The Following is one intense ride.

Where the pilot set a graphic and dark tone filled with complex characters, "Chapter Two" dug deeper into the twisted world of Joe Carroll and his deranged contingent of acolytes.

James Purefoy continues to establish his sadistic and smart character well, combining charm, intellect and a persona hell bent on making Ryan take part in his epic masterpiece.

It's crazy to think that most of Joe's scenes include him sitting down, yet his powerful presence is felt with each smile and focused stare. And it's not hard to imagine him as leader of a cult of killers, either.

Joe has clearly induced a sense of god-like mastery for his followers, sweeping up characters like Emma who yearn for that encouragement, that guidance and a feeling of a purpose they can be a part of.

But it's obvious that Joe does, indeed, use some like Jordy as his pawns to simply move forward his master plan. What is it? I have no clue at the moment.

And it does make me a little worried, not really knowing what type of end game there is beyond Joe playing games with Ryan. But at the same time the show proves to be gripping enough that I'm hooked to simply follow the lead.

While Joe's plot of the Poe-focused crimes is intriguing, this episode also began to delve into the surrounding players, making them more than just simple, supporting characters. Honestly, I think this is where the show can shine.

Kevin Bacon is Kevin Bacon, and it's fun to watch him at work. He's perfect as Ryan Hardy and expertly plays off the others, especially with Joe. He's a damaged individual for sure, but hunting Joe has been his life's work, so getting back in the game will be good for him, even if the results around him are bad.

Interestingly enough, Agent Mason has been replaced with a cult expert in Agent Debra Parker. Why the switch?

Not entirely sure, but Parker feels like she fits in seamlessly and the change isn't a jarring one. If anything, Parker has a commanding know-it all attitude that works in allowing Ryan to not be the only smart one on the job.

Of course, Joe is that tip of the iceberg, but Emma, Jacob and Paul are all an interesting facet of the cult.

It's pretty obvious each has a dedication to Joe and his murderous work, but I've got a feeling that their own love triangle is going to create problems that will deviate from the plan. Paul may or may not be gay, but whatever is causing his jealousy towards Emma and Jacob will be an interesting turn when he acts out.

They are all working for a killer, after all, so I wouldn't be surprised if one of them ends up dead.

Once again, the scares were present through, from Jordy brutally killing the girls... to the jump scare of the masked Poe on Ryan (I did jump)... to Jordy dropping from the ceiling to get at Claire.

There's a lot of pieces at work and the relationships between each character is only just heating up. I'm excited to see how it all grows in addition to trying to stop Joe's widespread cult. It's kind of crazy to think that really, anyone can be a part of it.

Thrills, chills and a scary mystery with a great bad guy and super star Kevin Bacon? This is the Fox show you should be following.

Sean McKenna was a TV Fanatic Staff Writer. He retired in May of 2017. Follow him on Twitter.