Brimstone

Plot synopsis:
Revelation
Dakota Fanning plays Liz, who lives with her husband and two children (one is a 14 yr old boy from her husband's prior marriage, the other is a young girl) in the old west. She is a midwife, but is mute and communicates through sign language. A new reverend (Guy Pearce) comes to their church. The moment Liz hears his voice she is terrified. She is convinced the man is dangerous. Eli, her husband does not believe her. Slowly it becomes clear she is right as strange and nasty things start to happen, even though her husband thinks it is done by Nathan, a man whose newborn baby died during labor and blames Liz who delivered it. Liz decides she is going to murder him and sneaks off at night. When she finds her daughter's doll in the bed of The Reverend instead of him, she understands her family is in danger. As she is rushing back her husband Eli gets knifed by The Reverend, and left to die as she returns. Her husband's final request is for his son to take them up in the mountains where grandpa (his father) lives. With a horse and carriage, Liz and her two children manage to flee from The Reverend as he sets the farm on fire.
Exodus
A young girl named Joanna (played by Emilia Jones) walks exhausted through the desert and is picked up by a Chinese family. She's sold in a bar/brothel, in the mining town Bismuth, owned by Frank (Paul Anderson). A prostitute named Sally takes care of her and makes sure Frank and other men do not sexually abuse her. But when Sally shoots a violent customer she is hanged, leaving Joanna behind. Frank has sex with her. A few years later Joanna works in 'Frank's Inferno' as a prostitute and is now played by Fanning, revealing that Joanna and Liz are the same person. However, she can talk. Her friend is another prostitute, named Elizabeth. One day, she bites the tongue of an abusive customer, for which Frank cuts off her tongue as punishment. Now being a mute, Joanna teaches her sign language from a book the doctor gave her. Elizabeth plans to sneak out of Bismuth and makes arrangements through a marriage broker. On a photograph we see Eli and his son. As Joanna is helping Elizabeth preparing to leave, The Reverend shows up in the brothel. He pays to take Joanna to a room where things get violent and Elizabeth runs in with a knife to save her. She saves her from being whipped, but she is killed by The Reverend. Joanna proceeds to grab the knife and slashes the throat of The Reverend. Joanna takes Liz's clothes and identity, and cuts out her own tongue in order to be able go to Eli, who has never seen Elizabeth, and marry him.
Genesis
In the desert a couple of dead bodies are lying around. It is the aftermath of some violent dispute over stolen gold. Two men are alive, Samuel (played by Kit Harington) and Wolf (Jack Roth) are badly wounded. Young Joanna (again played by Emilia Jones) lives with her mother (Anna, played by Carice van Houten) and father, who is revealed to be The Reverend. They are part of a Dutch community who came over from The Netherlands to establish a purer form of Christianity. Anna does not want to go to bed with her husband which infuriates him. As he is preaching in church, he humiliates her in front of the whole congregation and at night he chastises her with a cat o' nine tails. Joanna gets her first period and her father tells her she's become a woman. Samuel and Wolf arrive at the farm and without telling her parents, she hides the outlaws and takes care of them. The Reverend's sexual interests are shifting more and more towards his daughter, who is a full grown woman in his eyes. To prove that to God, he allows her to slaughter a pig. When Samuel gets the chance he murders Wolf, and Joanna sees him strangling him. The outlaw explains Wolf would have done it to him, if he hadn't killed him. He urges Joanna to not be like her mother, who will always turn the other cheek. When Anna confronts The Reverend with his intentions toward their daughter, he beats her up and has a scold's bridle made for her. Anna commits suicide in church in front of the whole congregation by hanging herself. That night Joanna offers herself to Samuel, but he declines. The next day The Reverend takes Joanna to church and starts to perform a wedding ceremony between himself and his daughter. Samuel comes in to rescue her, but The Reverend kills him. Angry she has hidden this man from him The Reverend drags her towards their house through the mud. She screams that she loves Samuel and enrages her father when she admits she lusted after him. After The Reverend whips Joanna, he rapes her. In the morning she runs off, away from her sleeping father.
