New Fall TV - Designated Survivor Blows Us Away!

Designated Survivor – ABC

A low-level Cabinet member becomes President of the United States after a catastrophic attack kills everyone above him in the Presidential line of succession.

Where to begin, let’s start with the cast. The list is long, which is not always a good thing—too many chefs in the kitchen but in this case I am impressed.  We have got Kiefer Sutherland, famously known for his role as Jack Bauer on the television series 24.  Next we have Kal Penn, best known as Kumar in the Harold and Kumar movies, also known as Dr. Lawrence Kutner on House MD and more recently as Fontanelle White on Battle Creek.

Playing Jessica Kirkman is Natascha McElhone, most recently known as Karen on Californication and previously for her roles in the movies Solaris, Ronin, and The Truman Show.  Also popping her head in is Maggie Q as FBI Agent Hannah Wells– loved Stalker, so disappointed it got cancelled- I digress. Maggie Q was recently seen on the big screen in the Divergent movies, she is also the queen of the action drama portraying badass women in Nikita and Stalker.

That is a snip of the cast as there are a lot of moving parts on this show. It is well paced giving you gulps of information and anxiety at a time. Making you empathize and feel for Tom Kirkman the once cabinet member and now President of the United States.

Right off the bat everything happens very quickly which many times is a bad opening. A lot can be lost in translation if it is not paced and scripted diligently. Thankfully this was not the case in the pilot of Designated Survivor. The episode moved flawlessly taking you through the calm, the disappointment, the shock, the awe, the confusion and the nausea of what our government could possibly look like if an event of this magnitude were to take place. At the same moment we are reminded this is television and we settle into our new reality with hope. Hope for the characters, their struggles and their choices. 

Basic premise right of the bat is intriguing, however what is the staying power of such a show? Crisis management can only last so long until you start treading into the weeds of non- reality. We saw it happen in Revolution fairly quickly with no recovery. This was and is my major concern about this show. I will say, upfront the pilot episode did ease my inhibitions a little. Good writing will do that.

Speaking of good writing, Designated Survivor has a few aces in the writers room for whom I have faith to pull out the stops. All seasoned pros, as a writer myself I would love to witness the energy of that dynamic. For example, you have the brains of West Wing, Suits and The Unit, the creativeness of No Ordinary Family and Tru Calling, the out of the box mentality of Lost and Cold Case and a gutsy, greenish producer who is looking to conquer the television medium. It will definitely be interesting. 

More to come, Designated Survivor is on ABC, Wednesday nights, check your local listings. Designated survivor is being put to the three episode test so stayed tuned for the results!

Come Find Me!

New Fall TV - CBS's Bull is On Trial

BULL stars Michael Weatherly as Dr. Jason Bull in a drama inspired by the early career of Dr. Phil McGraw, the founder of one of the most prolific trial consulting firms of all time. Brilliant, brash and charming, Dr. Bull is the ultimate puppet master as he combines psychology, human intuition and high-tech data to learn what makes jurors, attorneys, witnesses and the accused tick. 

Bull employs an enviable team of experts at Trial Analysis Corporation to shape successful narratives down to the very last detail. They include his quick-witted brother-in-law, Benny Colón, who plays a defense attorney in mock trials; Marissa Morgan, a cutting-edge neurolinguistics expert from the Department of Homeland Security; former NYPD detective Danny James, the firm's tough but relatable investigator; haughty millennial hacker Cable McCrory, who is responsible for gathering cyber intelligence; and Chunk Palmer, a fashion-conscious stylist and former All-American lineman who fine-tunes clients' appearances for trial. In high-stakes trials, Dr. Bull's combination of remarkable insight into human nature, three Ph.D.s and top-notch staff creates winning strategies that tip the scales of justice in his clients' favor.

Executive Producer - Steven Spielberg

Pilot Episode – The Necklace

Initial thought – House MD meets Scandal?

Michael Weatherly is charming, witty and even asks the client to call him boss, which made me think of Gibbs and NCIS. A talented actor in a two dimensional role.  The rest of the casting is well placed, Geneva Carr as Marissa Morgan is almost a translator for the audience. 

In the pilot episode, The Necklace, Bull takes on a murder case involving a privileged rich kid. The episode goes through the initial headlines of the crime and then gets down to the first meeting of Bull and the clients defense team. Bull and his team then go about explaining what they do at TAC (Trial Analysis Corporation ) and how they will get save the son’s future utilizing psychology to procure the perfect jury. 

TAC apparently has some serious alliances as they have a list of all potential jurors and do wide and deep analysis into those individuals lives. Have to admit, got a little scared knowing somewhere out in the real world this technology probably exists. 

From there, they create a mirror jury (people who literally mirror the real jury with 94% accuracy) they watch the testimony along with the jury and TAC analyzes the responses. Tracking the jury movement and how they are feeling every step of the way. This methodology is called trial science. 

