CBS All Access take THE STAND.

 Article first published as TV Review: THE STAND on Seat42F.

This week, CBS All Access rebooted Stephen King’s THE STAND with a brand-new, nine-episode miniseries that will be released weekly. The story is one of two powerful beings, one good and one evil, fighting in a post-apocalyptic landscape. It reportedly contains additional material and a fresh ending and coda by the author himself, so even if you’ve read or watched the 90s miniseries, there’s something new here. Also, this version is on a streaming service, so it is not bound by episode running times or broadcast television standards.

THE STAND starts after a pandemic wipes out the vast majority of the world’s population, then flashes back to show us briefly how the early days played out. It doesn’t waste much time going through the illness, just giving us enough of a glimpse of some corpses to let us know the impact of what happened. The big difference between this and a network broadcast seems to be letting the production get really gross with the bodies. This was also made before the recent real pandemic, and it’s unsettling to watch this alternate, much more dire outcome. Though I do worry too many will see this and take it as a sign that ours isn’t so bad, which is not the lesson that should be taken away at all.

Judging from the pilot of THE STAND, titled “The End,” there appears to be three lead characters. Stu Redman (James Marsden, Westworld) is a simple guy who somehow becomes the only one in his friend group, and then in a much larger circle, that is immune to the virus, surviving in a government facility while everyone else dies around him. At the same time, Harold Lauder (Owen Teague, It, Bloodline) is left alone in his neighborhood with his former babysitter, Frannie Goldsmith (Odessa Young, Assassination Nation). Unlike Frannie, who is grief-stricken by her circumstances, Harold seems gleeful for the chance to get close to Frannie, who he has been stalking for a while.

Harold gets the most focus in “The End,” seen both during the crisis and after, when a bunch of survivors (including all three leads) gather. But that doesn’t mean viewers will root for him. He’s an unlikeable creep, and every moment he’s with Frannie is a moment that I fear for her safety. And that’s even before Harold reveals his chilling manifesto, which surely means dark times are coming.

Without having read the book or seen the earlier version, I didn’t realize from this initial installment that THE STAND was actually about a supernatural battle. The good Mother Abagail (Whoopi Goldberg, Sister Act, Ghost) and the evil Randall Flagg (Alexander Skarsgård, Big Little Lies) are barely glimpsed in the first episode, and not explained in the slightest. Before reviewing materials on the series, I had no idea they were of much importance at all. Though I like both performers very much and look forward to seeing more of them.

Teague is a fine performer, perfect for the part, as unsettling as it may be. But spending time with his character is tiresome, and that’s why I was disappointed THE STAND took out several others I liked in short order. “The End” offers us Hamish Linklater (Legion) as kindly Dr. Ellis, whose passing was incredibly sad. J.K. Simmons (Spiderman) appears in a single scene, and as impactful as he is, he feels wasted. I’m glad Eion Bailey (Once Upon a Time) is sticking around, but I wonder how many other great actors will blow through in little more than cameos, presumably attracted by the King name.

I liked THE STAND, I didn’t love it. I didn’t get as much of the performers that I wanted to see, and got a lot of one who made me very uncomfortable (albeit, well-acted for the role). Its parallels to modern events are scary, but the pacing is a little slow, and it doesn’t substantially reveal major elements of its own story in the only episode released so far. Without exterior motivation, I don’t think this hour alone would make me want to watch.

THE STAND’s first episode is available now on CBS All Access, and will release new installments every Thursday.

"Poor" ONCE UPON A TIME

Article first published as ONCE UPON A TIME Review Season 4 Episode 16 Poor Unfortunate Soul on Seat42F.

ABC’s ONCE UPON A TIME focuses on yet another “Poor Unfortunate Soul” in this week’s episode. This time, it’s Ursula (Merrin Dungey) who is getting a bad rap based on past wrongs. Can our heroes use that to their advantage and peel her away from the other villains? Hopefully before Regina (Lana Parilla) and / or August (Eion Bailey) are lost to them forever?

