LOKI Resurrected

 Article first published as LOKI TV Review on Seat42F.

The latest MCU series is LOKI, which premiered on Disney+ this past week. Tom Hiddleston reprises his role as the titular villain circa the first The Avengers film, having just killed Coulson and attacked New York. As glimpsed during the time travel portion of Avengers: End Game, Loki briefly escapes this time with the Tesseract. But as LOKI the series begins, he’s caught by the Time Variance Authority, since he’s a variant out of the accepted timeline. In their custody, he faces punishment and possible death. Until a TVA officer with sway takes an interest in him, hoping Loki can help the organization.

Loki himself doesn’t really understand (or at first believe) what’s happening to him, and that’s beneficial to the audience. He’s a fish out of water, and our way into this new world, a corner of the MCU we were previously unaware of. Loki has always straddled the line between hero and bad guy, and while this Loki comes from the darker period of the character, it’s easy enough to make us care about him, knowing he is capable of more. Which Loki is shown before the end of the first hour, an important step in getting a redeemed Loki, as he was before he died in the films.

The co-lead alongside Loki is Mobius (Owen Wilson, The Royal Tenenbaums), the agent who wants Loki to help him. He seems about as opposite a personality as one might get from Loki, easygoing and confident, secure in who he is. He’s a good way to get us into the world and introduce the rules, as there is never any doubt that he knows what he’s doing in his job. Wilson is playing the role as he always does, but if anything, with even more depth, an excellent scene partner for Hiddleston.

Rounding out the cast are a slew of smaller parts that aren’t really developed yet. Gugu Mbatha-Raw (The Morning Show) is a great presence as Judge Ravonna Renslayer. Wunmi Mosaku, who shone last year in Lovecraft Country, is hilarious as Hunter B-15. And Eugene Cordero (The Good Place, Star Trek: Lower Decks) is great doing what he does best as the hapless Casey. I look forward to more from each of them, easily seeing their parallels to Monica, Woo, and Darcy from earlier MCU series WandaVision.

The plot is a little slow to get started, but that’s OK because of the sheer amount of new information that had to be covered in the initial installment. So much is added to expand the universe (or omniverse). Yet, at the same time, LOKI finds time to give us some extremely moving character moments and showcase its leads’ talents. It’s a great balance of exposition, action, and development, well executed and immediately enticing.

Some fans have already dissected Avengers: End Game for what they perceive as inconsistencies in the time travel portrayal, and that is sure to continue with LOKI. But here’s the thing: Time travel isn’t real. So as long as a franchise is consistent within itself and the rules it sets out, then I recommend suspending disbelief and accepting the way it is. Having a character in the first episode of LOKI declare what the Avengers did, mucking with time, was always meant to happen is an easy out. It’s also a way not to get bogged down in the details and keep the story moving, which seems necessary.

LOKI is not quite the mystery box WandaVision was. There is plenty still unknown, but that doesn’t seem to be the point of the series. It is a lot more complex than The Falcon and the Winter Soldier, and certainly more ambitious. I would say by finding a place between those two, LOKI has staked its own ground and already earned its keep, just as compelling (if not more so) than the first two efforts. I look forward to see how it progresses.

New episodes of LOKI drop Wednesday on Disney+.

Wake Up to THE MORNING SHOW

Article first published as THE MORNING SHOW: TV REVIEW at Seat42F.

WARNING: This review contains spoilers for the first three episodes.

One of Apple TV+’s new dramas is THE MORNING SHOW. Set at a Good Morning America type of series, the program follows anchors past and present as they navigate through the current political climate and their own ambitions. Featuring an all-star cast, this is probably the best program I’ve seen from the brand-new streaming service so far.

As the pilot begins, sexual harassment charges go public against veteran anchor Mitch Kessler (Steve Carell, The Office). The network reacts quickly, firing him. Producer Chip Black (Mark Duplass, Togetherness) is thrown because he was preparing to let go Mitch’s on-air partner, Alex Levy (Jennifer Aniston, Friends), go for being past her prime (in talent, not age). All this drama excites the new head of news for the network, Cory Ellison (Billy Crudup, Watchmen), and other anchors like Yanko (Nestor Carbonell, Bates Motel), Daniel (Desean Terry), and Alison (Janina Gavankar, The League) want the empty seat. But it’s little known, passionate, online sensation Bradley Jackson (Reese Witherspoon, Big Little Lies) that swoops in and takes the spot.

