In a nutshell, this is, hands-down, one of the greatest shows - aside from Breaking Bad - that I have ever watched. It is even better than Firefly (another of my favorite series), ten times over.
It is an utter shame that lazy critics never took the time to actually watch this spectacular series before reaching into what could only be drawers-full of unpublished reviews, picking a negative one at random and calling it their two cents.
12 Monkeys, the television series, is superbly written and acted; the costumes are spot-on perfection; the eras stupendously depicted; the plot is both excellently engrossing and magnificently moving - it is amazing in almost every which way that a series should be, and then some which other series never even attempt.
Granted, some of the first-season episodes are a little too filler-esque to hold the attention of those who want a series which will grab them from the get-go. In fact, the ONLY problem this series has, is that it wants to give you just a bit much at the beginning, BUT if one is just a little patient _or an expert at skipping just a bit_ not only is the payoff a supremely gratifying payoff, but the journey toward it is a fantastically, IMMENSELY riveting and enveloping ride where you as the audience, feel immersed in every little bit of what the masterful creators are bringing to the screen with what you can tell, is utter love for what they are presenting.
In short, while most television series lose bits of themselves as they count down to their inevitable conclusion, it is NOT an exaggeration to say that each episode of 12 Monkeys, from good beginning to spectacular end, is better than the last episode. There is no way that it will not become a cult classic. It is touching, heartfelt, humorous, sad; it deals with the love and loss of friends, family and lovers; it teaches, points out, reveals. It is magnificent and silly and reverent, deep, thought-provoking, heart-achingly poignant, heart liftingly funny, heartwarming and heart-wrenching.
I am so glad I found it; would highly recommend no one miss it, and will go a step further in saying that if you do, you are robbing yourself of a wonderful viewing experience.