Critic Reviews

Containment may not be the CW’s answer to “Downton Abbey,” but it’s a very well-made, well-written and well-acted thriller that will keep you guessing about everything except for the quality of the series.

While none of these actors are household names, all are convincing, believable and engaging. ... This is one of those series that will make you ask yourself what you would do in a similar situation. It might lead to some uncomfortable moments, but Containment sure does make for entertaining television.

This is a disaster movie writ large for TV and the simple fact is, it works despite some none-too-subtle turns. You can’t help being enthralled by a story you wouldn’t want to be a part of.

However derivative Containment may be, it attains a certain creepy power as it rolls along its yuckily apocalyptic way.

Although the dialogue is occasionally a bit cute, the rest of the cast comes across as mostly solid and believable.

None of this qualifies as breezy spring/summertime entertainment. Still, if apocalyptic drama is your entertainment of choice, then Containment might well keep you contented.

Although Containment may be convincing, it isn’t particularly compelling, because the characters seldom register as anything other than pawns--most of them sacrificial.

The story’s fine. It’s just filled with a bunch of overacting and poorly orchestrated scenes.

A multi-character drama, Containment is fine but unexceptional.

Its first episode raises some chills--those initial moments of realization during an outbreak always do--but as the series progresses it increasingly seems assembled from characters and plot threads that we’ve seen repeatedly.