"In Case of Loss of Control," consult A Gifted Man

NOTE: "In Case of Loss of Control" is listed as episode #1.07 on both imdb.com and wikipedia.com, but aired fifth in the series. Thus, as far as continuity goes, it might seem slightly out of place.

     Last night, CBS presented "In Case of Loss of Control," the newest episode of A Gifted Man. Michael (Patrick Wilson) courts Dr. E-Mo (Eriq La Salle, ER), a neuropsychiatrist, to join his practice. Together, they examine a young girl (Samantha Futerman) who keeps lying about her habits. Meanwhile, Michael also helps out at the clinic, as they take care of a young boy who needs a kidney, but who is an illegal alien. The boy's mother, his best chance at getting said kidney, is arrested, so Zeke (Rhys Coiro, Entourage) and Kate (Rachelle Lefevre) lie to Michael to get him to help.

     Michael is finally finding a rhythm between his practice and the clinic. Now that he has agreed to help Kate out several hours a week, he seems to be getting his life back on track. In fact, Anna (Jennifer Ehle) has little to do with the path Michael goes on "In Case of Loss of Control," mostly observing what is going on, without causing any trouble. Obviously, for A Gifted Man to stay interesting, and Anna's character to continue to be valued, this cannot be the norm. But after all of the craziness of the first few episodes, it must be nice for Michael to go through his business in a regular manner.

      The relationship between Michael and Rita (Margo Martindale) is calming down, too, now that she knows he has other priorities, and is able to schedule around them. What's more, with the addition of E-Mo to the staff at the main practice, Michael is under less pressure there. He has someone competent to help him out. The two worlds may be seperate, to some degree, but they are calming down into a nice balance, at least one the practice end.

     Too bad the same can't be said for Michael's interaction with the clinic docs. Zeke and Kate deciding to lie to Michael shows that his transformation, or at least how people see him, is not complete. They worry that Michael would hang the kids out to try if he learned of his less than legal status. Given the first few episodes, had Michael known the truth, he would have protested, but done the right thing in the end. Kate might still be suspicious, and that's understandable, but Zeke has been around a little longer, and should know better by now.

     Kate wastes no time in shaking up the clinic. Securing a grant, she is able to have Anton (Pablo Schreiber) continue construction, already expanding the space. Of course, even when she runs out of money, Anton keeps working, because he's such a good guy. But the point is, Kate is barely starting out and she is already taking on a lot. It is commendable that she wants to make the clinic a better place, but shouldn't she work on fixing what she has before adding to the load? The facilities need some updating, and certainly better equipment and supplies top the list. Expanding the floor space seems silly and stupid, given the circumstances. I guess it just looks more dramatic for a television program. It's a good thing the characters are interesting enough to overlook such foolishness.

     Watch A Gifted Man Fridays at 8 p.m. ET on CBS.

     If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter!

A Gifted Man might be a gift

     CBS's newest Friday night drama is A Gifted Man. The titular guy is Michael Holt (Patrick Wilson, Watchmen, Phantom of the Opera), a very talented and successful brain surgeon. Michael is visited by ex-wife, Anna (Jennifer Ehle, The King's Speech), only to learn that she died two weeks ago. Michael's sister, Christina (Julie Benz, Angel, Dexter) is excited, knowing that Michael was a better person than with Anna, and definitely buying the whole "visited by the dead" thing. Michael asks Christina's friend (Pablo Schreiber, Weeds, The Wire) to extract Anna. But as Anna pushes Michael to help those in need at her clinic, Michael decides to let her stay.
 
     A Gifted Man brings to mind the too-quickly-canceled drama Eli Stone. Both involve messages from the supernatural world pushing the main character to be a better person, even though their life is going quite well up til then. There are major differences between the two, to be sure, so this new series cannot be called a copy. But for fans still mourning the loss of Eli, this might just be the best they're going to get.

     It's not that Michael is a terrible person, exactly. He's just a bit of a jerk, and is just now realizing that maybe replacing living a life with living a career is a mistake. As such, he soon begins helping patients from Anna's clinic. To what extent Michael will go remains to be seen. He does not seem anxious to quit his own practice, probably a good thing, considering that is what is making him all the money. But maybe he can start funneling some of the profit, or his seemingly large salary, into avenues to assist the less fortunate. It's likely to be a slow process. Otherwise, A Gifted Man would be a movie instead of a television show. But there is plenty of room to grow.