The plot of THE MORNING SHOW is beyond juicy. It has the #MeToo controversy that is still so relevant, but also all manner of scheming and backstabbing. While none of the characters come off as unlikeable, there is plenty of insecurity and ambition. Besides those mentioned above, behind-the-scenes staff Hannah (Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Touch) and Mia (Karen Pittman, Luke Cage) seem like key players, as does Alex’s secretly estranged husband, Jason (Jack Davenport, Smash). So there’s no shortage of participants, and not all of their motivations are immediately clear.

Add to all the individual concerns, there’s the business perspective of a network and a popular, but struggling, series that that must be taken into consideration. The Morning Show is losing ground to competitor Audra (Mindy Kaling, The Mindy Project) and looking to shake things up; Cory himself is a new approach. So even before Mitch blows everything up, there’s tension. But with this latest development, no easy way out is apparent, leaving the cast to fight amongst one another.

What’s more, there are actual questions of journalism and responsibility layered in. Bradley is temperamental, to be sure, but there’s a level of genuineness and naivety to her role. She believes in the profession and the mission, and doesn’t like being used as a pawn, which she’s smart enough to pick up on immediately. Will she bring back what The Morning Show needs to rise again, or will it chew her up and force her to be something she isn’t? And which needs to happen for the show to succeed? This isn’t The Newsroom, after all, and drama can equal ratings.

Perhaps the toughest part for some to swallow is the effort made to humanize Mitch. It’s very easy to write him off as soon as the rumors start, and the all-too-ripped-from-the-headlines button under his desk does him no favors. But then, in the third installment, Mitch is talking to his high-profile friend (Martin Short, Saturday Night Live) about snap judgments and nuance, and there’s a moment where some may start to feel sorry for Mitch. Not because his behavior was excusable (it isn’t), but because he truly doesn’t know why he’s been taken down, or how what he did was wrong. Should inappropriate consensual relationships be a death knell for a career? As a straight, white man, I refuse to weigh in on that and I certainly understand how some may have no sympathy for him, but I’m fascinated by the questions raised. What is an appropriate punishment for the details of his case?

Reviews for THE MORNING SHOW have been mixed, but I like it. It’s smart, it’s quick, and it makes you think about things we should all be considering more carefully than we usually do. Catch it now on Apple TV+.

THE CLOVERFIELD PARADOX

Article first published as Review: THE CLOVERFIELD PARADOX on Seat42F.

The following contains spoilers about The Cloverfield Paradox.

Surprise! Viewers of the Super Bowl were not expecting to learn that a new Cloverfield movie was on its way. But that’s exactly what happened when, with only a trailer played during the football game, Netflix dropped THE CLOVERFIELD PARADOX Sunday night.

THE CLOVERFIELD PARADOX is the third film in the loosely connected series produced by J.J. Abrams. The first, titled simply Cloverfield, was a found-footage monster movie that put the audience in the perspective of someone running from a Godzilla-like creature. 10 Cloverfield Lane was mostly a bottle suspense thriller set in an underground bunker after a post-apocalyptic event. The third film is set on a space station in the future, and their experiments to find an unlimited energy supply for mankind rip a whole in space-time that unleashes monsters and other strange things across multiple dimensions. So this movie is both a sequel and prequel to the others which are, presumably, set on different Earths.

Connecting them in this way is pretty smart for a franchise that doesn’t want to tell a linear story. We now have the origin of sorts for the very different monsters we see in all three films, an explanation as to why these things are happening, and endless possibilities for future installments. As a connecting thread, THE CLOVERFIELD PARADOX works very well. It’s even better that it comes so late in the series, letting the mystery linger for years before solving it.

However, THE CLOVERFIELD PARADOX is, by far, the weakest of the three installments.

THE CLOVERFIELD PARADOX suffers from being split into too many pieces that fail to form a cohesive narrative. Our international crew of astronauts, comprised of Hamilton (Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Belle), Kiel (David Oyelowo, Selma), Schmidt (Daniel Bruhl, Captain America: Civil War), Monk (John Ortiz, Kong: Skull Island), Mundy (Chris O’Dowd, Bridesmaids), Volkov (Aksel Hennie, The Martian), Tam (Ziyi Chang, Memoirs of a Geisha), and Jensen (Elizabeth Debicki, The Great Gatsby) start off in a somewhat straight-forward, save-the-Earth mission. This morphs into a cross between Alien and Apollo 13 as technology goes wrong and things (oddities, not monsters) haunt the ship. Eventually, as the cast is picked of one-by-one, it feels very familiar.

This in of itself should have been the movie, and it would have been OK if it had a few different elements to keep us guessing where it was going. While parts of it feel like remakes of other films, there’s enough originality to forge its own path, and an interesting story boosted by some terrific performances and spectacular special effects. But there are also very weird things, like an intelligent hand and arm, that just aren’t satisfyingly explained and make the whole thing uneven. There are also characters who act out of character or make ridiculous decisions no one in their right mind would make, sending the plot off course. Inconsistencies plague this work.

