[Warning: General spoilers ahead.]
Not to lead y’all astray, but full disclosure, NeXt has already been cancelled by the network I not-so-affectionately refer to as FUX. That disclaimer out of the way, I stumbled onto the third episode of this X-Files-esque series last week and then found out it was already donezo, but by then, I was intrigued enough to go back and stream the first two episodes.

The hourlong drama, created by 24‘s Manny Coto, premiered in early October, aired two episodes, and then was off the air during and after the World Series before returning last week. It follows the unlikely team up of Shea Salazar (Fernanda Andrade) an FBI cyber-crime lead investigator and Paul LeBlanc (John Slattery), a Silicon Valley billionaire, following the death of the former’s dear friend (John Billingsley) in a car accident triggered by an autonomous car suddenly accelerating and t-boning him at an intersection. As it happens, he’d grown manic and paranoid about the tech around him. It’s not paranoia if you’re right, and he had good reason to be concerned.

Shea’s breadcrumbs lead her to LeBlanc, who was ousted from his company, Zava. Once she tells her tale, he suspects that his supposedly-terminated AI project may have had a hand in the accident. We soon learn that LeBlanc has his own paranoia and delusions, which are compounded when he learns his invention jumped a firewall and is out in the wild.
As the duo begrudgingly lean on each other to further the investigation and chase down an invisible target that has eyes everywhere and can often see them coming, the increasingly creepy blowback reverberates through the FBI, Zava, and their families. I really, really liked the first three episodes, and the XF-ish vibe is helped by the fact that it filmed in Vancouver. I do love when a series effectively taps the city’s energy–it has a storied history with sci-fi TV.
The first episode I watched last week immediately made me think of that series’ first-season episode, “Ghost in the Machine.” I’m also generally a fan of these kinds of stories, from cutting my adolescent teeth on the OG Wargames through to The Net and The Matrix, various episodes of The Outer Limits, and the more recent Blackhat and Ex Machina, and last season’s one-and-done, Emergence.

It’s fun to see Slattery in this role–a modern day, unhinged version of his Howard Stark, if you will. Andrade is new to me, and she and Slattery are great as newfound acquaintances who irritate the hell of out of each other but are still tethered together by the greater goal. Evan Whitten is terrific as Shea’s young son, Ethan, who gets more than he bargained for from the family’s home assistant/speaker.

Gerardo Celasco plays Shea’s husband, Ty, who finds out that her job is dangerous in unexpected ways. Shea’s FBI team of Gina, Ben, and C.M. are played by Eve Harlow, Aaron Moten, and Michael Mosley, and John Cassini, one of my Canadian faves, plays her boss, Ron. Ali Ahn plays Sarina, a programmer at LeBlanc’s old company, who now works for his brother (Jason Butler Harner). Elizabeth Cappuccino plays LeBlanc’s estranged daughter, Abby.

