The Rising - General Discussion

[AnimeMania]

The Rising is an 8 episode TV Series that will air on the CW on May 29, 2023 at 8pm. The Rising is loosely based on the 2017 Belgian TV Series (Hotel) Beau Séjour and aired on Sky in the UK in March 2022. The Rising tells the story of Neve Kelly, who discovers that she is dead. Understandably, she's scared and confused by this new (non) existence, but moreover, when she realizes she has been murdered, she's furious. Determined to find her killer and get justice, believing that it was done by someone that she knew. Neve takes advantage of her new supernatural abilities to go where the police can't and investigate her own death. In doing so, she uncovers deeply buried secrets and is forced to re-examine everything about her life and the people she cared about.

Although initially renewed for a Second Season, using the same premise, but having a completely different cast, The Rising Second Season (going by the title "Risen") was cancelled before production could start. 

 

Clara Rugaard as Neve Kelly, a murdered girl

Matthew McNulty as Tom Rees, Neve’s estranged father
Emily Taaffe as Maria Kelly, Neve’s mother
Nicholas Gleaves as William Wyatt
Alex Lanipekun as Daniel Sands

Solly McLeod as Joseph Wyatt
William Ash as Michael Wyatt
Robyn Cara as Katie Sands
Ann Ogbomo as Christine Wyatt
Rebecca Root as DS Diana Aird

[AngieBee1]

I watched the first episode and didn't return to it for easily a month later. I'm glad I returned to it. It's a great watch.

[AnimeMania]

S01.E01: Episode 1

Neve Kelly (Clare Rugaad) is dead.  Understandably, she’s scared and confused by this new (non) existence, but when she realizes she has been murdered, she’s furious.  Determined to find her killer and get justice, she takes advantage of her new supernatural abilities to go where the police can’t and investigate her own death.  In doing so, she uncovers deeply buried secrets and is forced to re-examine everything about her life and the people she cared about.

Premiere Date: May 29, 2023    CW     8pm

[possibilities]

I thought they were going to have the dog swim out to retrieve her body! 

Not sure how I feel about her father being the one to see her and help her. Seems like her brother could do it, but he's also been mocked and scared out of trusting his abilities, which is sad.

If I ever die, and you think I contacted you, don't resist! Go with it, please! 

[FormerMod-a1]

I knew nothing about this show but was flipping channels when it started (yes, I still watch "live" TV, lol) and read the info button description and decided to give it a whirl.  It drew me in.  I've added it to my DVR now. 

[jewel21]

I finally got around to watching the first episode. Seeing how it's summer and there's not much else on, I'm going to stick it out. I love that the dog saw her and directed everyone to the lake. 

[AnimeMania]

S01.E02: Episode 2

A VIGIL FOR NEVE — After a shocking revelation, Neve (Clare Regaad) and her father Tom (Matthew McNulty) try to process her new reality.  Unable to explain what’s happened to her, Neve sets off in pursuit of her body and follows Detectives Christine Wyatt (Ann Ogbomo) and Diana Aird (Rebecca Root) as they continue to investigate her murder.  Meanwhile, Neve’s mother Maria (Emily Taaffe) must face attending a vigil for her daughter, and Neve tracks down a mysterious girl she remembers from the party the night she died. 

Premiere Date: June 5, 2023    CW     8pm

[possibilities]

I didn't like the 2nd episode as much as the first episode. I feel like all they're doing is showing us scenes, but the characters have no agency. Nobody is doing anything, they're all just kind of weeping as the camera moves us around town.

Why is Dad not actually investigating? Why is the brother just staying in the shadows? What happened to her sister-- the one with some fire last week? Why is mom opposed to a vigil? 

And is the girl who Neve met at the memorial site also dead? Why can she see Neve, if not? ANd why would she not know about the news of the murder?

Why can Neve touch and manipulate objects, but nobody notices? She hugged her dad and last week she shattered his windshield, and she can operate the shower and this week she opened a locker, but nobody sees stuff moving around except the flickering lights.

I think the premise is interesting, but the execution is not so great.

[jewel21]

I guess we're supposed to believe she's existing on another plane but it's weird she can physically touch stuff and yet nothing is disturbed. And that she still puts on her helmet when riding her bike. 

The more important question is why is everyone's hair so horrible? It's like they were all attacked during the night with a weedwhacker. 

[Noneofyourbusiness]

On 6/6/2023 at 12:59 AM, possibilities said:

Why can Neve touch and manipulate objects, but nobody notices? She hugged her dad and last week she shattered his windshield, and she can operate the shower and this week she opened a locker, but nobody sees stuff moving around except the flickering lights.

