Last year, FOX introduced us to Ryan Hardy, played by Kevin Bacon, and his hunt for the serial killer Joe Carroll, played by James Purefoy, in The Following. The show was a surprise hit that demanded a second season.
The show told of alcoholic FBI agent Hardy and his hunt for the illustrious Carroll who was captured after a long killing spree of many young girls. It wasn’t until Hardy sacrificed his safety that Carroll was captured.
That sacrifice came at a price; Hardy’s heart was stabbed leaving him slightly crippled. The show continued to follow (no pun intended) Hardy as he tried to capture Carroll after Carroll escaped from prison and used his loyal followers to evade the police at every turn. The season ended with Carroll’s supposed death and Hardy being brutally attacked by one of Carroll’s last followers. And what a cliffhanger the season finale was.
The special season two preview of The Following airs Sunday, Jan. 19 immediately after the NFC Championsip. The show will then settle into its regular Monday schedule beginning Jan. 27.
Season 2 will catch up with Hardy one year later in the wake of a horrific new murder spree. The FBI calls on Ryan and Mike Weston, played by Shawn Ashmore, to speak with the lone survivor, Lily, portrayed by Connie Nielsen, in order to help them solve the case. Â Ryan is reluctant to re-engage with the FBI but finds a valuable ally in his niece, Max, played by Jessica Stroup, an NYPD cop working in the Intel Division.
As the investigation proceeds, Ryan crosses paths with several complicated individuals, including Luke, played by Sam Underwood, and Mandy Lang, played by Tiffany Boone, which furthers his suspicion that Carroll’s reign of terror is far from over. Valorie Curry returns as Emma. Other new faces joining the show this year include Valerie Cruz as an NYPD cop who works closely with Weston, James McDaniel as an FBI agent, Keith Carradine as a friend of Ryan, Jacinda Barrett as Julia, a disarming and alluring woman with mysterious intentions and Lee Tergesen as Kurt Bolen, a seemingly normal family man who may harbor a dark secret.