So right off the bat, no question whether this kid is guilty or not, the parents spent the money so Bull is going to get the kid off. 

In this instance, the kid was innocent as reveled by Bull and his team. Bull’s team also identifies the real murderer, showing their arrest at the conclusion and everyone goes home happy. 

As a first episode it wasn’t bad, plot, characters, background all there. In the beginning of this article I asked the question if this is a House MD meets Scandal scenario? At this time I am going to say no. In Scandal you have a political cleaner who may not always be on the right side, but she wears a white hat and is looking for true justice (usually). In House MD we had a severely flawed character who despite his failings was utterly brilliant and worked to save lives, not for a price but for the challenge. 

If I am being honest I do not like the premise of Bull. I realize trial analysis is a real thing, but it completely mocks the US Justice system by illuminating how juries can be manipulated to sway a verdict. For instance, in one of the early scene’s Bull compares the statement, ‘innocent until proven guilty’ to the Big Mac song. Stating its old hat and not reality. Granted he is right, however I do not like the glorification of trial science within the show. The vibe I get is ‘look at how cool this is’ and it really isn’t. I might be a little harsh in my initial judgments but this is what my gut says. Bull, thus far, is in it for the money and the challenge and so I have no affection toward the character. 

In a time where people are protesting, enraged and even killing due to the alleged unfairness of the justice system, showing the court system can be rigged (albeit fictional) is a big leap.

Bull is part of the three episode test, and has two more episodes to hook me. Bull is on Tuesdays,  8 PM CST – Check your local listings

Love to hear what you think! Comment and let me know if you agree or disagree with my assessment.

Come Find Me!

Game of Silence – Dark and Hopeless

A rising attorney finds his perfectly crafted life threatened when his long-lost childhood friends threaten to expose a dark secret from their past.

Game of Silence is a NBC mid-season release in the  Law and Order SVU time slot. This new dramatic suspense series comes from Writer / Producer David Hudgins. This is his second series, he is also known for Friday Night Lights and Parenthood. This is his first try at dramatic suspense.

Game of Silence stars, David Lyons as Jackson, a successful Houston Criminal Lawyer. Lyons, well known as Vincent Faraday aka The Cape from The Cape. Most recent from NBC’s Revolution, as the angst ridden Sebastian 'Bass' Monroe.

Also starring, Michael Raymond-James, as Gil, a temper driven construction worker, is recently known for his portrayal on Once Upon a Time as Neil Cassidy aka Rumplestiskin’s son Belfire. Also as the original Big Bad on True Blood, Rene Lenier

Larenz Tate, plays Shawn, best friend of Gil and a seemingly well-adjusted man with some commitment issues. Tate is known for his role as Malcolm Kaan on HBO’s House of Lies.

Last night I took the time to put Game of Silence to the three-episode test. 

**Spoiler Alert**

Jackson is a big time criminal lawyer in Houston, TX. Engaged to a beautiful lawyer, who happens to be his boss, and is up for partner at the law firm where they both work.  He’s worked hard to build his life. Jackson is focused on the future, not the past.

The past, however, always come back to haunt you. Specifically, Jackson’s past and one particular summer where he and his friends got themselves into some trouble. This trouble sent the four boys to a juvenile correctional facility call Quitman.

Now we meet Jackson’s childhood friends, present day. Then there is Boots, who is a blue collar worker, married with a baby on the way. Gil and Shawn, best friends and owners of a construction business that maybe a little shady. Shawn is well-adjusted with serious commitment issues while Gil is a hot-head with a very short fuse.

In the pilot, the story begins with Boots kissing his pregnant wife’s belly before leaving for work and bidding her good-bye until that evening. He is a mover and has a job in Houston for the day. When Boots arrives at the site, a man is standing outside smoking a cigarette and talking on the phone. Boots apparently recognizes him from flashbacks Quitman and snaps. Grabbing a golf club he beats the man to a pulp and is arrested.

Gil and Shawn arrive on Jackson’s law firm, pleading Boots case and asking for assistance. It is obvious none of them have seen each other in a while Jackson is hesitant, Gil convinces him by telling him the man Boots beat was Daryl, torturer from Quitman.

There the story rolls along pretty seamlessly. The men start to dig up old memories and experiences from Quitman. Jackson tries to play it off as the past, while Gil and Shawn are still both very raw. They want revenge for Quitman and Jackson wants no part of their plans.

Everything changes when Boots dies from being stabbed in prison, and Jackson discovers the warden who ran Quitman when they were young is running for Congress.

Jackson decides that yes, they should get justice the right way. They collect evidence, build a case and bring them offenders to justice. This plan quickly goes awry when Gil goes off the rails. It goes from bad to worse when Gil kills an ex-guard just after the group gets him to confess on video.