The backstory between Ursula and Hook finally comes out. When Ursula is young (and played by The Following’s Tiffany Boone), she is promised help from Hook (Colin O’Donoghue). When her father, King Poseidon (Ernie Hudson, Ghostbusters, Oz), interferes in their deal, though, Hook also fails to hold up his end of the bargain. In a fit of rage, Ursula trades tail for tentacles and becomes the familiar evil monster. Of course, Hook makes up for his bad decision in the present, helping Ursula get her voice back, and the sea witch gives up her dastardly quest to return home with her dad.

I don’t know that I really buy this. This is the trade deal Hook is so ashamed of he can’t tell Emma (Jennifer Morrison)? Seems he is at least sort of in the right, even if he’s not noble. Ursula, while plagued by grief, gives up everything because her singing voice is gone, rather than fighting to get it back? Then, a long, long time later, she switches sides again just because she gets the voice back?

And how does Ursula get a happy ending with her father? She’s a villain, right? The rules that ONCE UPON A TIME establishes are that villains cannot have their happy endings. Yet, Ursula gets one, and Hook is having one with Emma right now. Regina would be near one had Robin (Sean Maguire) not been forced to leave, which had nothing to do with the story. This is all quite flimsy and doesn’t hold up to scrutiny.

That is, unless we find out all of Rumple’s (Robert Carlyle) character development, including his redemption arc from the first two and a half seasons, is magically taken away by the book because of the story rules, and the same happens for Ursula and Hook. That would fix a large number of the problems I and others have had with the last year, and help get ONCE UPON A TIME back on track. Though, there’s no evidence of that happening in “Poor Unfortunate Soul.”

Speaking of the bad guys, the witches and Rumple torture August for information, which they don’t get. However, Regina manages to get a message off to the good guys, who then come and rescue August. Because Rumple doesn’t trust Regina, this actually works in her favor, making sure she’s not around to blame for August’s escape. This is a clever twist.

Will August stay in the show? I don’t think Once Upon A Time will toss in a true Emma / Hook / August love triangle because Emma and Hook are already quite far down the romantic path, so what would August’s purpose be? Honestly, I don’t care; I’d just like to keep him around.

August reveals that the author is trapped inside the book, which makes him much harder for the villains to get to. I don’t know why Regina tells Rumple that Henry (Jared Gilmore) has the missing page, as she should do everything possible to keep from endangering her son, especially after seeing Rumple torture August. But for now, as long as Henry holds onto the page, the author will be safe and the villains won’t get their happy ending.

Yet, going directly for the author isn’t Rumple’s plan, anyway. He wants to turn Emma’s heart dark, since the bad guys can’t win as long as the Savior exists. Wouldn’t the Savior, by definition, have to be a Savior? How can she be swayed to the other side? Does that negate what she’s done? I don’t get this bit of logic, or lack thereof, either.

“Poor Unfortunate Soul” isn’t totally bad. A dream sequence Regina has involving Robin and the Evil Queen is cool, even if the writers then have Regina over-explain it to the audience. There are also some good lines and touching moments, including when Ariel (JoAnna Garcia Swisher) returns and saves Hook. The problem is, the story is so disjointed and poorly planned out that it’s hard to see how the show will twist itself into something even resembling a satisfying resolution. Not to mention, when did Elsa get the power to shrink ships and store them in bottles? ONCE UPON A TIME has been driving on the edge of a cliff, frequently teetering, but I think it’s finally gone off completely.

Once Upon A Time airs Sundays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.

ONCE UPON A TIME "Dragon" This Year

Article originally written for Seat42F.

ONCE UPON A TIME rarely fails to let fans down these days, and this week’s episode, “Enter the Dragon,” is no different. In the hour, Regina (Lana Parrilla) goes undercover with the Queens of Darkness, ditching her friends to do so. In flashback, we see her at the beginnings of her evil journey, hinting that her status as a spy may not last. Elsewhere, Rumple (Robert Carlyle) does one of his worst deeds yet, with absolutely no real remorse in sight.

