'Waco: The Aftermath' Episode 1:Riveting start to a trial that took America by storm
Spoilers for 'Waco: The Aftermath' Episode 1
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Making a project on a real-life event is never easy because it includes a lot of details that might create a lot of disturbance. In 1993, America saw one of the darkest days in its history when a stand-off between the FBI, ATF, and the Branch Davidians began and took a bloodied turn when people started dying. The standoff continued for 51 days and nearly 80 people were killed during the siege. Showtime took the world by storm in 2018 by telling what happened during the siege, but the case didn’t stop there because five of the Branch Davidians were put on trial for stockpiling illegal weapons and various other charges. Five years later, Showtime has come forward with the series ‘Waco: The Aftermath’ that talks about what happened during the trial.
The premiere started with some flashback sequences of that fateful day when the siege ended and the complex caught fire, killing 76 people who were inside the building. The FBI believes that it didn’t do anything wrong by filling the building with gas. They wanted people out of the building, but they didn’t and they ended up dying when the building caught fire. Now, the FBI and the entire government faced a lot of flack for how they handled the entire situation and people believed that the tactics used by the authorities killed a lot of innocent people.
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The first episode does a wonderful job of creating a tense atmosphere that draws the viewers in and keeps them on the edge of their seats. There were a lot of debates if David Koresh was running a cult or not, but evidence shows that Koresh had an influence on people and he would use that influence frequently to make people do illegal things. However, the five people who were taken into custody never believed that they did something wrong. In ‘Waco: The Aftermath’, viewers get an idea of how the judiciary was already against them even when they didn’t have concrete proof with them. On the other hand, doubt starts creeping in among the ‘Waco 5’ when a plea deal is put in front of the remaining Branch Davidians. This is where the episode turns out to be so good because it is showing all the aspects of the trial in the most riveting way possible.
Even when we are just one episode in, there are moments that will give you chills. Acting-wise, Michael Shannon as the FBI officer is brilliant while Giovanni Ribisi as the lawyer is truly mesmerizing. However, it’s John Hoogenekkar who blows everyone’s mind with a performance that gritty and makes you wonder if the ‘Waco 5’ really did what everyone is saying. He is determined to make people believe that they didn’t anything wrong and has faith in God that they will come out as innocent.
All in all, the premiere of ‘Waco: The Aftermath’ has laid a strong foundation for things to come. The trial has just begun and things have already started to go downhill for the arrested Branch Davidians. Also, the episode ended on an ominous note as it seems a war is coming and everyone, including the government, will face its wrath.
***&1/2 stars for ‘Waco: The Aftermath’ Episode 1.