The second season of The Following is more absurd than the first: competing murder cults, Ryan 2.0, media circus, a showdown in a cathedral. It would be more retrospectively enjoyable to watch if a Las Vegas couple weren’t shooting people, saying “this is a revolution” then killing themselves like nameless guest stars. While I was watching it, it was a guilty pleasure to watch after a long day in court. It was so absurd that I just couldn’t wait to see what crazy thing would happen next. What would happen when the matriarch of one killer cult met the matricidal girlfriend of the patriarch of the other? What would happen when the Stepford wife killer was pegged as a follower and become unhinged? Somehow Joe Carroll was recast as a crazy, murderous, but at least more reasonable and kind killer in comparison to his ambitious competitor/suitor. Unfortunately as he became more penitent and resigned to his fate, Ryan became more law abiding, a major character was resurrected and a major opponent was killed, The Following lost some of its steam. I’m not sure how it will survive another season.