So we already know James Spader is the king of creepy/crazy yet charming characters. The role of diabolical mastermind Raymond Reddington combines all of the things we love (or hate) about James Spader.
PLOT:
Former Government Agent turned secret-revealing fugitive Raymond Reddington turns himself into the FBI with the promise of helping them capture an international terrorist who is presumed dead.
REVIEW:
It's rare nowadays that a broadcast network TV show can grab you in the first 2 minutes and keep you going for another 58. The Blacklist does this with ease. From superb acting by Emmy winner James Spader and relative newcomer Megan Boone, playing first day agent Elizabeth Keen, to an actually believable action sequence, The Blacklist doesn't let up. Spader's Reddington is in complete control from the first moment he appears on screen. This isn't the first time we've seen a criminal mastermind that is manipulative and controlling before, but Spader's calm demeanor and delivery turn what could easily become corny into really, well, cool.
The Pilot is full of questions that will naturally get revealed as the season goes on. The episode leaves you wondering why Reddington decided to work with only Elizabeth Keen, how he knows seemingly every detail about her, what's the deal with her husband and what is Reddington's real motivation.
The blacklist mastered the art of not becoming predictable and wrapped up nicely with the only answer to the biggest question I had: how can they make this storyline last multiple episodes.
Rating: A
Notable Cast:
James Spader (The Practice, Boston Legal)
Megan Boone (Law and Order: LA, Sex and the City 2)
Diego Klattenhoff (Pacific Rim, Homeland)
Harry J. Lennix (Matrix, Barbershop 2)
The natural draw to this show for me is Dylan McDermott. He's pretty freaking awesome and outrageously handsome, especially for a man in his early 50s. As an actor he masters intensity (see The Practice, Dark Blue) and Oscar winner Toni Collette is no slouch in her own right. She is perfect for the role of a successful surgeon/mom caught up in a twisting plot.
PLOT:
Dr. Ellen Sanders is one night away from performing surgery on the President of the United States when she and her family are taken hostage by an FBI agent who is ordering her to assassinate the President during the procedure.
Review:
The show starts of as intense as expected with FBI Agent Duncan Carlise (Dylan McDermott) during a hostage negotiation. After that, it kinda goes flat. Quickly each member of the Sanders family are introduced and shown to all be hiding a secret. After the hostage situation begins, the gang of crooks soon learn of the families secrets. Now this may appear as if the show moves quickly but the pace is actually really slow, not the frantic pace was expecting. The whole episode felt forced. I would have preferred the secrets would have come out in a natural way. As of now, the family has no idea about the others secrets, something that will naturally be revealed as the season rolls on. But unlike the Blacklist in which I am anticipating what's about to happen next, I gotta admit I feel rather blah about it. All of it feels like it will go a very predictable route unfortunately.
The saving grace of the show are the acting performances of Dylan McDermott, Toni Collette and Tate Donovan, who plays Ellen's husband. The performances give me hope that with raised intensity, this sow can become a must see.
Rating: B-
Notable Cast:
Toni Collette (Sixth Sense, United States of Tara)
Dylan McDermott (The Practice, Dark Blue)
Tate Donovan (The O.C., Argo)
Rhys Coiro (Entourage, 24)
I am a big Blair Underwood fan. I have always thought he was an underrated actor and always wondered why he wasn't a much bigger star. Since first breaking onto the scene on L.A. Law, he's failed to hit it big again on TV. City of Angels, LAX and The Event lasted less than 2 seasons each. Needless to say, I was pulling for Ironside to be a success for Blair so I went in hopeful and I left....hopeful.
PLOT:
Hard-nosed paraplegic Detective Robert Ironside and his team solve some of the city's most complicated crimes.
REVIEW:
This is a tough one. There are dozens of police procedurals on TV right now and unfortunately Ironside does't break the mold. It set up the same; the team gets a case and they solve it. The difference is that in between the interrogations and interviews with suspects, Ironside must face his personal demons that come with a man dealing with his new physical limitations. Throughout the episode, Ironside often has flashbacks to his life before becoming a paralyzed and also the incident that caused him to become wheelchair bound. In one scene, Ironside has a meltdown while working out and unleashes his frustrations on his boxing equipment. This scene was supposed to illustrate that usually calm and collected Detective is effected by his situation, but it really came off as melodramatic.
As for Ironside's team, at the is moment they are pretty one-dimensional. We know very little about them except for slid in dialogue that gives us a snapshot of future character expansion. The most complex character so far is Ironside's former partner played by Brent Sexton who is in a downward spiral after causing the accident that crippled the detective. I actually look forward to seeing where this possibly complex relationship leads.
All in all, Ironside has potential but I am worried it doesn't stand out enough to make an impact.
RATING: C+
Notable Cast:
Blair Underwood (L.A. Law, Set it Off)
Brent Sexton (Deadwood, The Killing)
Kenneth Choi (Captain America, Red Dawn)
Pablo Schreiber (The Wire, Orange is the New Black)
Notes:
- Remake of former NBC series that ran from 1967-1975.
- Spencer Grammar, who plays young detective Holly, is TV star Kelsey Grammar's daughter.
I gotta admit, I wasn't excited about this show at all. I didn't like the movie. The only reason I wanted to watch it is because it is filmed in and around my hometown of Wilmington, NC. I also have a good friend who works on the show as a stand-in and a few acquaintances who are background actors. I also feel the need to support our film community while we are up against our biggest challenge. But that's another blog. But I gave it a shot and I gotta say, I was pleasantly surprised.
PLOT:
Ichabod Crane, a soldier from the revolutionary war wakes up in modern day Sleepy Hollow and attempt to help local police rid the town of evil.
REVIEW:
I would have to say the biggest and most surprised by the humor incorporated into Sleepy Hollow. Ichabod Crane, played by Tom Mison, provides some genuinely funny moments as he adjusts to his new life 250 years into the future. The chemistry between he and Lt. Abbie Mills, played by Nicole Beharie, is strong especially especially for a pilot episode.
In addition to the humor, Sleepy Hollow does provide solid storytelling. The cat-and-mouse between Ichabod and the Horseman has endless possibilities which could include the addition of more evil spirits.
The only thing I found weird was how closely the show resembled Under The Dome, the CBS show also filmed in the Wilmington area. Both featured a young police officer who's older partner/father figure dies early in the first episode. Both shows feature a mysterious fish-out-of-water ex-soldier who stumbles into a small town. Both feature a creepy clergyman who meets an untimely demise. And lastly both feature the young cop discovering secret information left to her by her deceased partner. Now this isn't necessarily a bad thing, just an observation. But I digress.
Overall, it was a good start. Unlike The Blacklist and Hostages, there aren't a laundry list of secrets waiting to be revealed to other characters, that in all truth have a chance of not pan as meeting expectations. It all just works and I am excited to see what happens next.
RATING: A
Notable Cast:
Tom Mison
Nicole Beharie (The Express, 42)
John Cho (Harold and Kumar Go To White Castle, Go On)
Orlando Jones (Office Space, Drumline)