Add to this, THE CLOVERFIELD PARADOX forces the DNA of the previous two movies into this one by following Hamilton’s husband, Michael (Roger Davies, Family Affairs), back on Earth. Michael first finds himself in a city being actively destroyed by very big creatures, a la the original, and then takes shelter in a creepy bunker, as in the sequel. These comparisons feel forced and unnecessary, distracting and off-tone. It also spoils what could have been a twist ending otherwise.

There’s also a bit of exposition when an apparent conspiracy theory nut (Donal Logue, Gotham) warns a reporter (Suzanne Cryer, Silicon Valley) about what might happen with the space station. He ends up being right, but I couldn’t help but feel this was a bit more hand-holding that viewers needed. Unless Donal is a set up for another film, in which case, I like him enough to overlook this.

I think if the writers wanted to keep all the pieces they force in, THE CLOVERFIELD PARADOX would have worked better as a television miniseries or season. That way, it could take its time exploring each of the facets of the tale in a longer narrative arc. Hamilton could even visit herself on the other Earth, and really dig into what the multiple dimensions presented mean. It also would make more sense to keep Michael in it for a potential second season. In this way, nothing would need to be cut out, and it would almost guarantee more forthcoming story (J.J.’s name and a big budget making a two-season order on a streaming service likely). If they wanted to keep this as a movie, they really should have narrowed in on a few choices and ditched much of the material they went with.

I will say, I did enjoy the other J.J. references present. Keep your eyes peeled, and you’ll see homages to 2009’s Star Trek and the television show Alias, as well as hear some regular Abrams cast voices, such as Simon Pegg and Greg Grunberg.

Overall, I didn’t hate THE CLOVERFIELD PARADOX. Like I said, there are some really good elements, and in terms of defining the franchise, it does its intended job. However, there are enough plot holes and weaknesses to keep it from being a thoroughly enjoyable watch, and certainly makes it the low point of the series so far. The potential is strong enough that I want to see it developed further. But care must be taken to make sure the next installment doesn’t go off the rails like this one did, which would surely kill any future stories any time soon.

THE CLOVERFIELD PARADOX is available now on Netlfix.

Looking Into a BLACK MIRROR

Article first published as BLACK MIRROR Review on Seat42F.

This Friday, Netflix will premiere season three of BLACK MIRROR. You haven’t heard of the show? Well, that may not be surprising because the first two seasons were made and aired in the UK instead of the United States. However, Netflix outbid the British network than ran the show previously, and the new batch about to hit will be exclusive world-wide to the streaming service (with years one and two already available on the platform as well).

BLACK MIRROR is an anthology series with a technological bend. Each installment (there were seven prior to season three, and there will be six new ones this week) has its own cast, characters, setting, plot, and even reality. The stories are generally science-fiction in nature, with a look at how technology could possibly screw up the world in the future. It basically casts a ‘black mirror’ on our current society. It’s sort of like a Twilight Zone with a focused hook.

Lest you think the show is completely bleak dark, as the title indicates, the third season begins with a much less depressing narrative in “San Junipero.” Yorkie (Mackenzie Davis, Halt and Catch Fire) is a nerdy girl in the 1980s who enjoys video games. She is at a club that mixes dancing with arcade machines and meets Kelly (Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Touch), a bisexual “cool kid” who encourages Yorkie to find her courage and step outside her comfort zone.

Now, if you’re wondering how the series I described above does an episode like I just mentioned, given that the 1980s is the past, not the future, all I’ll say is that the hints are there from the start, and the twist is pretty cool.

But without giving anything else away, I was very impressed with the hour. It was incredibly cohesive and well thought-out. I get that it’s easier to do that with a self-contained episode than with an ongoing series, but much thought clearly went into how to tie things together and telegraph the later scenes without being obvious about it. Add in a retro, sexy, engaging vibe and a pair of talented actresses with authentic, compelling performances, and I came out of “San Junipero” with the desire to watch every episode of BLACK MIRROR available, which I’ll definitely be doing over the next few weeks.

Admittedly, I sampled that episode only last night and have not gotten to watch a second installment yet. Still, I feel I can recommend this series unequivocally. I also don’t see how any fans of the original runs could possibly complain about the continuation because, even though I don’t have the prior viewing experience to compare it to, this is really good, and far better than most anthologies I’ve watched. (Plus the show is still made by many of the same people.) If the other five episodes come anywhere near to this level of quality, it’s bound to be a very strong season, and to make things even sweeter, a fourth season has already been ordered.

