Somehow I'm finding the twists and turns of this soppy story more interesting than anything that's going on in the real world, such is the general excellence of The Badlands so far. With each episode, it becomes clear that the series is developing a fascinating mythology, with characters like the brutal trio the Munsters, who look like they've been killed and resurrected by the loins of an Aztec God, and the more sympathetic rougue Matthew Murdock from Daredevil, whose brother used to be married to the Red Queen, on the trail of the Purple Cow. All of these characters are basically trying to get to the same place, but they're doing it in radically different ways, all while telling a story that's based on themes of revenge, hatred, family and fighting for the greater good.
In a similar vein to The Walking Dead, The Badlands has a dark sense of humour to it that's really quite good. I especially loved the scene at the start of the first episode, where a teenager has to wear a helmet to stop his head from exploding, a gag which at the time seemed ridiculous, but soon grew on me. If you liked The Walking Dead, then The Badlands will probably have you watching every episode to see what happens next, but it's also a much more compelling and thought-provoking show.
The Badlands (CW) 8.5/10