Retribution
The story returns to Liz (Dakota Fanning). With her children, Sam and Matthew, she is plowing through the snow to go to the home of Eli's father, up in the mountains. When they cross a frozen lake, Matthew is shot by The Reverend and dies. Liz and Sam reach their destination. As Liz is guarding the house, The Reverend shows up again. He tells her that God has provided him with an alternative again and that he will do exactly to her daughter what he did to Liz. When Liz runs in to protect Sam, she finds Eli's father dead; The Reverend already killed him. Liz and Sam try to escape The Reverend yet again, but he catches them. He ties Liz up and whips her daughter. As he is undressing to rape her daughter, Liz manages to break free and set fire to him. With a rifle she shoots him out of the window.
Quite a while later Liz has turned Eli's place into a saw mill where she lives with her young daughter. But Nathan turns up to arrest her. He tells her that it was The Reverend who instructed him to go to Bismuth to start a new life. He became a deputy and when the old sheriff died, the town chose him as the new one. He then found the 'Wanted Poster' of Elizabeth Brundy, a woman without a tongue. It turns out the original Elizabeth killed Frank, just before she turned up to save Liz/Joanna and Nathan is coming to take her back and hang her. As Nathan is escorting her off on a ferry, Liz looks at the unknowing Sam, who seems to be doing fine without her. Not wanting to be subjugated to the will of another once more, Liz decides to throw herself in the lake and drown. When Sam is a grown woman with a child of her own, she thinks of her mother. She has always felt her presence, as though she was watching over her. As she is walking towards the house, it seems somebody watches her from the trees. Sam seems to feel it, looks towards the trees and smiles. She and her daughter go in.

Tags: murder

Review:
To top it all off, we have a deliciously enjoyable bad guy (the Devil, played by John Glover), and interesting episodal villains.
The network that cancelled Brimstone have proven again that they have NO idea what quality viewing is.
Brimstone is (was) one of the best shows on TV.
They will then proceed NOT to publicise or market said series, before either scheduling it in a prime-time slot opposite an established runner on a competing channel, or consigning it to a late-night "graveyard" slot to be screened when the world is sleeping.
They will then hold up their hands in dismay and wonder why on earth their hoped-for viewing figures have failed to materialise, before abruptly cancelling the show half-way through its planned first season before it has even had a chance to build up an audience base.
Such a fate almost befell the now massively popular and seemingly never-ending `X-Files', and alas DID befall the wonderful and innovative `Brimstone' which I believe would have become a huge hit if only it had been given a fair chance.
The basic premise of `Brimstone' is as follows: In 1983, a New York cop, Zeke Stone, takes the law into his own hands and kills his wife's rapist.
Fifteen years later, the Devil returns him to Earth to hunt down `113 of the most vile creatures'  other damned souls who have broken out of Hell and have returned to Earth to sow more evil.
The deal is that if Zeke can round up all 113 of the Devil's `wayward children', he gets a second chance at life on Earth as a normal mortal.
Outwardly Zeke looks like a normal living man, and he can eat, drink, sleep and feel all human emotions.
Clearly, by giving Zeke so many damned souls to hunt down (he basically rounds up one per episode), it seems that the original intention was for the show to run for 5 or 6 seasons.
As it was, it managed to run for just half a season (a total of only 13 episodes) before the Men in Grey Suits at Fox pulled the plug.
Unfortunately the final episode of `Brimstone' (which of course was never meant to be the final episode) was a massive anti-climax  Zeke didn't even manage to send that week's damned soul back Downstairs  and the viewer is left with a feeling of the story being left hanging in mid-air.
Series cancelled prematurely just as an ongoing story sub-plot was getting established.
The casting of Peter Horton as Zeke Stone and John Glover as The Devil was nothing short of inspired.
Horton gives a superb performance as the shabby and down-at-heel detective Stone, with Glover's whimsical, humorous yet obviously `evil' Devil stealing every scene he's in.