Looking at its Wikipedia page, it looks like BLACK MIRROR gives us plenty to look forward to. While earlier episodes include the likes of Jon Hamm (Mad Men), Hayler Atwell (Agent Carter), Domhnall Gleeson (The Revenant), and Rory Kinnear (Penny Dreadful), among the upcoming cast members are the equally good Bryce Dallas Howard (Jurassic World), Kelly Macdonald (Boardwalk Empire), Jerome Flynn (Game of Thrones), Michael Kelly (House of Cards), and Cherry Jones (24). So you can’t say BLACK MIRROR doesn’t attract talent. The fact that these people want to get on board after other installments have come out reinforces the idea that this a show to watch.

All six season three episodes of BLACK MIRROR will be released this Friday on Netflix.

Touch getting "Closer" to what it should be

Article first published as TOUCH Season 2 Premiere Review on Seat42F.

Grade: 87%

FOX’s TOUCH returns this Friday with two new hours. When last we see Martin Bohm (Kiefer Sutherland), he is in California, led there by Jake’s (David Mazouz) number trail. He encounters Lucy Robbins (Maria Bello, who guest starred in last spring’s finale), whose own daughter, Amelia (Saxon Sharbino, I Spit on Your Grave), is kidnapped after touting the same sequence as Jake. Now, teamed up, they must find Amelia and stop the dastardly corporation, Aster Corps, who will use the numbers for evil, rather than good.

TOUCH has undergone a major cast overhaul heading into season two, ditching social worker Clea Hopkins (Gugu Mbatha-Raw), left behind in New York when the Bohms head to the West Coast, and adding four new stars, including Lucy and Amelia. For some shows, a drastic change like this would be startling. However, in TOUCH, it seems a natural part of the growth of the story. The series follows Martin and Jake, and when they move to the opposite end of the country, they will necessarily be surrounded by different people.

It makes sense, too, then, that many of the recurring players of the first season are not in evidence in these initial two hours back. Some, like Randall Meade (Titus Welliver), seem to have already run their course, while others, like the Asian girls, are simply gone. It won’t be too disappointing if many season one players don’t come back, as the story has moved into the next phase, and so, too, must the people in it. However, the pattern is often illustrated as a spiral, so TOUCH may eventually circle back around to them.

I really like the changes TOUCH has made. Whereas season one seemed a little wandering, a little unfocused, playing a bit with mythology, but also presenting a lot of seemingly stand-alone stories, season two tightens up the plot. Now, there is a singular enemy, and all of the various characters in the show are involved in one situation. It helps to focus, and while there are still plenty of coincidences and patterns, they are usually guiding towards something specific.

As the first episode back, “Event Horizon,” begins, Jake narrates, telling viewers that his lack of speech is about to change. He doesn’t utter a word out loud in these two hours, so it seems a little odd to start this way. Does he just mean that he will begin communicating more clearly, though utilizing the tools he already has, or does he mean that he will start talking? Others like him, including Amelia, have no problem with vocalization. Why does Jake stay silent?

The dynamic between Jake and Martin is already being shaken by the inclusion of Lucy with them. Amelia does provide a handy way for Martin’s time to be freed up, leaving his son with Lucy. But she’s not just a babysitter, with the action following her, as well as Martin. I am very curious how things may change even more when they find and rescue Amelia, which seems a foregone conclusion. TOUCH isn’t nearly dark enough to kill a child viewers are made to care about.

TOUCH places Amelia in the most unlikely place. She is staying with someone we think of as a good guy, based on the story laid out in “Event Horizon” and the second part, “Closer.” I won’t spoil where she is, but suffice it to say, it’s unexpected. In keeping with what the show does best, TOUCH sets up some storylines in the first two hours, but only gives viewers a taste of what’s to come, leaving many unanswered questions.

Unanswered questions hover over the other two main characters quite thickly. The first, Calvin Norburg (Lukas Haas, Inception), is the brain behind Aster Corps’ recent activities, but he is feeling bad about what they plan on using his ideas for. He wants to save the world, and finds that hard to do in his current position.

Calvin’s path already begins crossing the rest of the cast quite quickly, being in L.A. at the same time they are. I don’t know if we will join up with them or pursue his own path, but he definitely will not remain outside of the circle. The question is, will he have power to help them? And what insights might he offer into what is going on?

Lastly, TOUCH has added a true face of evil in Guillermo Ortiz (Said Taghmaoui, Lost). Ortiz is traveling the globe, slaughtering people who know about the number sequence. We don’t yet know what his motivation is, though there are hints in his physical appearance, nor do we know what his end game might be. However, it does seem like his negative emotions about what he’s doing, which are present, are not enough to sway him off the course, so he could end up being quite a danger to the protagonists, since he cannot be reasoned with or moved by sympathy.