We also have the Warden/Congressman’s men thinking there is a group forging an attack against them.

As a reviewer, Games of Silence has all the elements of a hit. The formula is there. the show is well written, well cast and has several very lean subplots to keep things interesting.

As a viewer, I found Game of Silence to be very dark and heavy due to the content, and numerous violent flashbacks. As this can be a good thing in a television show, if there is nothing to offset the darkness it does become too much to handle. There is no lightness to the show, no hope. The characters, while well written and very complex, are not very likable. I want to root for them to succeed, however I don’t like any of them enough to care either way.

If Game of Silence were a two-hour movie I would say bravo, great, a riveting and thoughtful piece. But, it’s not a movie it is a serial drama, and I don’t believe anyone will be able to stomach the raw emotional turmoil the show projects for very long.

Nice try, NBC, but I can’t do it, sorry.

Disagree? Please let me know your thoughts on Game of Silence or any of my other posts. Love to hear from you!!

ABC’s The Catch a Diabolical Romance

Shonda Rhimes, the ABC Prime Time Queen, has once again given us a rare gem in dramatic entertainment.  The Catch -- ABC’s Mid-Season replacement for ‘How To Get Away with Murder’ – can be seen on Thursday’s right after Scandal. 

Starring Mireille Enos, best known for playing detective Sarah Linden in The Killing and opposite Brad Pitt in World War Z.  

In The Catch, Mireille plays a successful private investigator and co private security firm owner, Alice Vaughn.  In the pilot episode Alice is glowing with happiness about her upcoming nuptials to successful business man, Christopher Hall, played by Peter Krause. Peter is known for such shows as Dirty Sex Money, Six Feet Under and most recently, Parenthood. 

So the twist in The Catch comes when Christopher wakes Alice the day before their wedding and asks her to run away with him. She laughs him off, thinking he is being ridiculous.  When she returns home she discovers he is missing, she goes to his office and finds an empty space. Finally, the 1.5 million dollars she’s given him to purchase their new house is gone. 

Alice has a good cry, a little tantrum and then picks herself up. Resolute on finding this man who has destroyed her heart, hopes and dreams Alice Vaughn goes to work. 

As The Catch plot develops, Christopher’s love for Alice is genuine, and had she said yes to him that fateful morning when he asked her to run away he would have abandoned his con-artist life forever.  But of course, that would make for a boring drama, right?

So why doesn’t he just drop everything and tell her he loves her? Well, the life of a con-artist is complicated. Christopher and his associates owe some very powerful bad guys a lot of money, 15 million to be exact.  When the ‘score’ with Alice tanked, forcing the return all of the money stolen from her and her firm, Christopher’s little con man team was left penniless. 

Christopher wants to put as much distance between Alice and  ruthless associates as possible before they find out the truth about his feelings. The most eminent threat is his dominating lover played by the glorious Sonya Walger, (known for Parenthood, Lost, and even a small 2 episode stint on Scandal).  

Christopher, despite many attempts is unable to let go of Alice, his pull to her is magnetic.  As she gets closer to finding him, he allows it, if only to give into his needs for a short time. Awwww…so sweet. 

Add in The Catch sub-plots of a French Secret Service Agent also looking for Christopher Hall, Alice’s wanting to keep her endeavor secret from her trusted friends, and her regular day-to-day job and you have the mixing of a dramatic masterpiece. To be honest, Alice is just as diabolical as Christopher in many ways and thus making the series so addictive.

Plot twists and high fashion abound in The Catch making is visually and psychologically stimulating. The brilliance of Shonda Rhimes in my opinion is nothing is ever black and white, she loves to dabble in the gray’s of the world.  

I put this new series to the three episode test, and it passed with flying colors, full of intrigue, romance, deception and uniquely flawed characters, The Catch is most definitely worth your time and DVR space!

Episode Recaps

Tried and True - The Three Episode Test

If you have read any of my television reviews you will see me acknowledge 'the three episode test'. 

This is a test I've developed after years of television watching. It is simple, and works wonders in the judgment of whether a show is engaging and potentially lasting.

When a show premieres I give it three chances, three episodes to hook me. 
Why three? Well, I've found many times it will take three episodes to completely flesh out the potential of a show. 

The pilot is just that - the pilot. Sometimes they are action packed, amazing and lift the show off the ground. Have you ever watched the second episode and gotten a completely different feel from it? Where are you are asking if it is the same show?

Sometime the pilot sucks, just not enough umph, but then watching episodes two and three you really get into the meat of the plot. 
 
And sometimes, the pilot is amazing, the first episode is okay, and the second episode complete pulls you back into the fun!

Thus, three. If you can't hook me in three, I doubt you will be around next season to hook me at all.

It is not always accurate, but 98% of the time it works.