The first thing the Queens do when Regina joins up with them is to test her, which has many flaws. They do this by parking on a train track and daring Regina not to save them. She waits until the last minute to do so, but in the end, she poofs them away. What did they want her to do? Save herself but not them? Die at the hands of the train? And why does Rumple tell them they may be able to trust her in the first place, having witnessed Regina’s growth arc before he is banished from town?

Despite Regina ‘failing’ the test by allowing them to live, Maleficent (Kristin Bauer van Straten) decides to give her a second chance. This may seem strange at first, until we see young Regina help Mal get her groove back during the semi-traditional unfolding of the Sleepy Beauty fairy tale. Mal is defeated when Regina finds her, Regina still in the early days of her magic training. Because of Regina, Mal is able to put Aurora (Sarah Bolger) to sleep and win the day. It’s no wonder the dragon feels some degree of sympathy towards Regina, Maleficent being the least obviously evil of the three new villains, and the most kindred to the current Regina.

Regina is told that the Queens are after The Author in hopes of changing the game, letting all the villains have happy endings at the expense of the heroes, whose lives are ruined. This seems evil for evil’s sake, not something worthy of Maleficent, who usually acts with defined purpose. So either they are lying about their plan, a real possibility, or, as in many other ONCE UPON A TIME plots, the motivations shown don’t make sense.

The one bright spot from this story is that August (Eion Bailey) returns! Formerly a main character, August was turned back into the boy Pinocchio (Jakob Davies) and has no memory of his former life. August knows things about The Author, so Rumple restores him from the child, whom Regina kidnaps. Setting aside that the Queens aren’t suspicious of how long Regina takes to nab the kid and that Rumple used to be redeemed, so should have restored August back when this first happened if he had the power to do so, it’s really good to see the character return to ONCE UPON A TIME.

The way Rumple has reverted makes me worry for Regina. Rumple is an excellent character, the show’s best, for two and a half season before being completely scrapped in the past year in favor of a flat bad guy. Not long before Rumple was ruined, Regina began her own redemption journey, which has been fantastic, making her the best deep, consistent part on the show. “Enter the Dragon” teases that she may lose that, and while she could go evil again in a convincing plot, it’s much more likely ONCE UPON A TIME would ruin her character if they choose to go that route, as they have done Rumple’s, negating what he previous did. I really, really like the Regina who has struggled for her happy ending, and I want to see that continue.

Rumple has the worst story, in “Enter the Dragon,” though, taking on Hook’s (Colin O’Donoghue) to trick Belle (Emilie de Ravine) into giving up the dagger that controls him. He then goes back to Belle to ask about her relationship with Will Scarlet (Michael Socha). This is cruel and stupid, and if Rumple ever really loved Belle, he wouldn’t do it.

In short, despite some wonderful acting from Parrilla and Bauer van Straten, “Enter the Dragon” is another disappointment in a long series of them. I don’t know why ONCE UPON A TIME went downhill so much after the near-perfect Neverland half-season, but it seems viewers should have taken the warning of the uneven first few episodes of the show and never got invested. Now, those of us who have put in the time are waiting around for it to end, teased by the occasional good hour, and hoping against hope the overwhelming problems will be fixed, which isn’t likely to be the case.

ONCE UPON A TIME airs Sundays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.

Once Upon a Time Elicits Heroic Traits

Article first published as ONCE UPON A TIME Recap Season 2 Episode 18 Selfless, Brave and True on Seat42F.

Grade: 92%

ABC’s ONCE UPON A TIME tells a story of redemption, as we learn that August (Eion Bailey) has what it takes to be “Selfless, Brave, and True.” He didn’t always, by the way. We see in flashback how he behaves in Asia, which leads to his return to wood form. But, in the end, he finds the hero inside of himself, and is rewarded for it.