All in all, TOUCH’s season two ups the ante and makes the latest installments more exciting by shrinking the world in which this tale unfolds. I am curious as to if this is a trend that will continue more and more as the show goes on, spiraling towards an impressive climax. At least, that’s what it appears should happen at this point.

TOUCH airs Fridays at 8 p.m. ET on FOX.

Want to read some of my fiction? It's on my website, JeromeWetzel.com! Also, for the latest updates and article links, as well as commentary on episodes I don't fully review, please follow me on Twitter.

Touch now touching on DVD

FOX presented a very strange show last year called Touch, the complete first season of which is now available on  DVD. It is mostly a procedural, with each episode finding Martin Bohm (Kiefer Sutherland, 24) following clues left by his autistic son, Jake (David Mazouz, Amish Grace), who doesn't talk, to help someone in need. But it is also an anthology series, with several plots going on around the world every week, oftentimes connected to one another in unexpected ways. And it is also a mystery, as we don't know why Jake sees the numbers, or who may be trying to stop him from seeing the numbers.

The premise of Touch is that there is a connectedness to the world that can be explained with mathematics. Jake can see this, while almost everyone else cannot. Somehow, it isn't really explained how, these patterns track the movements of people. Jake wants Martin to help preserve the patterns, tying together two pieces of string that may have become disconnected. What happens if he doesn't? Will the entire tapestry fall apart? That seems unlikely. More probable is that Martin can use the pattern to make others' lives better, and that's what Jake wants.

This can all be very confusing, and understandably so. What starts off as a highly intriguing "Pilot," full of magic and wonder, soon settles into a head spinning series. Viewers may want more of the answers, but instead, all we get are small pieces to a puzzle we don't have a finished picture of to guide us. If creator Tim Kring can be trusted, a risk to be sure after the disappointing Heroes, there should be some major payoffs down the road. But for now, little is explained. We just know that life is great, and coincidences are supposedly predetermined, if you know how to see them.

While Jake and Martin are the central characters, a few others play a role in their lives. In season, Jake is placed in a home under the care of social worker Clea Hopkins (Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Undercovers, Doctor Who). She slowly starts to see what Martin sees, and is torn between her superiors, who appear to have a hand in preventing anyone from following these numbers, and wanting to help Martin help people. There is also professor Arthur DeWitt (Danny Glover, Lethal Weapon, Brothers & Sisters), who has worked with children like Jake before, and offers his assistance to Martin.

What is going on among these four is definitely the meat of Touch, and the most engaging of the many elements. While other tales may be neat and inspiring, they don't mean as much, since we don't know the characters. Whenever one of them enters into Martin's direct arc, it gives a greater weight to the plot, while those less obviously connected seem less important. Touch is still struggling to find the balance of these elements throughout this freshman run.

In the season finale, the two part "Gyre," the game changes significantly, providing a tangent that should move season two in bigger directions, giving more attention to the mythology and the larger arcs. I won't go into much detail, because I hope you might check out these episodes and see how it plays out for yourself, but "Gyre" opens the door for a notably different second season. Should the series whole-heartedly go with this turn, Touch might become one of the best shows on television. For now, it's just an interesting curiosity, which may or may not pay off down the road.

Whether this happens or not, Touch isn't quite like anything else on television, which when combined with a truly terrific cast, makes it worth watching. The eleven episodes of season one are clearly just an appetizer for what is planned, and if there is a plan, I look forward to a delicious multi-course meal in the coming years.

On this three disc DVD set, there are a handful of special features. The "Pilot" is presented in an extended version, and some deleted scenes are included. Two featurettes, "Touch the World" and "Fate's Equation," get into the mechanics of the series a bit, but do not really provide more understanding than what is contained in the episodes. Like the show, they are interesting, but murky in their significance.

Touch The Complete First Season is available now on DVD.

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

Touching on the Touch season finale

FOX's Touch ended its freshman run this week with the two part episode, "Gyre." Things come to a head as Sheri (Roxana Brusso, Southland) and the company make a play to take over full custody of Jake (David Mazouz). Knowing that the shady organization killed Arthur (Danny Glover) and made a little girl named Amelia disappear, Clea (Gugu Mbatha-Raw) helps Martin (Kiefer Sutherland) sneak Jake away. With pursuers hot on their heels, Martin and Jake flee New York.