In the first episode she picked up a vase and shattered it on the floor to get her mother's attention, but a moment later she saw that the vase was back where it had been and the floor was clean. The implication is that when she sees herself moving objects they don't really move, it just looks to her like they do. And even that doesn't last forever.

She's a ghost; even having a body at all is a kind of hallucination she's experiencing, because her mind can't imagine things any other way.

Her dad probably sees it too, and feels her, since he can see her.

Edited June 7, 2023 by Noneofyourbusiness

[possibilities]

But then how does she see the corpse she uncovered in the morgue? Does she see through the shroud? I guess it's possible that's the case, but when she crashed into her father's car window, it was shown to be shattered. Was that an illusion, too? I guess if all her activities are her imagination, then those who can see her are seeing her same hallucinations... and that is really too much for me to suspend disbelief about. I guess they want us to think she's projecting her thoughts so strongly that they are seen by those who can see her. 

I don't have trouble with "I see ghosts" so I guess I should be able to accept the rest of it.

 

[AnimeMania]

S01.E03: Episode 3

Suspicions grow around Neve’s (Clare Ruggad) ex-boyfriend Joseph (Solly McLeod) and what role he may have had in her death.  The family attend the vigil for Neve, while Alex (Nenda Neururer) questions Neve’s stepsister Katie (Robyn Cara) about the events on the night Neve died.

Premiere Date: June 12, 2023        CW        8pm

[possibilities]

I thought Ep3 was much better than Ep2. 

I guess we are to believe tha tthe girl who can see Neve can see her because of her experience with the car crash. I don't know why bad boyfriend can't also see her, but maybe it's because he has no conscience and girlfriend does. 

I am guessing Dad can see her because of his brain being altered by the constant boozing.

Don't know about the brother. Why didn't Neve try to talk to him once she saw that he recognized she was there? She just told him not to be afraid, and then forgot all about him.

Do we think it's true that sis was shtupping boyfriend, or did she just say that so he wouldn't hurt her for (he thinks) her saying that he burned the jacket?

Are they implying that Neve was killed by a supernatural force residing in the woods? It seemed like the car crash was caused by speeding + asshole covering the driver's eyes. So I would think that Neve's death is also caused by human behavior. But they seemed to be suggesting that there is, at the least, a supernatural entity who shows up in these situations. Is it a witness, or is it a perpetrator? Causing the cndles to go out didn't seem like it hurt Neve. So it's hard to guess at the motives of the clicking "mnster".

Or maybe Dad drinks becaause he witnessed a gruesome death also. That would make his experience consistent with the girls whose name I cn't remember, but it does make me wonder even more about the brother and why he can see Neve. 

[cuppasun]

10 hours ago, possibilities said:

I thought Ep3 was much better than Ep2.

Yeah, I like how quickly it's moving, not dragging out each element of the mystery too far. I'm liking it pretty well, and each ep seems to improve (for whatever that's worth three eps in!).

Quote

Don't know about the brother. Why didn't Neve try to talk to him once she saw that he recognized she was there? She just told him not to be afraid, and then forgot all about him.

...but it does make me wonder even more about the brother and why he can see Neve. 

hmmmm... I thought the brother couldn't see her, just sense her. The visuals showed him looking around and seeing nothing, but things going a bit visually wonky, plus sound distortion, and him seeming to hear her a little. I got the impression she realized he knew something was there, but couldn't actually see her. I'll be interested to see where it goes--if I'm right, it wasn't crystal clear (maybe could have been done better?), and if I'm wrong, then yeah, wonder why there was no follow through.

Quote

Are they implying that Neve was killed by a supernatural force residing in the woods? It seemed like the car crash was caused by speeding + asshole covering the driver's eyes. So I would think that Neve's death is also caused by human behavior. But they seemed to be suggesting that there is, at the least, a supernatural entity who shows up in these situations. Is it a witness, or is it a perpetrator? Causing the cndles to go out didn't seem like it hurt Neve. So it's hard to guess at the motives of the clicking "mnster".

Hadn't thought of this! I assumed it was something affecting those after death (or near death too, maybe, since the girl who was driving the car survived)--something connected to the supernatural element of the dead person who is somehow still there, and/or the living person who can see dead people (or person) who are there. Maybe connected to violent death? But yeah, it's eerie, and I hope they get to it quickly as well.

 

So... are Neve and the other girl (rats, can't remember her name!) going to be supernatural girlfriends?  ; )

[mmecorday]

Great. I'm watching another show with a wilderness spirit. 