While ONCE UPON A TIME has not tackled the Pinocchio story directly in its fairy tale world sequences, “Selfless, Brave, and True” is very much the same plot. We have a flawed man who seeks comfort and pleasure and the easy way out. He is willing to steal to help himself, even if others are hurt in the process. But when it really counts, when lives are on the line, he manages to sum up the courage to do the right thing.

Pinocchio learns this lesson once, when he was a boy. Now, as an adult, he must learn it all over again. When we first meet August in season one, he is already turning back into wood, thankfully a slow process. “Selfless, Brave, and True” shows us why, taking us to the fall of 2011 in the real world. And now, August must learn the same thing all over again.

This time, the stakes are much higher. Tamara (Sonequa Martin-Green) is on the hunt for magic. She is obviously willing to murder innocents to get it, as she does with The Dragon (Tzi Ma, 24, Rush Hour). She is now manipulating Neal (Michael Raymond-James) to gain access to Storybrooke, the place where magic exists. Since August is the only one that knows this, he decides to give up the chance at becoming a real person again with a potion she has in order to stay and warn the town. For his trouble, Tamara kills him.

It’s upsetting to see August die, even after the Blue Fairy (Keegan Connor Tracy) restores him to the little boy he once was (Jakob Davies). Yes, the adult August has been corrupted, and becoming the boy Pinocchio again gives him a second chance. But he also loses who he is, the good with the bad, and his memories, which means he doesn’t get to tell anyone about Tamara. It’s a moving scene, seeing Marco (Tony Amendola) hold his boy in his arms. But it’s as much about loss as it is about rebirth.

We don’t know much about Tamara yet, other than that she is evil. But the existence of her character opens up a whole world of possibilities that haven’t been explored on the show before. Greg knows about magic because of his Storybrooke experience. Tamara somehow learns of it another way. And The Dragon either came from the fairy tale realm or also found out about it at some point. So magic has been connected to the real world long before Regina’s (Lana Parrilla) curse.

I do wonder if Greg will turn out to be a bad guy. He has legitimate beef against Regina, to be sure, even if she claims she let his father go a few days after young Owen left the town. This is probably a lie, but we don’t know for sure. However, thus far we haven’t seen anything to indicate that Greg knows of Tamara’s intentions. Did he make a deal with her, and is willing to be bad and help her steal magic in order to find his dad? Or is he so concentrated on his mission that he didn’t check the terms or the source of his help, and his values aren’t aligned with Tamara’s? After all, Greg has been in town for awhile, and surely has seen that not everyone there deserves punishment.

Mary Margaret (Ginnifer Goodwin) punishes herself enough, and doesn’t need it from any outside sources. She finally does get out of bed in “Selfless, Brave, and True,” and encounters August in the forest. August believes he has done unforgiveable things, and Mary Margaret does her best to convince him that that is not so, and he should return to his father.

Seeing August is just what Mary Margaret needs. She is too close to the situation involving herself to be objective, but she has no problem letting August off the hook for his own sins. In the process, she realizes that she is in a similar situation, and can also seek redemption for what she has done. August helps Mary Margaret out of her funk, and she will now begin to put her life back together.

These parallel plots are well designed, especially because they are the culmination of a lot of story. Mary Margaret and August’s similar circumstances don’t come about all of the sudden in this single episode, but have long been built to, and now intertwine beautifully. The ONCE UPON A TIME writers are brilliant masterminds at making connections and having arcs fit together. This episode is a wonderful example of some of their best work in that arena.

I am still baffled by the chemistry among the Charming family. Henry (Jared Gilmore) seems to have adjusted to seeing Emma (Jennifer Morrison) as his mother and Mary Margaret and David (Josh Dallas) as his grandparents. But Emma is clearly uncomfortable around her own parents, and hasn’t figured out how to treat them yet, likely hindered by the fact that they appear to be roughly her own age. The way that Emma treats Mary Margaret in this episode, annoyed at her being in bed, in stark contrast to David’s nurturing approach, shows she hasn’t accepted them as family yet, at least not in the way they view family. I wonder if this will ever sort itself out, or if it will always feel awkward.