Touch is all about patterns in the world, and how things are fated to come together. For many weeks, this is simply something hinted at, seen in brief glimpses, or at the ends of episodes. But "Gyre" really pulls things together. A number of guest stars, such as Arnie (Jude Ciccolella, 24), return, making the world appear a little smaller. As first Abraham (Bodhi Elfman), and then Randall (Titus Welliver, Lost, The Good Wife), help Jake and Martin escape, it seems like their team, which includes Clea and Abigail (Catherine Dent, The Shield), has gotten a little bigger.

This is great! Martin and Jake need a team behind them!  They are facing one of the unseen, shadowy corporations with unlimited power and staff that makes for many an exciting story. Everyone wants to root for the little guy when he is threatened by the big guy, and Touch taps into the classic storytelling technique. Plus, how doesn't love a secretive group of traditional Jews, and prophecies of thirty-six people saving the planet?

Similarly, Touch has lots going on behind the scenes, too. Masquerading as a procedural, with Martin helping a different person each week, "Gyre" exposes the true serial story. Touch is something that will play out over years, and connections come together constantly, in the most unexpected ways. Those watching most of the first season may be forgiven for being disappointed in the lack of movement of the major arcs. "Gyre" makes up for this, and points to a less fomulaic approach moving forward. In fact, the title of the episode plays into unexpected change, and hints at things moving in different directions.

Not that the cases of the week are bad. Seeing a son and father finding understanding in Japan, or a man making up for a mistake that he thinks he made, or another guy, who is lost, but finds himself while building a church and a life in a community, is heartwarming. Unlike the slew of medical and crime dramas flooding the airwaves, Touch is more of an anthology series, with common threads typing things together. It's also inspiring and uplifting, making it unique and deserving of airtime.

Besides Martin and Jake's plot, which is the central thread of Touch, "Gyre" opens up a whole new bag of worms by introducing Lucy (Maria Bello, Prime Suspect). At first, she seems to be a crazy woman destined for a single hour, interacting with a traumatized man on the beach (Cougar Town's Ian Gomez). But then viewers learn that she is the mother of Amelia, and she is looking for her daughter, whom she does not believe is dead. With the ending of "Gyre" bringing together Martin and Lucy in California, she appears to figure more prominently into season two of Touch. As a fellow servant to the numbers? As a love interest for Martin? Who knows, but it would be nice if she is signed full-time.

Season one of Touch has been a mixed bag experiment, sometimes growing boring and confusing. But both parts of "Gyre" are shining examples of what the series could, and should be. With a finale like this, I am very much looking forward to season two! Touch will return to FOX next fall.

If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter! Catch up with streaming episodes of Touch. Article first published as Touching on the Touch season finale @TheTVKing.com

Touched by Touch

     FOX presented a very special preview episode of Touch last night, two months before it officially joins the network lineup. In the "Pilot," widower Martin Bohm (Kiefer Sutherland, 24) is working a low paying job, struggling to make ends meet, while caring for his autistic son, Jake (David Mazouz, Amish Grace), who, by the way, doesn't talk, nor allow even his father to touch him. When Jake repeatedly runs away from his school to climb a cell tower, social worker Clea Hopkins (Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Undercovers, Doctor Who) shows up to remove Jake, at least temporarily, from the home. But soon both Martin and Clea are drawn in by the mystery of Jake's numbers, which leads to some remarkable connections. Martin follows those, and when his actions result in kids' lives being saved, he becomes a true believer.

     "A believer of what?" you might ask. Well, that's complicated. Basically, the theory set forth in Touch, and explained to Martin by the series's mysterious fourth main character, Arthur DeWitt (Danny Glover, Lethal Weapon, Brothers & Sisters), is that everything in the world is connected. Not only that, Jake is part of the next stage of human evolution. Jake can see all of these connections, and it allows him to understand what is going to happen. It's not predicting the future, but rather, having a clearer understanding of how the world works. Unfortunately, being mute is a side effect that prevents Jake from acting on this knowledge, so Martin must pick up on the clues and do the hard work for his son.

     While, in terms of realism, Touch stretches things just a bit, the emotional impact of this show cannot be overstated. Sutherland is fantastic as Martin, and other than at the beginning of the episode when Martin is informed that Jake has left the school, and dad gets upset, there are few echoes of Jack Bauer. For instance, Jack Bauer would never be afraid of heights! Viewers will really feel the affection Martin that has for his son, as well as his frustration at not being able to connect with him. Add to that, Martin's wife died on September 11th, and the whole nation will remember and feel his pain. Martin is in a nearly impossible situation, and the way in which he deals with his life is nothing short of heroic. Being given this purpose, as difficult as it may pan out to be, is kind of like a reward for all of the suffering Martin has been through, tangible proof that his efforts have paid off.

