viewers to get swept up in its story. And while skepticism may rule at the start, it doesn’t take long for the show to make one a believer in its own story, and in the power of its exceptional performances.

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Scientology, and any “coincidental resemblances to it,” may pique viewers’ interest, but The Path doesn’t need it to sustain a tense, layered drama.

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Season 1: episode 1 "What the Fire Throws"

Spoiler

Cal, back from three years in San Diego, leads The Meyerist Movement on a disaster relief mission in New Hampshire. Eddie returns home after completing his 6R training in Peru, where he saw a horrifying vision of the organization’s truth. Eddie’s odd behavior leads Sarah to suspect an affair.

Season 1: episode 2 "The Era of The Ladder"

Spoiler

Eddie and Sarah begin the Infidelity Rehab Program, while Hawk makes a new friend in Ashley, a popular girl his age who needs help with her family’s finances. Meanwhile, Cal offers to help a wealthy donor’s drug-addicted son.

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TheOddOne said:

- Sepinwall: Review: Aaron Paul and Michelle Monaghan go down a dull 'Path' for Hulu.

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Unfortunately, The Path — created by Parenthood writer Jessica Goldberg and produced by Katims, its first episode debuts on Hulu tomorrow — doesn't inspire nearly the fervor I'd hoped for, given the intersection of talent and subject matter. It's a dry, claustrophobic show, with not enough of a narrative hook to pull the viewer through hour after hour of it. (Hulu made all 10 hours of the first season available to critics; I tapped out after the first five, not hating it, but also having little enthusiasm to keep going.)

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blame space said:

do you have to subscribe to Hulu plus in order to watch the pilot?

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BluWacky said:

I find religious cults fascinating, and this show hits all sorts of interesting buttons in the first two episodes (not all related to that!).

Aaron Paul and Michelle Monaghan have excellent chemistry but are far more interesting when they're not in scenes together, which currently read like slightly reheated domestic drama of the type you've seen in a million shows before (plus sex!). Paul's storyline leads him to being a bit hammy - lots of BIG EMOTIONS to deal with, and some truly crazy stuff in the second episode - but he sells it well; Monaghan is much more restrained but potentially much more interesting.


While it's slow burn stuff, and I'm a little dubious about the FBI investigation plotline that crops up in the second ep, I certainly find it interesting, particularly the level of detail that has gone into building the cult's world. I do want to know, however, how they have any money; while the Meyerists appear to live off home grown vegetables, the houses are beautiful and they don't seem to be lacking in pleasant furnishings (although they do seem to wear clothes repeatedly, which suggests perhaps they don't buy things?).

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Season 1: episode 3 "A Homecoming"

Spoiler

Cal visits his estranged mother with the intent of putting her in an assisted living facility. Miranda Frank is brought to the New York compound to unburden, and with Cal gone, Sarah chooses to confront Miranda alone.

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ivysaur12 said:

I have a lot of problems with the internal logic of the cult and the way they portray faith, but the acting is incredible so I'm going to keep watching.

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Season 1: episode 4 "The Future"

Spoiler

The compound receives a visit from two of The Movement's elders for its annual Ascension Day picnic. Their arrival calls Cal's leadership and the future of The Movement into question.

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