The Gates – Pilot Episode Review

This show just premiered last night and to my surprise, it was an interesting show. The Gates is a private community for the well to do with large wrought iron gates and amped up security to protect its citizens. Inside is a self sustaining community with shops, groceries, and even its own police force.

Nick and Sarah Monohan move to the Gates so Nick can act as their new police chief. Just as he arrives we meet their next door neighbors, the Radcliffs. Claire Radcliff’s daughter runs into the street and is almost hit by a contractor who is driving through. The man hits their mailbox and injures his head so Claire invites him in. Claire is actually a vampire and the site of the blood causes her to bite and drain the poor man over the sink.

Thus police chief Nick gets his first real case when a deputy informs him of the accident and the fact that the contractor never left The Gates.

When Claire’s husband Dylan arrives home we see that he is a vampire too and he is very unhappy with Claire. They argue over Claire’s indiscretion and the fact that if they are discovered they will have to leave The Gates and their adopted daughter will not fare well among their kind. Mr. Radcliff and his wife drive the truck and the body out of the community, drugging the guard with cookies, and they set up the scene to look as though the contractor was attacked by wolves as he chugged beers by the lake.

Nick finds the whole thing suspicious and starts stalking their home in the wee hours of the morning only to be discovered by the Radcliffs… with Clair once again about to attack. This provokes another arguement between the two, during which Dylan tells Claire that she cannot endanger their daughter or she will have to leave.  Claire confesses that it is not about the blood. Rather it is about the hunt that is innate in her as a vampire and is denied as she lives the life of a suburban housewife with book clubs, PTA meetings, and the mundane.  She also blames her husband for making her what she is.

In other plot lines we also come to know the two Monohan children, including their teenage son Travis. Travis immediately takes a liking to a classmate at his new school, Andie Bates. Andie is a human girl who is dating a werewolf (Brett), though she doesn’t know it. Her mutual admiration for Travis becomes a problem for Brett and he starts to lose control… something his pack friends warn him he must never do.

The Gates it would appear is a large community of those with dark, paranormal secrets… vampires, werewolves, and witches… all trying to live life under the radar not knowing that the new police chief is already getting suspicious.

Al in all this was a pretty good premiere episode and I can see tuning in to this one some more. It is very Stepford-esque, except the Stepford wives are vamps and werewolves.

I give it 3 out of 4 Stepford Vampire Wives…