“Manifest” Season One DVD Review: Time Travel & the Supernatural

Due to there being a whole lot of binge-able content available on streaming services, a lot of times weekly airing stuff on TV gets missed. For me, Manifest ended up being that show. I kind of knew about it, but I didn’t watch it while it aired. With the Manifest Season One DVD available, I decided to give it a try. It turns out I can see the appeal and understand why certain people were happy when NBC ordered a second season.

Warner Bros. Home Entertainment provided me with a free copy of the DVD I reviewed in this Blog Post. The opinions I share are my own.

Let me lay it out for you. Manifest, in my opinion, isn’t the greatest TV show ever made. And while initial promotional content might not have made it clear, along with time-travel weirdness, there’s also some kind of supernatural aspect involved. So, keep that in mind if you decide to watch this show. For fans of such elements, I can see many enjoying the story presented over the 16 episodes in the first season.

The premise deals with a group aboard the Montego Air Flight 828 from Jamaica to New York City in 2013. They run into severe turbulence along the way. When the flight lands, the passengers are told the plane had been missing for five years. Somehow, the passengers jumped ahead in time even though the turbulence lasted only a few minutes. NSA (National Security Agency) doesn’t believe those aboard. However, passengers are allowed to return to their families.

Obviously, things changed for many over the course of five years they were missing. Their families had moved on. Basically, it was like coming back from the snap featured in Avengers: Endgame, if the only people dusted were the ones on a particular flight.

The good news is the writers don’t go full soap-opera, which they easily could have, considering the changes in family dynamics. With the returned passengers trying to live a normal life, some of them begin experiencing psychic anomalies related to sensing when disaster is about to strike. They start hearing voices, having hallucinations, and all of that stuff.

Then there’s also the whole thing about some of the Flight 828 passengers mysteriously dying. Scientists are involved. With everything that’s going on, you’re likely going to have a good time binge-watching this show.

There’s also come queer representation offered with a character named Thomas. He is smuggled into America to flee from Jamaica’s homophobic brutality.

As for the Manifest season one DVD packaging, the front features the artwork with the back showcasing some details about the show, images, and specs. The home release (currently available) consists of four DVDs. The video and audio are your standard DVD presentations. There’s no extra content for fans to enjoy. I would have liked a gag reel and some commentary tracks.

Are you someone who has watched Manifest or will you be picking up the DVD? Let us know.

Author: Farid-ul-Haq

Farid has a Double Masters in Psychology and Biotechnology as well as an M.Phil in Molecular Genetics. He is the author of numerous books including Missing in Somerville, and The Game Master of Somerville. He gives us insight into comics, books, TV shows, anime/manga, video games, and movies.

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