So that is the three episode test. How do you decide if a show is worth the space on your DVR? 
Love to hear from you!!

Fall Picks 2015 - Blindspot on NBC

It is my favorite time of year, new TV! I do get excited, and sometimes scared about the new Fall television series. Television is such a versatile medium and every year there are marvels of greatness and oh-god-what-were-they-thinking? My DVR is already full of shows I LOVE to watch, how can I possible make room for more? Well I am hoping to at least off some guidance in the ‘what should I try’ category. 

Here is how it works, I have chosen shows I think are good bets, I put them to the three episode test and then decide whether to click ‘Series Record’ or Delete. There are A LOT of new shows his year so I am going to list them as they premiere. 

Blindspot - Premiere’s Sept 21st on NBC, An unidentified woman with amnesia is found covered with tattoos, and the FBI soon realize that each mark on her body reveals a crime to be solved. Talk about thinking outside the box or body in this case. This one looks to be intriguing in not only the decoding of the tattoos but the unraveling of who this woman is and how she became the ‘messenger’. Liking the intrigue and premise of this show.

Starring Jaimie Alexander, as Jane Doe. Jaimie is best known as Lady Sith (I know I knew her face from somewhere)from both Thor movies and Agent’s of S.H.I.E.L.D., she is an up and coming actress with HUGE potential in my humble opinion. Playing opposite her as Kurt Weller is Sullivan Stapleton, a virtual unknown from Australia, he has frustrated cop written all over him.

While Martin Gero doesn't’t have a huge resume of hits under his belt I am willing to overlook that for creativity alone. It will all depend on characterization and dialog, it always does in my book :)

As always here is a first look for you...see you on Wednesday when I will be reviewing the Blindspt pilot.

Every person who comments gets a name in a hat, share this post with your friend and you get two! I will choose one person every Sunday to receive a $10 gift card to Amazon! Stay Tuned, keep reading and keep commenting!!

Fall Picks for 2015 - Minority Report on FOX

It's my favorite time of year, new TV! I do get excited, and sometimes scared about the new Fall television series. Television is such a versatile medium and every year there are marvels of greatness and oh-god-what-were-they-thinking? My DVR is already full of shows I LOVE to watch, how can I possible make room for more? Well I am hoping to at least off some guidance in the ‘what should I try’ category.

Here is how it works, I have chosen shows I think are good bets, I put them to the three episode test and then decide whether to click ‘Series Record’ or Delete. There are A LOT of new shows his year so I am going to list them as they premiere.

Minority Report the Series - Premiering on Monday, Sept 21st on FOX, yes this show is based on the 2002 Tom Cruise/Stephen Spielberg film. Did anyone else remember Colin Farrell was in that film? I digress…

Per FOX television, The series is set in Washington, D.C., it is 10 years after the demise of Precrime, a law enforcement agency tasked with identifying and eliminating criminals… before their crimes were committed. To carry out this brand of justice, the agency used three precogs – “precognitives” Dash, Arthur and Agatha – who were able to see the future. Now, in 2065, crime-solving is different, and justice leans more on sophisticated and trusted technology than on the instincts of the precogs. During the Minority Report panel for the Television Critics Association, producers Borenstein and Falls explained Fox’s Minority Report TV series shows that there were complications the film didn’t explore.

This is intriguing to me, a platform to address current social issues in a future state, sounds like a political fantasy dream. Now that the precogs are free, Dash (Stark Sands) is trying to save people from his psychic visions of their death, but he never gets there in time. So Precrime was only 100% effective under Anderton (Tom Cruise’s character in the original film). Other people aren’t as reliable. It also suggests that telling someone you’re going to catch them won’t necessarily stop them from perpetrating a crime.

In an interview with the pair after the panel, as posted by Slash Film.com Producer Max Borenstein states “our characters deal with ethical dilemmas in every episode because unlike in the movie, they don’t have an institutional ability, an infrastructure to intervene. Instead, they have to do kind of living room precrime and they have to be judge, jury and arbiter of these people’s lives. Now, sometimes that may mean giving a person another chance. Sometimes it may mean someone is so bad and they absolutely believe this person needs to be put away because they’re evil, maybe they make a decision and they don’t have actual evidence. Maybe they would consider planting it. These kind of moral dilemmas are right at the heart of what our show is about and putting our characters to the test.”

This will be the chief writers of 2014’s Godzilla’s first stab at television, while Kevin Falls has a plethora of production work ranging from NBC’s The West Wing to TNT’s Franklin & Bash.

Putting Minority Report to the three episode test and I will report back on Wednesday my thoughts on the pilot. Here is the pilot trailer if you are enticed.

Every person who comments gets a name in a hat, share this post with your friend and you get two! I will choose one person every Sunday to receive a $10 gift card to Amazon! Stay Tuned, keep reading and keep commenting!!