[AnimeMania]

S01.E04: Episode 4

As Neve (Clare Rugaad) pursues a connection in the woods, a supernatural breakthrough leads to some disturbing revelations.  Meanwhile, tensions grow in the Sands household as Neve’s stepbrother Max (Cameron Howitt) claims he senses her presence, upsetting her mother Maria (Emily Taaffe) and driving her to confront her ex-husband and Neve’s father Tom (Matthew McNulty).

Premiere Date: June 19, 2023        CW        8pm

[possibilities]

Damn.

[AnimeMania]

S01.E05: Episode 5

Neve (Clare Rugaad) seeks help from Alex (Nenda Neururer), whose mother Christine and father William are beginning to show concern about their daughter’s mental health.  Elsewhere, Maria (Emily Taaffe) must face her husband Daniel’s (Alex Lanipekun) hurt that she sought solace with her ex-husband Tom (Matthew McNulty).  The motocross boys, including Joseph (Solly McLeod), start to turn against Tom as a respected member of the community is brought under suspicion.   Alex (Nenda Neururer) and Neve grow closer, but a flashback to the night she died forces Neve to question if there is anyone she can trust.

Premiere Date: June 26, 2023        CW        8pm

[possibilities]

Ohhhhhhhhhh damn.

[jewel21]

Well, okay... Is Neve disappearing? 

[possibilities]

The more I think about it, the more upsetting this episode is.

Alex roofied Neve at her father's behest, but still didn't believe he had anything to do with the murder? She sought his approval to a horrific degree, even though her mom is actually very supportive of her? The other cop knew William was scum but somehow his wife/Alex's mom never noticed? And Alex is the sort of person who would actually think that giving GHB to anyone would be  forgivable offense, and she could just carry on kissing Neve and acting like she had no guilt? Maybe she is as much of a scumbag as her father, and maybe her story about the car accident is also a lie.

Sadly, I could believe that William was a racist homicidal scumbag who sacrificed Alex for his son, but somehow, the rest of it doesn't track, despite how messy families can be. I don't want it to turn out that he's actually innocent and the Black girl who everybody shuns is actually the evil one who is solely at fault in all the local teenager deaths. Please, show, don't be that disgusting.

Also, Neve's mother enrages me.

[AnimeMania]

S01.E06: Episode 6

Budding relationships falter and old ones have the potential to rekindle as Neve (Clara Rugaard) and Alex (Nenda Neururer) have a fallout.  Neve’s parents Maria (Emily Taaffe) and Tom (Matthew McNulty) grow closer in the aftermath of recent chaotic events.  Maria is finally ready to believe Neve’s continued existence, and Alex and her cousin Joseph (Solly McLeod) reconcile.  Elsewhere, as further evidence is uncovered, the police’s suspicions about the culprit begins to change.

Premiere Date: July 3, 2023       CW      8pm    

[possibilities]

DirecTV is in a contract dispute with the channel that broadcasts this show, but I was still able to watch it on cwtv.com, in case anyone else is having a similar issue.

Neve's dad was rally shitty to ask her mom to ditch her new family and just get back together with him. He may not b drinking but he's not morally very far in his recovery.

I was glad that Joe validated that what Alex said about the crash was not a lie.

It's not healthy for Alex to live solely through a ghost. I'm not sure what will restore her from her trauma, but I'm guessing that kicking her dad out of the house will help, and Neve solving the other murder will also do some good.

I like that Neve's brother's camera can see her light, but I wish they gave the kid an actual presence on the show instead of just having him be silent and absent while others talk  about him. I wonder if the actor was unavailable or problematic or something? And I also wonder if he can sense them, because of his mom's murder? Did he se something about that? His sister doesn't seeem to have the same issue, so something must have happened to him that didn't to her.

[AnimeMania]

S01.E07: Episode 7

It’s seven years ago and the last day of Victoria Sands’ life.  She and a young Katie and Max surprise Daniel for his birthday.  Tensions grow as William Wyatt and his brother Michael make an appearance.  Neve (Clara Rugaard) realizes the flashbacks she is experiencing may somehow connect her to Victoria. Together they make a horrifying discovery.

Premiere Date: July 10, 2023       CW      8pm    

[possibilities]

Why did they keep the belt????? Or did both brothers have the same belt, and the murder belt is not actually the same belt as William has, it's just the same model???????

I can't forgive William for enabling his brother and allowing him to get away with murder, just like I don't forgive him for throwing his daughter away in favor of his more culpable son. It's horrendous. 

I also frankly don't think Maria deserves to be forgiven as easily for her behavior. She had to understand that the rest of them had already lost Victoria, I know she's grieving but her coldness was completely callous and shows that when things get bad, she will throw them away just like William did to Alex. 