Lastly, it’s a little sad that August won’t have a chance with Emma. I feel like there is some real chemistry between the characters, and given their back story, coming over to the real world together, it’s sweet. But this does clear an obstacle towards getting Emma and Neal back together, which could happen next season, after he gets over the betrayal of Tamara.

ONCE UPON A TIME will be taking a few weeks off of fresh installments, but will air “enhanced” versions of recent episodes instead. It continues Sundays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.

Once Upon a Time in "Tallahassee"

Last night's installment of ABC's Once Upon a Time may have been called "Tallahasse," but not a single moment of the episode took place in that Florida city. Instead, "Tallahassee" is a dream. It represents home and family for Emma Swan (Jennifer Morrison), a chance to be with the man she loves and raise a kid together.

But this dream is dashed eleven years ago, as we see when Emma finally gets her own flashback. Yep, the backstory of "Tallahassee" tells a fairy tale in the real world. Thief Emma meets another criminal, Neal (Michael Raymond-James, Terriers, True Blood), and together they become a sort of Bonnie and Clyde. Seeking to prevent a tragic ending, August (Eion Bailey) arranges for Emma to end up in jail and Neal to step back until Emma has fulfilled her destiny.

How might Emma's life be different if August hadn't been "protecting" her? Neal seems to really love her. Maybe they could have had a happy ending together. Yes, a content Emma might have been harder to drag to Storybrooke, but she would have been a less angsty person. If August really wanted to help, shouldn't he have thought about this? Not to mention, why couldn't August get her to her destiny much sooner?

That aside, though, we now know the meaning of the opening scene of season two, and who the Mysterious Man is. He will surely come for Emma, as his apartment showed no signs of him having moved on without her. Will Emma be able to start to forgive him, the way she is doing with Snow (Ginnifer Goodwin) and David (Josh Dallas), who abandoned her for equally noble reasons? As a "normal" human, what will Neal's introduction to the fairy tale world be like? What has he been doing in the intervening years? And what is in August's box that moved Neal to listen?

In this very Emma-heavy episode, Once Upon a Time also follows her in the story book land. She climbs a beanstalk with Hook (Colin O'Donoghue) to get a compass from the last giant (Jorge Garcia, Lost, Alcatraz). She completes the quest, of course, in her own unique way, and earns her battle stripes in this world, no longer the fish out of water she began as a few episodes ago.

What viewers are reminded of in this episode, though, and what Emma already well knows is, people are complicated, and you can't always take what they say at face value. Who is the real bad guy in "Tallahassee," the giant or Hook? The giant hates people and almost kills Emma, but his people were slain by men, so there's no wonder he holds a grudge. And once Emma spares his life, he does her a favor AND allows her to leave. So he's clearly not unreasonable.

My question is, though, how believable is it that the giant learns to trust Emma? He is described as the baddest of them all, the only survivor from the war. Would he really, after so much suffering and loss, be able to strike a deal and some sort of trust, slim as it might be, with Emma? Wouldn't he just kill her? The fact that he doesn't makes him not only a good guy, but a hero of the highest order. Which means he should definitely return again.

Hook, on the other hand, I do not trust. I think Emma is right to have the giant keep him for ten hours and allow the ladies to escape. I don't care what he tells them, I can't help but feel he is still playing out Cora's (Barbara Hershey) plan. And while I think there is some real grief behind Hook's motivations, and do think that he is sincere when he tells Emma about his motivations to get to Storybrooke, the story behind it all cannot be discounted, knowing his love began in the most unorthodox and sinister of ways.

And I guess there will be no Jack in the story of this giant and beanstalk, given the pile of bones on the floor.