     All of this means A Gifted Man will not be a standard procedural. It is on CBS, so there are sure to be elements. Michael may end up helping a new patient every week. But there are also bound to be many other elements. Considering it wasn't too long that Ghost Whisperer occupied the same slot, and it was allowed to be character driven, this bodes well for A Gifted Man.

     Wilson is a gifted actor, and handle the plot very well. Ehle doesn't seem to be as good, but perhaps the qualities that can appear weaknesses to some, will be chalked up by others as her talking from the "other side." It will be interesting to see how Schreiber's character fits into the fix, perhaps helping Anna and Michael connect and better communicate will be his mission.

     The only real regret going into this is that Margo Martindale is locked into a main character role as a secretary. Just coming off her Emmy-winning, layered performance on Justified, this definitely seems like a step backwards. Surely, her talents are far above this level. However, since only the "Pilot" had aired, it is possible that there something much deeper planned for her, as unlikely as that might seem.

     The fifth main character, Kate (Rachelle Lefevre, Off the Map, Twilight), will join the cast next week. Watch A Gifted Man Fridays at 8 p.m. ET on CBS.

     If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter!

CBS fall 2011 lineup

     Right in the middle of season finale madnesses, the networks are releasing their fall schedules, handing down decisions on what goes and stays. CBS probably has the least amount of change of any of the major networks, but there are a few new series, and some timeslots shifting around. Here goes:

     Monday stays essentially the same, though Mad Love is canceled, and 2 Broke Girls is in. Kat Dennings (Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist) and vritual unknown Beth Behrs play the titular roommates from a script Whitney Cummings helps write. Ironic, since she has her own sitcom on another network. Matthew Moy (Scrubs), Garrett Morris (Saturday Night Live) and Jonathan Kite co-star. How I Met Your Mother, Two and a Half Men (with Ashton Kutcher instead of Charlie Sheen), Mike & Molly, and Hawaii Five-0 stay put.

     Tuesday nights deliver the one-two punch of NCIS and NCIS: Los Angeles. They are joined by new series Unforgettable. Poppy Montgomery (Without a Trace) plays a cop with an impecable memory, and Dylan Walsh (Nip/Tuck) is her boss slash ex. Kevin Rankin (Justified) also stars.

     Wednesdays consist of Survivor, Criminal Minds, and CSI at a new night and time. Because, with CBS, one can never have enough reality and crime shows. Which is a nice way of saying, don't watch. It's a waste of time.

     Thursday night retains The Big Bang Theory and the horrible piece of junk that is The Mentalist. In between, is a promising new sitcom called How to Be a Gentleman starring Mary Lynn Rajskub (24), Kevin Dillon (Entourage), David Hornsby (It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia), and Rhys Darby (The Flight of The Conchords) and Person of Interest. Although the latter is yet another crime show, it does boast J.J. Abrams creds and an interesting premise. A billionaire played by Michael Emerson (Lost) assists a cop everyone thought was dead, played by James Caviezel (The Prisoner) The series also stars Taraji P. Henson (Boston Legal) and Kevin Chapman (Mystic River). So Thursday nights may be the best night for CBS, as long as the channel turns at 10 p.m.

     Friday ends with the week with A Gifted Man, a medical drama starring Patrick Wilson (Angels in America), who is searching for meaning in his life with the help of his deceased spouse, played by Jennifer Ehle (Pride & Prejudice). Julie Benz (Dexter) plays the doctor's very caring, but overworked single mother sister. CSI: NY and Blue Bloods finish off the night.

     Besides reruns and 48 Hours Mystery, CBS curiously will present new episodes of Rules of Engagement on Saturdays, which puts the sitcom out all by itself on the weekend night. Will that spell its death, or a brilliant new seven-nights-of-original-programming strategy? Most likely, the former.

     The brilliant series The Good Wife, CBS's best drama by far, moves to Sundays! Which is a bright spot, because the rest of the evening contains 60 Minutes, The Amazing Race, and CSI: Miami. But did I mention The Good Wife?

     Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior, $#*! My Dad Says and The Defenders. Sorry if you liked any of those. But if you did, it's time to have a long overdue talk about what qualifies as worthwhile television.

     Mid-season will bring back a third outing of Undercover Boss, as well as the new series The 2-2, a self-described gritty crime drama starring Leelee Sobieski (Joan of Arc), Adam Goldberg (The Unusuals), and Terry Kinney (Oz).

     If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter! Click here for all of my Current Season Reviews.