The interplay between the two leads is an absolute joy to watch, with Zeke simply wanting The Devil to leave him in peace to get on with the job of hunting down the wayward souls, and The Devil constantly popping up at inopportune moments to chide, tease and sometimes threaten the harrassed detective.
One can only wonder about what other evil souls Stone would have had to round up in subsequent adventures, had the series been given a fair crack of the whip.
As it was, we saw him round up and send back to Hell such adversaries as a Carthaginian general, a sexy but deadly 1920s plague carrier, a beautiful Medieval French temptress who sets her suitors on fire, a former SS concentration camp warder, an ancient Chinese poet who writes using the blood of virgins and  in a nice twist in Episode 3  his wife's rapist, whom he has to hunt down and `kill' a second time.
Originally Fox ordered 19 episodes for the first `Brimstone' season.
I had heard of Peter Horton previous to Brimstone only in relation to the yuppie self-indulgence fest known as Thirtysomething, which by no means recommended him highly to me.
He gives Zeke Stone a note-perfect mix of soulful anguish and world-weariness, and he can still find the occasional light moment in his Purgatory on Earth.
The line between light and dark is often obscured and who really deserves to go to Hell is pretty much the question each episode, but that's what made it such a compelling program.
You might find yourself grudgingly liking this version of the Prince of Lies, even when he screws over Stone almost every chance he gets!
Many of the psychological elements, take the flashbacks that torment Stone, tell us a story about a fair man who's not perfect, like any person, yet has to struggle with the frustration of the reality that is his afterlife.
Brimstone is more of a dead man's odyssey of seeing the fruits he missed out on had he lived on, as well as his regrets often cruelly reinforced by the Devil.
Intelligent scripts with line after line of worthy quotables, the dark tone of the pictures dictating its Hellish imagery, and the cleverness of the creators to add love to what would otherwise be a typical Sci-Fi flick make this motion painting a true cult classic!.
Every so often, I re-watch my Brimstone tapes (of the Sci-Fi airings, since I didn't even know it existed when it was on FOX), and am amazed at just how good a show this is.
With my luck though, Warners will have improperly stored the film, and it'll have the uncorrected film defects problems seen on their Babylon 5 DVDs (all of which I'm buying, BTW, if only for the extras).It's too bad Warners doesn't treat their shows better, and make their Season Sets as showpieces.
That's what I'd want my Babylon 5, Crusade and Brimstone season sets to be, showpieces that would blow people's socks off.KoshN.
However, the series from start to finish leaves you with the feeling of hope for its main character..
Shows such as Brimstone are just too intelligent, and go over the head of Average Joe TV Viewer (or Average Joe TV Executive).
With all the proliferation and specialization of TV channels these days, maybe some day we can have an "Intelligent TV Channel" where shows like these can flourish and those too dim to "get it" can just remove it from their channel rotation.Black humor is under-appreciated, and intelligent black humor is just beyond too many people, unfortunately.
Add to that a completely original premise, some decent action, good acting and the wonderful, delicious Lori Petty (::melt::) and Brimstone was a real winner.
The way the two characters played off one another was excellent, allowing the devil to be evil, but at the same time, full of trickery.
This show was really quite amazing, I wonder if the moral majority had a hand in its premature cancellation, or if it was just too cerebral for most viewers like British series The Prisoner was.
The Devil has no power on earth, so he sends a guy who's only been dead for 15 years, to hunt down 113 other dead people, some truly despicable, some just vengeful victims, some of whom have been dead for millenia and are way more powerful than Stone is, one of the oldest seems to be a shapeshifter and the Devil's lover!
Destroying the eyes will send a damned soul back to hell, whether it's an escapee, the Devil, or a damned car (headlights).
And the Devil really seemed not powerful and not knowledgeable, like the escape of the 113 had never even been imagined before, this escapee roundup was something totally new in the Brimstone universe.
"Brimstone" is one of my favorite shows of all time and I watch it on my old DVD tapes as often as I can.I will never be able to figure out TV executives.