     In "Pilot," things get personal for Martin when Jake's numbers keep leading dad to run into a grumpy man (Titus Welliver, The Good Wife, Lost, Sons of Anarchy). At first, this strange guy seems to be an antagonist. But soon enough Martin learns he is a firefighter, and one who not only tried to save Martin's wife's life on that fateful day, but also pulls children from a bus. He is a hero, too, and Martin's actions lead to the latter outcome. It personalizes the mission in a way that future episodes likely won't often be able to, making for a hell of a "Pilot."

     It's wonderful that Clea gets on board with Martin so easily. Many shows would stretch out this friction to make drama, keeping Martin fighting with her. But in finding an ally for him and his son, Martin's job gets a little easier. And Martin has suffered enough, he doesn't need any further problems. Look for Clea to get more personally involved soon, cementing her role in Touch.

     There are other things going on in the "Pilot," though, that don't seem to have a lot of connection to the main plot, other than the central role of cell phones. A woman trying to make it as a singer sends videos of herself out on cell phones, aided by a friend. The video gets onto a father's, which he loses, and it also has pictures of his young, deceased daughter. The father desperately tries to get his phone back, and it ends up on a suicide bomber in the Middle East. Luckily, the bomber just needs an oven for his family, the father is a restaurant supplier, and they end up both connected to an operator, who happens to be the singer, during a crucial moment. How this connects to Jake and Martin is circumspect, but it's an inspiring, uplifting tale.

     In all, Touch really hooks viewers in with one of, if not the, the best pilots of the season, even with the few leaps people will have to make to enjoy it. The biggest worry here is that it is from Tim Kring, who also created the ill-fated Heroes. Fans of Heroes will remember how awesome the beginning of that show was, before devolving into something not worth watching, and getting canceled at the end of season four without resolution to a cliffhanger. Thus, watching Touch is recommend with some reservation, given that if Kring goes down the same path, an emotional investment might hurt quite a bit.

     Touch will return in March to FOX.

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Undercovers - Season One

     Though tomorrow is Wednesday, don't expect to see J.J. Abrams's Undercovers. Pulled from the schedule in mid-November, it did air three of the five Wednesdays in December, including the last two weeks. But even though there are two episodes left, no air dates have been set for them. The final two episodes, "Dark Cover" and "The Reason", are said to be more heavy in mythology and wider arcs of the series, which may be why NBC is no hurry to air them, since no more episodes will be made to continue the stories they set up. What is most disappointing is, if those episodes don't see the light of day, we won't know why Steven (Boris Kodjoe) and Samantha (Gugu Mbatha-Raw) Bloom were brought back to the CIA in the first place. Though, given that the final episode is a cliffhanger, perhaps it's better to be left in the dark.

     Sadly, this show was not as good as some of J.J.'s previous efforts. It most closely resembled Alias, which got only five seasons, but Undercovers may only have been half as good as its forefather. However, half as good as Alias is still better than much of what is airing on TV currently. Looking at why exactly the show failed is difficult, given that I don't have a clear idea why. But then again, why does any show fail?

     The leads were wonderful. Mbatha-Raw and Kodjoe have great chemistry. They were very believable as a devoted couple whose life had grown boring after their departure from the CIA. Reactivated in the pilot, the two came alive again, and their romance rekindled. Though they promised to keep their past missions a secret from each other, a few details had leaked out, and surely, over time, more would have followed. Their characters were trying mightily to balance normal careers as caterers and their less-normal careers in espionage. As they spent more and more time away from catering, I knew their staff would grow suspicious, and the whole thing was bound to fall apart. I wish the series had lived to see that. If there was a failure with Undercovers, it was not from these two, in either writing or acting.

     Similarly, strong props go to the mythology that was laid out. Samantha's former mentor was obviously a part of something big. The Blooms' boss, Shaw (Gerald McRaney), knew more than he let on, but his boss, finally revealed to be played by Alan Dale in last week's episode, knew even more. With two such great men playing the keepers of secrets, I was anxious to hear them. They were set up beautifully, but never got a chance to make the serve.

     The supporting cast was also solid. I loved Hoyt (Ben Schwartz) as the hero-worshiping geek, who managed to prove himself in the field on more than one occasion. Sam's sister, Lizzy (Mekia Cox), barely got enough screen time, but her role seemed to grow with each subsequent episode, providing a balance to the show that had nothing to do with secret agents. Leo (Carter MacIntyre) was fun, but sitting out a number of episodes, he hadn't fully gelled into the Blooms' team. I figured that would come with time, and after some plot twist I hadn't yet envisioned, possibly involving Lizzy. I was enjoying the Blooms' staff as well, even if I only knew two of their names, as they provided some quality comic relief.