There is another danger revealed in "Tallahasse." Both Henry (Jared S. Gilmore) and Aurora (Sarah Bolger) have nightmares about a red room with burning curtains. Are they seeing each other in the room, or a villain we have yet to meet? What does it mean? When did premonitions enter into the mix? When will this go down? Scary stuff, a level of danger that might just edge out everything we've seen so far.

There are a few weak points, such as characters making leaps not fully explained, but overall season two of Once Upon a Time has been an exciting thrill ride. I'm ready for Emma and Snow to get back to their friends, but definitely excited about what's to come next. "Tallahasse" is not as good as recent episodes like "The Doctor," "Crocodile," and "We Are Both," but is still a fun time.

Once Upon a Time airs Sundays at 8 p.m. ET on ABC.

If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter! Check out my website, JeromeWetzel.com! First posted on TheTVKing

Once Upon a Time is a land with magic

Once Upon a Time there was a series on ABC. It featured fairy tale characters stuck in the real world. Despite a promising pilot, the next few episodes sucked, driving some viewers away. Then, like a magical spell that takes a little time to work, things began to come to life in the show. Bit by bit, it revealed the charming, fun and whimsy series it could, and deserves, to be. As the first season draws to a close, a heck of a finale proves that Once Upon a Time should get to live happily ever after.

In the fairy tale segments of "A Land Without Magic," Once Upon a Time finally completes the tale of Snow White (Ginnifer Goodwin) and Prince Charming (Josh Dallas). Their reunion in the real world means more, seeing all of the trials they go through in the past, sprinkled throughout this season. If anyone is still doubting that they belong together, given their difficulties in Storybrooke, this should erase that.

"A Land Without Magic" is the title of the Once Upon a Time finale. But the land isn't entirely without magic. Regina (Lana Parrilla) calls upon the little she has left to do away with her foe, Emma (Jennifer Morrison), once and for all. Sadly, this backfires when Henry (Jared S. Gilmore) sacrifices himself heroically to prove to a disbelieving Emma that the tales he tells are true.

And it works! Instantly, Emma believes. Which means that she can see August (Eion Bailey) turning back into wood! She goes to Mr. Gold (Robert Carlyle) for help, because, while he isn't trustworthy, he is her only chance to save Henry.

"A Land Without Magic" is interesting because it finally makes Regina truly sympathetic, just in time for her to be shunned. Regina's back story has been told, and it's sad, but seeing her as a mother fearing for the life of her son is another thing entirely. Regina and Emma are able to work together because of Henry, who is a true unifying force in their worlds. The boy could also be the key to saving Regina's soul, and by this episode, there is a desire to see her redeemed.

Too bad for Regina her secret identity is exposed. Emma slays the dragon, which is merely a scheme by Mr. Gold, and then wakes Henry with a kiss on the forehead of true love, Happy Potter style, from mother to son. Henry's awakening lifts part of the curse. All of the fairy tale characters become self aware, remembering their past, and who they truly are. Which means Regina had better flee before they string her up, now that she is powerless to defend herself.

Or is she? Mr. Gold's quest in "A Land Without Magic," for reasons still unknown, is to bring magic to Storybrooke. He succeeds, using the egg that Emma retrieves from the dragon. So, while everyone remains in the real world, again, for reasons unknown, Mr. Gold is bringing a little bit of their land into reality. Might Regina make use of this development? This clash of fiction and non-fiction should make for a hell of a second season.

A musing: Is there anyone in Storybrooke who isn't a fairy tale character? What will become of them?

While Mr. Gold's motivations are murky, he does have a new goal now, and that's to keep Belle (Emilie de Ravin, Lost) safe. Angry at Regina, Jefferson (Sebastian Stan, Gossip Girl, Kings) releases Belle, allowing her to return to her beloved, Mr. Gold / Rumpelstiltskin. Will Belle's presence help ground Mr. Gold, and keep him from descending back into evilness? Or will he make the same mistake with her that he made with his son, choosing the dark power over a loved one? Hopefully, his experiences will push him towards the former.