This show is truly one of those foul ups that I often cite when talking about the stupid programming moves being made over the years.I hope someone at some point in time will resurrect this show and finish Zeke Stone's quest.
Every character was perfectly cast from Ezekiel Stone to The Devil to the priest.
Although it has been said before, this is another great show - intelligently written, with interesting characters, and a wonderful black sense of humour - that people bypassed in favour of the mind-numbing...um stuff...
Nah, it looks like everyone is watching reruns of Fear Factor.Thanks for you time..
""Brimstone" is rough edged, smooth, original and clever- a burning 10."- Tom Millan "Kindred Gem Films 1998".
"Brimstone is a burning 10."I thought this series, as short lived as it was, is a 'gem within a gem'.
Too bad audiences didn't take to the shows and "Brimstone" got canceled- I guess audiences don't have taste.
Some silly blooper show was put in its place and I was fuming when I found that out.Mainstream audiences unfortunately aren't interested in surreal and complex thrillers like "Brimstone".
They want something they can understand and identify with which I, as a director, don't care much for unless I'm in the mood to take them by the hand and explain things they can identify.Each writer has a sense of style and this can be seen in "Brimstone".
John Glover was the best devil of all time.
The characters were multi-dimensional, and watching them interact was even more intriguing; the performances--especially the leads--were great; and even though the show had a formula, the direction a particular episode would take was never obvious..
After 5 years, it's amazing how this series will come into conversation when I talk to people about great shows that have been cancelled.
The series had a great premise and although I've heard it said here that the series run would have been limited by the 113 souls Zeke Stone was to send back, this is not necessarily so...
After all, one or two of the escapees could have proven more of a nemesis for Zeke than the others and extended the running life of the show.There are very few shows now that are smart and witty enough to stand this type of test of time though...
I heard that Fox will be playing the pilot of Brimstone and three re-runs in March.
Not many people got a chance to see the pilot episode due to poor marketing.
With each episode, the show grows better in creativity and the show becomes more dimensional show, than just a dead-cop from hell sci-fi show, it becomes a tale of redemption, love, and the chance to reflect on how we look at ourselves.
John Glover is perfect for the role of the Devil and Peter Horton portrays a man seeking a second chance at life.
And I have been hooked ever since, the pilot was great as it was, but the show just keeps getting that much better after each episode.
On March 5 the pilot episode will be shown on Fox, with following fridays through March to have re-runs.
And thanks to a letter writing campaign, the Save Our Brimstone campaign, by the fans of BrimStone, Fox has agreed to reshow the pilot and 3 episodes throughout March.
Brimstone is one of my favorite shows of this year...
It's worth staying home on Friday nights for (or taping).It is one of the truly innovative programs on TV and has great writing, excellent acting, and wonderful photography.You won't be dissapointed!.
Peter Horton is great as Ezekiel Stone and John Glover as the Devil, wow!
Maybe, someday the producers will realize what a great show this was (and is) and make some new episodes..
Brimstone was intelligent, with a good blend of drama and comedy.
John Glover and Peter Horton were both excellent, but above all the writing must be praised, not only for the Devil's wonderful lines, but for keeping the integrity of the show.
With great storylines and some brilliant onscreen chemistry between Peter Horton and John Glover, this deserved another series.
It is not often a show comes along which is action-packed, funny, serious and intriguing all at the same time but Brimstone was.
Funny with good plots, the interaction between Detective Stone and the Devil are great.
This is one of the few new shows I've seen recently that I immediately liked.
Then FOX decided to cancel the series after only showing something like seven episodes.
Every one of my favorite shows was cancelled in less than a year(Guys Like Us, Teen Angel, Brimstone, and my all time favorite, Eerie,Indiana- I know I have alot of tastes).
I've not had the chance to see the entire series (alas they mad only the one), but I was always interested in what The Devil was saying.He'd go off about how much he missed God and how he was just doing his job.This makes me, a devout Roman Catholic, ask one question: Is the Devil really evil or is he just doing his job as part of the `Infallible plan' the I've herd so much about?For a show that can make me think that to be cancelled after only one series is TRULY a crime..