     Each episode was fairly procedural, but there were some connecting threads, many involving the Blooms' relationship, and how they adjusted to being spouses and partners. Other arcs involved the aforementioned mythology, which was mentioned in most episodes. For some reason, most TV viewers are against a good serial steeped in slowly unfolding story, which is what I prefer. Lost, which J.J. was involved in the creation of, managed to break that rule. Alias did, too, which was part of why it struggled to retain its audience, and frequently moved time slots. This show tried to find a balance by not committing to that format, instead giving viewers an action-laden plot they could tune in to without knowing the background. Yet, that wasn't enough.

     My best guess on why the show was canceled? It didn't have J.J.'s good luck charm, Greg Grunberg, in it (yet). It did have his brother, Brad, but it just wasn't the same.

     Perhaps Undercovers was just missing that undefinable magic that lets shows build a big following. I admit, it didn't capture me as fully as I expected it to. It certainly wasn't bad, though, and I will miss it. Hopefully, NBC will decide to show us those final two hours soon, as if they hold them til summer, even those of us who enjoyed Undercovers probably won't care anymore. And if a cable network would like to try something new, I have a great candidate for you. I'll give you a hint. It stars Boris Kodjoe and Gugu Mbatha-Raw. Given another 13 episodes or so to grow, it could have been something special.


For frequent mini-reviews and occasional TV news, follow Jerome on Twitter.

Article first published as TV Review: Undercovers - Season One on Blogcritics.

Undercovers popularizes sexpionage

    For those viewers still missing Alias, among which I count myself, NBC's new show, Undercovers is the next best thing.  It has action, excitement, adventure, international travel, romance, cooking, and J. J. Abrams.  All of the necessary ingredidents to create one hell of a spy show.  Plus, after just one week, it has coined a term sure to grown in the pop culture lexicon: sexpionage.

     The series stars Boris Kodjoe (Soul Food) and Gugu Mbatha-Raw (Spooks, Doctor Who) as husband and wife Steven and Samantha Bloom.  Both were top spies for the C.I.A., but kept the details of their classified lives from each other.  When they decide to tie the knot, the gave up the job to run a catering business together, retiring from the dangerous but titilating game they played.  By the way, Samantha's somewhat inept sister, Lizzy (Mekia Cox, 90210) works for them, so they have someone to keep them grounded.  As the pilot begins, they have been in this comfortable, but boring, state for five years.  But it doesn't stay that way for long.

     Leo Nash (Carter MacIntyre, American Heiress), a former partner and boyfriend of Samantha's, who trained with Steven, has gone missing, and may be defecting from the U.S.  Unknown to his friends, Leo has been captured by some Russians, but that's all part of his strategy to take down a dangerous man.  Agent Shaw (Gerald McRaney, Jericho, Major Dad) is reluctantly sent to bring the Blooms back into the fold, enlisting their help to find Leo.  Shaw is not happy about re-recruiting them, but he also isn't telling them (or the audience) the real reason why it is so essential the reactive the Blooms, when there are plenty of capable agents working already.

     Steven and Samantha both claim to be happy in suburbia, but separately approach Shaw to accept the job, on the condition that the spouse not be told.  It is quickly revealed that they both have the same idea, and with the help of Bill Hoyt (Ben Schwartz), who worships Steven, they set off to do the job.  It's a good thing they've both kept in shape and their skills remained honed.  Boy, would it have been embarassing if Steven's beer gut got in the way!  Yet, somehow despite their unhappiness with the status quo, they are still the same people who left the spy business, which makes for much sexier television.  The Blooms, despite having never worked together until after their wedding, already have a great rhytm and chemistry down.  I assume this is because that they are both so dedicated to their relationship, which while suffering a bit of a dry spell, is not what they want changed in their lives.  Once the thrill come back, they are able to swiftly reconnect in all aspects of their lives.

     Ok, so as you can see from my last paragraph, there is a bit of cheesiness.  But it's soon forgotten, because the rest of the elements are so nicely laid in place.  It's a fun ride, and well worth a TiVo season pass.  It's telling that I've forgotten to mention til now that it's the first show of it's kind starring an Afrian-American couple.  It's nice we've finally reached a point where that's not a necessary thing to mention, as it's not the slightest bit crucial to the show itself.  The couple is as sexy, inspiring, and heroic as any pair that have come before them.

     And although J. J.'s goodluck charm, Greg Grunberg is nowhere in sight (yet), imdb.com lists his brother Brad Grunberg in 7 episodes so far.  Perhaps a new era of Grunberg will emerge?

     The second episode of Undercovers airs tonight at 8pm on NBC.