The Gates - Season 1
The Gates is an American supernatural[1] crime drama[2] television series that aired on the ABC network from June 20, 2010 to September 19, 2010.[3][4] The show was cancelled after its first season due to low ratings.
The Gates - Season 1
Soon after the first season finished airing there were rumors that the show would not be returning for a second season. These rumors were further fueled by cast member Grillo's tweets suggesting that his contract was not going to be renewed.[19] In October 2010 several of the show's stars confirmed that the show had indeed been canceled and that there would not be a second season.[20][21]
In fact, it was kind of like too much of a good thing. When some episodes of The Gates tended to drag a bit, it almost felt like the writers wanted to be sure to tie up any loose ends before the season was over.
Both "Bad Moon Rising" and "Moving Day" were really fun episodes. I had no idea what would happen next. This is a great element to a season finale, but because it was one crazy scene after the next, it practically left me in a daze.
All in all, The Gates was able to wrap up a good first season and definitely left me wanting more! Hopefully, ABC will realize that they have a great show that brings the spooks and fun for hot summer nights.
Gates[1] are wounds or ruptures in the fabric of space-time that connect the regular world with the Upside Down.[2] They are bridges between dimensions, allowing for instantaneous travel from one plane of existence to another. Eleven, Vecna, and the Demogorgon all possessed the ability to create gates. Furthermore, gates can be considered extensions of the Upside Down itself, consisting of the same tendrils, vines and webbing present throughout the dimension.
In March 1986, One resurfaced as the being known as Vecna, and began tormenting and killing various Hawkins residents using his 'curse' power. With every murder, a new gate would open near the site of the victim's death. Vecna took the life of Chrissy Cunningham, Fred Benson, Patrick McKinney and Max Mayfield, and despite Max's subsequent revival, her temporary 'death' opened a fourth and final gate at the Creel House; the four gates then rapidly expanded and converged at the Hawkins town square, creating an earthquake-like effect in the process.
The Mothergate was opened at Hawkins National Laboratory. Unlike the other gates, this gate didn't heal and close - in fact, it only grew in size, slowly spreading and unfurling in the lab. By 1984, the Mothergate had expanded to an enormous size, reaching far below Hawkins Lab. The Mind Flayer used the Mothergate as a means to spread the Upside Down's toxic biological growth, with the end goal of eventually taking over the Earth. The Mothergate was closed by Eleven in 1984, temporarily stopping the Mind Flayer's plan.
The Demogorgon was able to create gates that it used to travel between dimensions. These gates were temporary, essentially being dimensional "wounds" that would eventually "heal."[3] How the Demogorgon came to possess, and used, this ability is unclear. Considering that it would take a massive amount of energy for a dimensional rift to open, it can be assumed that the Demogorgon somehow possessed the amount of energy required to do so. Whenever the Demogorgon created a gate, lights would flicker, and occasionally other electronics would be affected. This indicates that some energy was involved in the creation of these gates. It's also possible that this was due to the fabric of reality in Hawkins being unstable from the Gate remaining open, which would require less energy to open smaller gates.
During creation, the surface of wherever the gate was located would bulge, distort, and occasionally even crumble before tearing in a manner similar to that of flesh. The inside of the gate would often be surrounded by oozing, toxic biological matter. Some gates eventually formed a visceral-like membrane over their entrance shortly before closing, occasionally resembling biological webbing of some sort. The amount of time it took for a gate to close seemed to vary, as it took quite some time for the gate in Joyce's wall to heal, while the gate that Nancy entered disappeared mere moments after she was pulled out of it. After closing, the surface of where the gate was located would appear normal with no traces of its existence remaining.
The Soviet Union developed the technology to open gates to the Upside Down using machines known as Keys, and an attempt was made to open a gate at a mountainside research facility. Although the technology was partially able to open a gate, it was not able to fully open one due to the Soviet Union lacking a high energy source, which could be found in Hawkins due to Eleven's actions.
The curse gates were four specific gates opened by Vecna in March 1986. Through his "curse" power, Vecna began tormenting and killing various Hawkins residents; with every murder, a new gate would open at the site of the victim's death. Following the creation of the fourth and final gate at the Creel House, the four gates then rapidly expanded and converged at the Hawkins town square, creating an earthquake-like effect in the process.
After Vecna showed her his past, Nancy was also shown a vision of which the gates would expand through Hawkins, as a warning for Eleven and her friends. He later sent her back to her body, where she told all the information she had received. After several discussions, the team later decides to return to the Upside Down, this time with weapons and protection. Dustin, Robin, Eddie, Nancy and Steve returned to Eddie's van while Max, Lucas and Erica returned to the Creel House.
