Series synopsis
The Following is an American crime drama television series that premiered on FOX on January 21, 2013. It ended on May 15, 2015. It was created by Kevin Williamson. It stars Kevin Bacon, James Purefoy, Shawn Ashmore and Valorie Curry.
Notorious serial killer Joe Carroll, after being found guilty of murdering 14 female students on the Virginia college campus where he taught literature, escapes from death row. The FBI calls former agent Ryan Hardy to consult on the case, as he was the one responsible for Carroll’s capture in 2003. Ryan, working closely with an FBI team, including Mike Weston and FBI Specialist Debra Parker, piece together the ever-growing web of murders orchestrated by the devious Carroll.
Premise
Notorious serial killer Joe Carroll, after being found guilty of murdering 14 female students on the Virginia college campus where he taught literature, escapes from death row. The FBI calls former agent Ryan Hardy to consult on the case, as he was the one responsible for Carroll’s capture in 2003. Ryan, working closely with an FBI team, including Mike Weston and FBI Specialist Debra Parker, piece together the ever-growing web of murders orchestrated by the devious Carroll.
Premise: Killer instinct.
Cast and characters
Leading cast
- Kevin Bacon as Ryan Hardy
- James Purefoy as Joe Carroll
- Shawn Ashmore as Mike Weston
- Valorie Curry as Emma Hill / Denise Harris
- Jessica Stroup as Max Hardy
- Annie Parisse as Debra Parker
- Sam Underwood as Mark Gray
- Zuleikha Robinson as Gwen
Supporting cast
- Nico Tortorella as Will Wilson / Jacob Wells
- Gregg Henry as Dr. Arthur Strauss
- Natalie Zea as Claire Matthews
- Adan Canto as Billy Thomas / Paul Torres
- Kyle Catlett as Joey Matthews
- Connie Nielsen as Lily Gray
- John Lafayette as Deputy Marshall Scott Turner
Guest cast
- Valerie Cruz as Special Agent Gina Mendez
- Gbenga Akinnagbe as Tom Reyes
- Felix Solis as Special Agent Jeffrey Clarke
- Michael Irby as Andrew Sharp
- Ruth Kearney as Daisy Locke
- Kayla Mae Maloney as Natalie Brooks
- Kristen Bush as Dawn McClane
- Gibson Frazier as Chairman Billings
- Saundra Santiago as Mrs. Miller
- Hunter Parrish as Kyle Locke
- Kyle Barisich as FBI Agent Hopkins
- Thomas H. Adisi as Kenny Brooks
Episodes
This series spans 4 seasons with 47 episodes.
| Season | Episodes | First aired | Last aired |
|---|---|---|---|
| Season 0 | 2 | January 19, 2013 | January 4, 2014 |
| Season 1 | 15 | January 21, 2013 | April 29, 2013 |
| Season 2 | 15 | January 19, 2014 | April 28, 2014 |
| Season 3 | 15 | March 2, 2015 | May 15, 2015 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Inside the Following This special documentary takes viewers inside the minds of the cast and crew of the new FOX series The Following, with in-depth, behind-the-scenes interviews and never-before-seen production footage. |
January 19, 2013 |
| 2 |
The Following Revisited Before season two of The Following premieres, catch up on season one, in a special look back at the hit series. Meet former FBI agent, Ryan Hardy, as he is called out of retirement to track down diabolical serial killer Joe Carroll and his ever-growing cult of followers. Go behind the scenes of season one in special interviews with creator Kevin Williamson, and stars Kevin Bacon and Shawn Ashmore. |
January 4, 2014 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Pilot Former FBI agent, Ryan Hardy is called out of retirement to track down Joe Carroll after he escapes from prison. Hardy works closely with an FBI team, which includes young, razor-sharp Mike Weston. The investigation also leads Hardy back to Claire Matthews, Carroll's ex-wife and the mother of the criminal's young son, Joey. Hardy soon discovers that Carroll has an ever-growing cult of followers. |
January 21, 2013 |
| 2 |
Chapter Two Ryan Hardy, Agent Mike Weston and FBI Specialist Debra Parker, who is brought in to lead the investigation into Joe Carroll and his followers, dive deeper into the history of Carroll's psyche. To do so, they enlist the help of Carroll's ex-wife, and Hardy's former love, Claire Matthews. Meanwhile, Emma, Jacob and Paul keep Claire's son Joey at a house in the country as they prepare for their next move |
January 28, 2013 |
| 3 |
The Poet's Fire A new follower is found in Rick, who is on a determined path to follow through on Carroll's orders. Hardy and the FBI attempt to predict Rick's course of revenge, which leads to a surprising outcome. Meanwhile, Paul's jealousy over Emma and Jacob's relationship leads to a breaking point, and the origin of Hardy and Carroll's relationship. |
February 4, 2013 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Resurrection One year after Ryan Hardy's pursuit of serial killer Joe Carroll, a healthy and healed Ryan is living in New York City. On the surface, it appears Ryan's gotten his life back together. But deep down, his obsession with Joe continues to grow. Then, on the anniversary of Joe's death, a new murderous rampage leaves everyone shocked and determined to discover the truth. |
January 19, 2014 |
| 2 |
For Joe After the tragic subway killings, Ryan’s obsession with the case becomes stronger than ever. Soon, mysterious phone calls bring him face-to-face with what may be his biggest threat yet. Meanwhile, revelations surrounding Joe’s new life are brought to the surface. |
January 27, 2014 |
| 3 |
Trust Me Ryan continues his search to find the correlation between the recent tragedies in New York City and Emma and the existing members of the Havenport cult, while the FBI becomes increasingly aware of his undercover agenda. Meanwhile, a shocking event leads Joe to put a new plan in action. |
February 3, 2014 |
| Episode | Title | Air date |
|---|---|---|
| 1 |
New Blood With Joe Carroll awaiting execution on death row and all signs of his following erased, Ryan Hardy has moved on from the dark events of his past. But his newfound happiness is shattered when a series of brutally staged tableaus threatens to tear open old wounds. Ryan and his team are forced to unravel a twisted web of violence before it destroys them all - leading them to face a terrifying truth: Joe Carroll was just the beginning. |
March 2, 2015 |
| 2 |
Boxed In Ryan believes he has found the connection between Andrew and Mark, but he and the FBI are still unsure if - and how - Joe Carroll might be connected. Meanwhile, tension between Mark, Kyle and Daisy mounts and Ryan soon finds himself in a dangerous situation, in which facing the truth is the only thing that will set him free. |
March 9, 2015 |
| 3 |
Exposed After a devastating loss, Ryan, Weston and Max aim to hunt down who is responsible and make them pay, leading Ryan to take a risk with deadly consequences. Meanwhile, Mark questions the loyalty of Kyle and Daisy, causing tensions to rise amongst the group. |
March 16, 2015 |
Production
Release
| Original network/platform | FOX |
|---|---|
| First aired | January 21, 2013 |
| Last aired | May 15, 2015 |
| Runtime | 43 minutes |
| Status | Canceled |
| Schedule | Monday at 21:00:00 |