The comical banter between Zeke Stone and The Devil was first class, some very clever and funny writing indeed.
Despite that, it has a quirky sense of humor and great performances by both Peter Horton and John Glover.
I think that if they wouldn't have stated that there were 113 episodes (113 evil spirits escaped underneath the Devils "nose" to be recovered by said character), I think this show would have had a bigger following and probably a longer lifespan.Don't get me wrong ...
Glover (John) and Horton (Peter) were GREAT in their roles and the show had a great concept but both could not save this show's hari-kiri (sp?)  Maybe if they would have said 13 "evil spirits escaped the grasp of the Devil's reach"...
it could have been realisitic for a virgin show (at least for it's time.)I've grown to like these kinds of shows and have been "rewarded" with their cancellations.
For some reason Fox has a real bad habit of canceling shows with potential.
I write this as I am watching a re-run on the Sci-Fi Channel (god bless 'em) and reminding myself how much I enjoyed the short-lived series.
This is a great show,but was cancelled before its time,naturally.I especially love Ezekiel getting acquainted with life in the Nineties,like him asking about the NFL's Baltimore Ravens playing the Carolina Panthers.He's totally surprised to hear such names..
Its unfortunate that it was the last and the show wasn't giving a proper season to mature.It's another one of those shows with great potential that was never given the chance to shine....
one of the best New and Original series I've seen in a while.
Unlike most suspense and supernatural shows, Brimstone doesn't follow the boring trends of the X-files and Millennium but sets its own dark and gloomy tone.
In my opinion Brimstone is one of the best shows this year.
I hope FOX isn't stupid enough to let this gem go, just like they did with the Kindred..
In Brimstone, Zeke Stone witnesses a baseball game.
The only good thing about this series was John Glover as the Devil.
His portrayal of the Devil as a slick, corporate CEO type (just like the character he plays on Smallville) has to be THE best portrayal of the Devil I have ever seen.
But the use of supernatural trappings did not change the fact that Brimstone was just another really bad TV series about an ex-cop bounty hunter..
Veteran TV actor Peter Horton plays a detective returned from the dead who must track down certain souls for the devil, played by the wonderfully droll John Glover.
Another "good one" that got the axe....Brimstone (1999).
This is another one of those shows that was canceled after the first season like "FireFly" and "Tru Calling".The premise of the show was a cop drama, but with a hellish backstory.
The Devil assigned newly arrived Detective Stone to go up into the world and catch these souls and bring them all back one at a time.
The strength is the story and the acting of the three major characters.Devil - (John Glover).
Detective Ezekiel Stone - (Peter Horton).
There is great chemistry on screen between this character and the Devil.Detective Ash (Teri Polo) Smart, streetwise and sexy, this LAPD detective is seemingly forever in Zeke's face and always wanting to know what he's up to and why he always seems to be involved in strange murder cases around L.A. After a many episodes and a lot of great lines (and some sexy sparks between her and Zeke), we find out that SHE is one of the souls he hunts and has been watching and learning about Zeke for a long time, determining a way to beat him and cheat the Devil..
Brimstone was a great show.
Peter Horton who played the part of Ezekiel Stone was tremendously worn and rough looking as the reanimated ex-cop who reluctantly undertook his task of retrieving 113 escaped souls from Hell - his punishment for having killed the man who raped his wife, and thus banishing himself to hell.
A task set him by the ever brilliant and ever improving John Glover, who played the role of the Devil with such delicious glee, you wish it could result in a spin-off show for this character alone.
It is just such a shame that shows like this that actually have you thinking as you watch and for a long time after, are so rarely taken beyond the initial season.I'd recommend this show above and beyond many on TV today.
There's the adage played like a cliche that becomes Zeke's strategy in his battle "The eyes are the windows to the soul.
Peter Horton made Zeke a strong supporting character and hero.
John Glover turned in probably the performance of his CAREER as The Devil and dominated every episode.