We will be posting our regular recap/reviews on a weekly basis, starting with the first episode on Thursday, February 16, and each week our All Access Star Trek podcast will discuss the latest episode, starting on Friday, February 17. Our Shuttle Pod podcast crew will also discuss the upcoming season. Until then, you can read our spoiler-free review of season 3, written by Mark. A. Altman.
Soon after, Polly shouts from the rooftop of the fwagon that they've arrived at the city, as Anne and Plantars then make their way towards the gates. When Anne shouts for someone to let them in, a newt slides a hatch open above them and informs them they can't enter because Newtopia's closed. After questioned again, the newt replies they won't let any outsiders through the walls until the Barbari-Ant infestation is dealt with. Suddenly, one of the ants erupts from the ground and begins attacking Sprig, as the family manages to fend it off by throwing Hop Pop towards it and using his croak throat to knock it away. The Barbari-ant then retreats and scurries back into the large hole it came from.
Unfortunately, their celebration is cut short when more Barbari-ants begin digging out of the ground and circling around Anne and the Plantars. Suddenly, bags of oil are tossed around the Plantars and Anne, as someone on top of the Newtopian gates shoots a fire arrow that ignites the oil to catch fire, causing all of the Barbari-ants to retreat. The hooded figure shoots an arrow with a rope attached to it onto the fwagon's wheel, and zips down towards Anne and the Plantars using a hook. Unfortunately midway the rope snaps, causing them to faceplant into the shallow water.
Suddenly, the gates to Newtopia begin to finally open, as Marcy, Polly and Sprig proceed to rush inside. Anne then points out to Hop Pop how well Marcy seems to have managed to adapt to Amphibia, believing this to be the happiest she's ever seen her, as Hop Pop explains how it's always impressive to see the full potential people have. The group then makes their way through the streets of Newtopia, where they are then approached by a group of guards escorting a royal of Newtopia, Lady Olivia. She informs Marcy that the king sends his greetings while asking about the status of the mission, as Marcy then shows her a severed Barbari-ant head to prove to her the mission was a success.
When they return to the school, Weems immediately expels Wednesday. The principal is disappointed that her student didn't even try to cooperate with her, but Wednesday points out that Weems has been lightly shady all season (in response to Wednesday's impulsivity, but still). Wednesday asks for more time to prove that Tyler's mom was a Hyde, as her identity wasn't public when she was a Nevermore student with Weems, but Weems refuses, telling the girl to pack up and say her goodbyes before she leaves the next afternoon.
So Thornhill is the one whose been working with Tyler/Hyde, and the next scene we see is Wednesday confronting her that night (so much for that train). Thornhill's motive lies within the mystery of Laurel Gates, the sister of Garrett Gates, the anti-outcast assassin who Gomez Addams was accused of murdering. After Garrett's failed assassination plot with the nightshade at the Nevermore death, Laurel was presumed to have drowned. However, earlier in the season, Goody Addams pointed Wednesday towards the abandoned Gates home via vision, where Wednesday discovered that Laurel was actually alive and hiding the Hyde victim's body parts in the basement. So Laurel Gates was the one controlling the Hyde, but Wednesday had assumed that her secret identity was Kinbott when it was acutally poisonous-plant-cultivating Thornhill.
However, there is a chance that Weems could somehow return for Season 2 of this show populated with fangs, furs, scales, and stoners. Even Christie herself (opens in new tab) pointed out that we never see what happens to Weems' body after her final scene. Here's hoping that there's a spot for her once they announce a renewal. (Or if not, we can tune in to see Christie play the literal devil in The Sandman (opens in new tab)'s forthcoming season.)
Things are looking pretty dire for Wednesday, but she has allies on the way, with Thing breaking up Enid and Ajax's makeout session to rally the troops. (Even Eugene's on the way.) When she wakes up in Crackstone's crypt, Wednesday learns of the Hyde murders' connection to the prophecy that's been plaguing her all season. Turns out the Gates family have been plotting against the outcasts for generations, ever since Goody Addams killed Joseph Crackstone and "stole his land" to build Nevermore. Thornhill's big plan was to reanimate Joseph Crackstone by breaking the blood lock Goody Addams put on his soul, so he can take down Nevermore and kill all of the outcasts once and for all. All she needs is enough body parts for the reanimation spell, a blood moon, and a living Addams descendant. 041b061a72