They tried to blame the husband for "smothering" his wives and thus driving one to self-harm and the other to abandonment, but we really didn't see that at all. So I call bullshit on that excuse.

 

 

[nokat]

Both brothers are disgusting.  I did have my suspicions with those two.

I agree about Maria.

[jewel21]

I also don't think Maria should be forgiven so quickly. She treated her new family terribly. 

I figured one of the brothers must have killed Neve. They are both despicable.

I'm really quite enjoying this little series. It's gotten better as time has gone on. Looks like next week will be the final episode. 

[Noneofyourbusiness]

On 7/11/2023 at 11:35 AM, possibilities said:

I can't forgive William for enabling his brother and allowing him to get away with murder, just like I don't forgive him for throwing his daughter away in favor of his more culpable son. It's horrendous.

Not even son but nephew.

[AnimeMania]

S01.E08: Episode 8
(Series Finale)

Everything comes to a head at Keaton Hall, and Neve (Clara Rugaard), and Alex (Nenda Neururer) must fight their way back to each other as the net closes in on Neve’s killer. As family loyalties are tested and old truths are uncovered, Neve is determined that justice will finally be served. 

Premiere Date: July 17, 2023       CW      8pm  

[jewel21]

I thought that was a good resolution and I enjoyed the ending. I must say, this show grew on me every week and I'm sad to say bye to Neve. 

[possibilities]

We never found out why the brother could see her light, but I guess he muse have had some kind of almost-death experience-- not as strong as the others, but something.

I agree this was a good resolution, and that the show got stronger with each episode.

 

[jewel21]

Didn`t they say something about someone falling off a bike and being in a coma? I thought they were referring to the brother but I could have been wrong. 

[possibilities]

I thought that was William, Alex's dad.

[jewel21]

Oh, maybe. I don't recall the name, lol.

[Noneofyourbusiness]

18 hours ago, possibilities said:

We never found out why the brother could see her light, but I guess he muse have had some kind of almost-death experience-- not as strong as the others, but something.

We did; after figuring out that Michael, Tom and Alex had all been near death, Neve asked Tom if William had ever had an experience like that and Tom told her he'd been in a coma after a bike accident. Tom saved him from it. They mentioned it in the previous episode in the flashbacks to Victoria's last day where William talked about owing Tom for saving his life from the accident.

[possibilities]

I'm getting confused about the character names. 

Here's the IMDB that lists who's who:

https://www.imdb.com/title/tt14538210/

 

William is Alex's dad and the brother is named Max. 

[jewel21]

Maybe Max is just sensitive and can sense stuff? Remember, he was never able to actually see Neve, but rather felt her presence. 

[Noneofyourbusiness]

On 7/19/2023 at 11:14 AM, possibilities said:

William is Alex's dad and the brother is named Max. 

Sorry, I thought when you said "the brother" you meant Michael's brother, because Max can't see Neve's light, it's just his camera. And I got your and Jewel21's responses mixed up and thought they were the one who said it was William and you were the one who said you didn't recall his name.

11 hours ago, jewel21 said:

Maybe Max is just sensitive and can sense stuff? Remember, he was never able to actually see Neve, but rather felt her presence. 

Yeah, I think that's it. Diana did, too.

Edited July 20, 2023 by Noneofyourbusiness

[possibilities]

This show really was a completed story. There couldn't be another season, I don't think. It's so rare to see something like this, that seems to be planned out to truly only last one season, and not leave a door open for more if it succeeds.

[Noneofyourbusiness]

10 hours ago, possibilities said:

This show really was a completed story. There couldn't be another season, I don't think. It's so rare to see something like this, that seems to be planned out to truly only last one season, and not leave a door open for more if it succeeds.

They did plan to have another season, like the Belgian show Beau Séjour it was based on, but it would have followed a different dead person, as the second season of the original show did. The top post mentions it. But they were cancelled.

(From Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beau_Séjour :

First season: In the Belgian village of Lanklaar in Limburg, near the Dutch border, teenager Kato Hoeven awakes at the small Hotel Beau Séjour to find a bloody corpse in the bathtub—her own. She has no memory of the day before her death or why she was there. She soon discovers that a select few people are able to see her and communicate with her as she desperately tries to find out who was responsible for her murder and why they killed her.

Second season: Maurice, a Belgian Naval officer, awakes in the middle of a huge storm to discover his own dead body hanging from a mast on his sailboat, Beau Séjour, off the coast of Zeebrugge. Refusing to believe he hanged himself, he must solve his own murder.)

Edited July 21, 2023 by Noneofyourbusiness