When I first heard about Hunted, I decided to not bother with the UK version and instead go straight to the US release.
So, where to start...
Well you get introduced to all these "best of the best" hunters, whom the show talks up to be top of their field. It's however not until you do a little fact checking yourself that cracks appear in these over exaggerated bios of the hunters/central command characters. I haven't checked all of them, but as someone who works in the field of cyber security, I can tell you that some of the stuff these "hunters" have done, is absolute rubbish and "hollywood" cyber security, not reality.
Then there's the plot holes. At first they seem insignificant and minor, and some of the blatantly dumb stuff the fugitives do, defies logic.
IT Consultants who don't secure erase data - really? IT experts with non encrypted data on laptops - really? Mobile phone owners who don't encrypt the data and factory wipe - really? Lunches at Taco Bell and not expecting to get caught - really?
This is before we start talking about them being followed by a camera crew, and sound guy, making their ability to hide VASTLY reduced.
But it's not until episode 4 that a real clanger of a plot hole rears its ugly head, and throws the entire show into doubt.
Two fugitives are on the run. They visit a friend, and as hunters close in, ask for help to escape. They do NOT know the friend of a friend.
Friend of a friend offers them a camper and a kayak (like you'd give 2 random guys, plus film crew that). They kayak out on the water apparently all day (all whilst being trailed by a film crew mind you), get supplies and paddle back (still being trailed by film crew).
But the plot hole is about to drop. Mr Computer Geek Man with his fancy hat has uncovered their internet history from a laptop, and a google search for "can you kayak from blah to blah". Now the fugitives would have had absolutely no idea they would get a kayak. Nor would they have expected to come across a kayak. It would make no sense to Google search that, however this is the "break through" that leads to their capture.
This means that the "hunters" have prior knowledge and clear plans for (most likely) what every fugitive is actually doing BEFORE they go on the run.
In addition to this, in order to obtain permission from land owners to film (and not get shot for trespass), they would need prior permission.
So from a minor oversight in production, major cracks appear in what is real and what is not.
It is a real shame because the show has potential, but once a crack like this appears in a plot, the entire show gets thrown into question.
If they can fix these oversights, the show could be something brilliant, but the hunters should be private detectives/investigators/bounty hunters, operating within the confines of the law, alongside specialists in the industry (e.g cyber security).
Anyone with half a brain knows that tracking a cell phone or accessing CCTV (traffic or otherwise), takes weeks to gain access to, not minutes.
So, where to start...
Well you get introduced to all these "best of the best" hunters, whom the show talks up to be top of their field. It's however not until you do a little fact checking yourself that cracks appear in these over exaggerated bios of the hunters/central command characters. I haven't checked all of them, but as someone who works in the field of cyber security, I can tell you that some of the stuff these "hunters" have done, is absolute rubbish and "hollywood" cyber security, not reality.
Then there's the plot holes. At first they seem insignificant and minor, and some of the blatantly dumb stuff the fugitives do, defies logic.
IT Consultants who don't secure erase data - really? IT experts with non encrypted data on laptops - really? Mobile phone owners who don't encrypt the data and factory wipe - really? Lunches at Taco Bell and not expecting to get caught - really?
This is before we start talking about them being followed by a camera crew, and sound guy, making their ability to hide VASTLY reduced.
But it's not until episode 4 that a real clanger of a plot hole rears its ugly head, and throws the entire show into doubt.
Two fugitives are on the run. They visit a friend, and as hunters close in, ask for help to escape. They do NOT know the friend of a friend.
Friend of a friend offers them a camper and a kayak (like you'd give 2 random guys, plus film crew that). They kayak out on the water apparently all day (all whilst being trailed by a film crew mind you), get supplies and paddle back (still being trailed by film crew).
But the plot hole is about to drop. Mr Computer Geek Man with his fancy hat has uncovered their internet history from a laptop, and a google search for "can you kayak from blah to blah". Now the fugitives would have had absolutely no idea they would get a kayak. Nor would they have expected to come across a kayak. It would make no sense to Google search that, however this is the "break through" that leads to their capture.
This means that the "hunters" have prior knowledge and clear plans for (most likely) what every fugitive is actually doing BEFORE they go on the run.
In addition to this, in order to obtain permission from land owners to film (and not get shot for trespass), they would need prior permission.
So from a minor oversight in production, major cracks appear in what is real and what is not.
It is a real shame because the show has potential, but once a crack like this appears in a plot, the entire show gets thrown into question.
If they can fix these oversights, the show could be something brilliant, but the hunters should be private detectives/investigators/bounty hunters, operating within the confines of the law, alongside specialists in the industry (e.g cyber security).
Anyone with half a brain knows that tracking a cell phone or accessing CCTV (traffic or otherwise), takes weeks to gain access to, not minutes.