What will happen now? Snow will certainly realize she's a grandma, though she is about the same age as her daughter! And with everyone remembering their lives, and Emma being a believer, there will be a desire to return home. Magic is back, so there may also be a means to make this happen. But will Gold control all the magic, or will some be available to others? It's a huge cliffhanger!


Once Upon a Time has been renewed for a second season, and will return to ABC next fall.

If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter! Catch up with streaming episodes of Once Upon a Time. This article was first posted as Once Upon a Time is a land with magic on TheTVKing.com

Covert Affairs - "Begin the Begin"

     For those hoping for a happy ending between Annie Walker (Piper Perabo) and Ben Mercer (Eion Bailey) on USA's Covert Affairs, the season premiere delivers, for the first ten or so minutes. Then they are running from gun fire, and soon after returning to the states, Ben disappears, being sent on an off-the-books assignment for Arthur (Peter Gallagher). Arthur is working with Joan (Kari Matchett) on his defense. Danielle (Anne Dudek) reveals her garage is broken into while Annie is out of town, sparking suspicions in Annie that whoever did it is after her. Annie helps a Russian tennis player who is being forced to kill her lover. So it's a busy episode.


     Having a lot going on is not unusual for a season premiere, except this hour is divided very unevenly. Maybe a third of the episode is for Ben's arc, continuing the events of the cliffhanger. Then there is only a sliver for Arthur's ongoing story of getting in trouble with the agency and possibly losing his job. About half the episode is a case of the week, which is much smaller than such a bit would normally be, and is wholly unnecessary for an episode that features larger, ongoing developments.

     It is confusing that USA feels the need to sandwich in such unconnected events, as even the best procedurals on network TV take a break every once in awhile from their formula. USA does not. Since Covert Affairs is vasttly different from most USA shows, maybe it's time to let a series on the network take a few more chances.

     Rather than forcing the tennis scenes, how about a refresher about what is going on with Arthur? It's been quite awhile since season one aired, and it's hard to remember exactly why he is in trouble, or how he can get out of it. Bringing in the lawyer gives the show a good excuse to rehash some of the back story on the issue, but they do not, disappointingly.

     Also nice would be to get Jai (Sendhil Ramamurthy) more involved. Arthur turns him away as soon as Jai asks questions. Jai only provides support and backup for Annie when she needs it. While this is a common type of character for series in this vein, Ramamurthy is a capable actor who can handle his own plots. It is a waste to regulate him to such a minor role. Get him involved in Arthur's trial, give him his own missions, or put him and Annie together romantically. At this point, anything to beef up Jai's part will be welcome.

     Other than those minor complaints, it is a fairly intense episode. There are good action scenes, and the larger stories do get to move along somewhat. It will not be remembered as a top episode, but a fairly satisfactory one to fans of the series.

     The case of the week about the Russian girl is actually pretty interesting, and Annie gets to break a few rules to help her, which is usually fun. There are some unexpected twists, and the whole thing is relatively realistic and full of danger. While not addressed in the episode, it also serves as a distraction for Annie, who wants to know what is going on with Ben, but can't get anything out of her boss about it.

     Anyone thinking Ben and Annie would be together this early in the show obviously does not watch these types of shows on television, or USA series at all. Procedurals are notoriously slow at locking main characters into relationships, and if they do take that leap, it will be many years down the road, once story ideas begin to dry up. It's a risky move, as it suddenly puts two characters in a box and limits what they can do. Anytime one is in danger, the other has to have feelings about it. It is brilliant and enjoyable if done properly, and can single-handedly kill a series if done incorrectly.