NeXt airs Tuesdays at 9 pm/8c on FOX. The first three episodes are now streaming online on FOX and Hulu and are available on demand. At press time, the seven remaining episodes are still slated to air every Tuesday through next month. Here are a few sneak peeks.
[Updated: 12/22/20: I’ve watched the whole season, and it wraps up in a very satisfying way while leaving the door propped should they find another home. Definitely recommend this if you’re looking for a good binge in the style of old-school X-Files. The whole season will be available for streaming on FOX’s website on 12/23/20]
Photos and Videos Courtesy of FOX
Heather M
Related posts
Classics
John Griffin and Harold Perrineau Talk From on EPIX Season 1 Finale
[Warning: General spoilers ahead.] How are we doing, #FROMily? In case you missed it this morning, the very good news is that that cliffhanger will be followed by a second season, which was gifted this morning ahead of the linear broadcast of the finale. I always legitimately appreciate when we…
Elizabeth Saunders Talks EPIX’s From
[Warning: General spoilers ahead.] One of the things that makes EPIX’s From such a fun ride is the abundance of Canadian cast members. Elizabeth Saunders, who plays Donna, is a favorite from her turn on the third season of Mary Kills People, which US audiences still have not been able…
Corteon Moore Talks From “Broken Windows, Open Doors”
[Warning: Spoilers for tonight’s episode.] Tonight’s episode of From had us all in our feels as we learned through flashbacks about the Sophie’s Choice Boyd had to make to save his son, and back in the present as Boyd said his piece with Ellis before heading into the woods with…
Pegah Ghafoori Talks From “All Good Things…”
[Warning: Spoilers for tonight’s episode] Tonight on From, Fatima’s anniversary celebration turned into a Colony House of horrors when a misguided Kevin let his monster bae in and she promptly killed him and left the window open for her crew. While the party devolved into terror and sent everyone running,…
Shaun Majumder Talks From “Book 74”
[Warning: Spoilers for tonight’s episode.] Tonight on EPIX’s From, Father Khatri made a bold move, kidnapping Sara instead of turning her in, and then recognizing her as a vessel for some big messages. That startling realization speaks to him on multiple levels–as a man of faith, a man trapped in…
Avery Konrad Talks About Sara’s Struggle in From “Silhouettes”
[Warning: Spoilers for tonight’s episode.] Over the course of the season so far on From, we’ve witnessed Sara’s battle against the voices telling her to to do terrible things, and tonight we saw her unravel further, threatening the Matthews and lashing out in a moment of terror with horrifying results….
Hannah Cheramy Talks From “Choosing Day”
[Warning: Spoilers for tonight’s episode.] Tonight, on EPIX’s From, the Matthews participate in the show’s version of the sorting hat, choosing where to call home–the town or Colony House. At the end of the episode, Julie makes the decision to split from her family and instead settle in with Fatima…
Ricky He Talks From “The Way Things Are Now”
[Warning: Spoilers for episode 102 of EPIX’s From.] Epix’s new series From is two episodes in and it’s already laying the groundwork for a seriously spooky season. Tonight’s episode demonstrated the careful balance of relief and horror that the show hits, with our characters’ worst fears realized, just not when…
Catching Up with Ted Lasso and Previewing Season 2
[Warning: General spoilers ahead.] The not so dirty little secret about how I approach a new series is that I sometimes make a call based on the headspace I’m in at the time. It’s been a minute since I’ve picked up a show after the first season and then binge…
Interview: Henri Esteve on Grown-ish Season 3
An interview with Henri Esteve, who plays Javi on Freeform’s Grown-ish. He talks about his season three experience.
What They Said: Three Revealing Conversations from Survivor’s Remorse “Closure”
WARNING: Spoilers for Survivor’s Remorse “Closure” The latest episode of Starz’s Survivor’s Remorse featured conversations that showed characters really digging deep into their thoughts, emotions and motivations.
Two Takes: The Catch “The Knock-Off”
Who can you trust? If this episode of The Catch was any indication, the answer is just about nobody. Betrayal was running rampant as Felicity (Shivani Ghai) arose from the dead to seduce-con Margot, Gretchen (Maria Thayer, Gotham, The Mindy Project) played gold-hearted Alice 2.0 before swindling Ethan, Tessa jumped…
What They Said: Top 3 Quotable Moments from Preacher “El Valero”
Both Quincannon and Jesse refuse to give up on what they each think is rightfully theirs. While Jesse is struggling to face the consequences of his actions, Quincannon has laid his past demons to rest and is hellbent on moving forward and putting Annville on the map again. Despite a…
What They Said: Favorite Quotes from Supergirl “Worlds Finest”
Oh, Supergirl. That ending was cold. But I can’t hate on you because the latest episode has quickly become one of my favorites.
What They Said: Top 4 Quotable Moments from Black Sails “XXIII”
The dialogue in “XXIII” is phenomenal. It’s always a fun ride when Black Sails carries its viewers along without giving them the chance to catch their breath. When an episode moves at this unforgiving pace, there is no chance for a breather nor is there a respite from the information…
What Lucifer Said: Favorite quotes from Supernatural “O Brother, Where Art Thou?”
Supernatural episodes are almost always funny but thanks to the dialogue and a certain man speaking said dialogue, I laughed a lot during “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” You know, when I wasn’t busy fearing for Sam’s life or wondering what in the world was going on with Dean and…
What They Said: The Flash, “Legends Of Today” and Arrow, “Legends Of Yesterday”
Two nights of Arrow + The Flash = what more could we ask for?! I don’t know what it is about blending these shows, but I can’t help but feel that every time they come together, they somehow become greater than the sum of their parts. And that’s saying a lot…
What they Said: Top 4 Quotable Moments from Graceland “Little Bo Bleep”
Shoot outs. Fake outs. And long-awaited revelations. “Little Bo Bleep” was a jam-packed episode that wrapped up some loose ends and totally frayed others. Â It finally gave us one Sarkissian in jail and pulled back the curtain on Briggs’ master plan, but it also set up Jakes for a world…
What They Said: Favorite Quotes from Poldark “Part 4”
“What have I told you, I don’t require my wife to crochet and sip tea, but I do require her to remember she’s not a beast of burden.†No, I’m not talking about The Rolling Stones! I have to admit though, just for a second, the lyrics popped into my…
3 Moments of Goodness from Brooklyn Nine-Nine “Johnny and Dora”
The most satisfying part of this season’s finale has to the Jake and Amy kiss. Well, they kiss three times but the last one is the best one — and it means something. The Charles and Rosa dynamic was also great. I love how she’s convinced he doesn’t know anything…