     Auggie (Christopher Gorham) remains the most interesting character on Covert Affairs. In "Begin the Begin," Auggie whines about not getting to finish his beer, but also helps Annie on her secret mission. He has just the right blend of compassion and humor that Gorham delivers with finesse. Whether with Annie at a bar, or behind his computer, being the most productive, heroic blind man on the planet, Auggie always steals his scenes. More Auggie-centric episodes would be much appreciated.

     Still unknown is why Danielle even qualifies as a main character. Completely in the dark about why everything goes down, she merely stands around in Annie's rare at-home scenes. This week, Annie tricks Danielle into getting her children out of the house so the CIA can see if the break-in has been done for dark motives. It's a cute bit, but not one memorable nor necessary, especially as the "bad guys" turn out to be a couple of harmless kids. At least if the house is being threatened, Danielle may have something to do. Even better, Danielle should soon figure out what Annie's real career is.

     The opening credits have finally been changed to include all of the main characters, which number six in the second season. This is nice, as only three were included in season one. It's still an odd sequence, with live action mixing with cartoons in a strange way. It's actually quite a great piece, artistically, but it arguably does not fit well with the series. Which is too bad, because the series that does fit that song would be pretty darn good.

     Covert Affairs airs at 10 p.m. ET on Tuesdays on USA.

     To buy Covert Affairs DVDs and streaming episodes, please click here.

Article first published as TV Review: Covert Affairs - "Begin the Begin" on Blogcritics.

Covert Affairs a different direction for USA

     USA's latest drama, which premiered last Tuesday, and continues tonight, is Covert Affairs.  It stars Piper Perabo (Cheaper By the Dozen, Coyote Ugly) as Annie Walker, a new CIA trainee that got to skip her last month at The Farm and get directly to work in the D.C. area.  Annie is wanted for more than her skills, although she doesn't seem to know it yet.  Two years ago she had a passionate three-week affair with Ben Mercer (Eion Bailey, Band of Brothers), whom her bosses want to track down, and who resurfaced to save her life near the end of the pilot.  What he is up to, or why the CIA is interested in him, seems to be a mystery that will string out for awhile.  It's a series that doesn't feel very-USA like, driven by plot as much as by characters, while their usual series mostly just rely on the latter.  That is not a complaint.  It's nice to see something fresh from the network.

     The pilot was pretty good, though there was a lot going on.  It's kind of like a not-quite-as-good remake of Alias, with a star that resembles that of Alias, but without the wonderful villains.  Believability isn't too bad, which is often a problem for shows like this.  Annie's family wasn't too involved or too annoying, another element that sets it apart from other USA dramas, that often bring family members front and center to the story.  Annie's sister, Danielle (Anne Dudek, House, Big Love, Mad Men) is a starring player, but her role in the pilot was limited to trying to send Annie up on a date.

     The cast is brimming with other television veterans, as well.  Christopher Gorham (Ugly Betty) is Auggie, an intelligence officer blinded in Iraq, but already well adjusted to his loss of vision.  He will make a fantastic best friend, and I would hope that eventually he might rank as a love interest.  He is much less geeky than he was in Betty, despite his job, and already seemed a good fit for Annie.  Annie's obvious suitor, Conrad (Eric Lively, 24: Redemption, The L Word), has not been slated to continue in the series, and will soon be replaced by Jai (Sendhil Ramamurthy, Heroes).  Lastly, Annie's bosses, husband and wife Joan (Kari Matchett, 24, ER, Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip) and Arthur Campbell (Peter Gallagher, Californication, The OC), seem to be as concerned with martial problems as they are bringing in Ben.  I couldn't tell from the pilot how they ranked in relation to each other, but Joan seems to be Annie's direct superior in her little group, while Arthur heads a department including Annie's workgroup.

     All in all, it's not a bad attempt, though not a great one, either.  It has plenty of potential, so we'll see how USA develops it before I decide if it's a show to invest in or not.  But as the network did dare to take a chance, they have me for now.  Covert Affairs airs Tuesdays at 10pm on USA.