BATTLE CREEK, Michigan

Article first published as BATTLE CREEK Review on Seat42F.

Detective Russ Agnew (Dean Winters, Law & Order: SVU) is a frustrated cop in Battlecreek, Michigan, a city of 50,000 whose force is underfunded and underappreciated. When the FBI decides to open up a field office in the same building the police inhabit, Agnew thinks he will show them “The Battle Creek Way,” which is also the name of the pilot episode. Boy, is he in for a surprise in CBS’s new drama, BATTLE CREEK.

BATTLE CREEK is most likely going to be a case-of-the-week, buddy cop series, which is nothing new at all. While both of the main protagonists are men, an idea that almost feels fresh again after the male-female pairings of Castle, Bones, Law & Order: SVU, and so many others in recent memory, it really is a tired old concept done to death in the 90s and earlier before being fairly recently retired.

Yet, the pilot doesn’t feel tired. Maybe it’s because Battle Creek is set in a small town in the Midwest, rather than New York or LA, as most television shows are. As an Ohioan myself, I greatly appreciate this. Maybe it’s the excellent cast, which is better staffed than any procedural has the right to be. Maybe it’s just the snarky dialogue and the impeccable chemistry between the series’ leads. Maybe it’s the fact that House’s David Shore and Breaking Bad’s Vince Gilligan created this series, lending it a high pedigree. Whatever it is, I really enjoyed the pilot.

Now, that doesn’t mean I’m giving this series a great review. While it is my job to judge a show based on its premiere episode and I do it often, I personally usually give a series more than one episode in order to figure out if they make the list I’m going to continue to watch. I have seen a number of great programs spring from poor pilots. It’s rarer that a series would go the opposite direction, but given the network BATTLE CREEK airs on and its inherent premise, that could certainly be the case in this instance.

Let’s get back to this show specifically, though. Agnew’s partner is Special Agent Milton Chamberlain (Josh Duhamel, Transformers), a golden boy “promoted” to run his own office in the podunk town. Milt knows this isn’t exactly a plum position, but he’s determined to make the best of it, and brings a calming counterpoint to Agnew’s hot-headedness.

If BATTLE CREEK stays focused on just the two of them, it is doomed to grow stale quickly. I hope this won’t end up being the case, as the ensemble is quite capable of more, and it is stacked with a comedy bend that could keep the tone from being bogged down in the cases. There’s Detective Fontanelle (Kal Penn, House), Agnew’s former partner, office manager Holly (Aubrey Dollar, Women’s Murder Club), Commander Guziewicz (Janet McTeer, Damages), Agnew’s boss, and Detective Funkhauser (Edward Fordham, Cuts), as well as recurring roles Detective Jacocks (Liza Lapira, Super Fun Night) and Detective Niblet (Damon Herriman, Justified). Almost all of these are most welcome.

The first hour spends a lot of time on character introductions, and there’s a case tossed in for good measure. At least half the running time is on the former, which is a good sign, but it’s possible that is only done because this is a pilot. The ratio between character development and finite story is what will determine if the show is any good or not. Most CBS series rely very heavily on the latter, to their detriment.

If BATTLE CREEK shall succeed, it should remember to keep the focus on the players, toss in larger arcs and many recurring characters (including some who work for or with Milt, since so far everyone is on Agnew’s team), and make sure it is accurate in its depiction of the setting, something I’m not familiar enough with the real Battle Creek to judge. However, whether the last is handled with authenticity is likely to become more obvious in the coming weeks, and I hope it respects the local flavor that could set it apart.

BATTLE CREEK premieres this Sunday at 10 p.m. ET on CBS.

HBO's Parade's End

First published as PARADE'S END Review on Seat42F.

Grade: 91%

HBO will take its turn presenting the miniseries PARADE’S END this week, its partner in the endeavor, the BBC, having already broadcast it last fall. Perhaps HBO saved it so it would have a rich period piece this winter, just as it had Mildred Pierce last year, or perhaps they wish to attract those in the early stages of Downton Abbey-withdrawal. Whatever the reason, now seems an opportune time to air it.

The title PARADE’S END refers to the excising of the British upper-class way of life, the manner in which the elite of society put on certain airs, stay true to traditions, and worry about the way they are perceived. There is a strict social structure in place in the early twentieth century, mostly destroyed during World War I, and this miniseries tells that tale.

Well, it tells a personal take on characters who make that transition. Yes, the piece is somewhat sweeping, and does have a large-ish cast. But there are really three main players in the story who stand about above everyone else, and who are the case study made an example of here.

Benedict Cumberbatch (Sherlock, Star Trek Into Darkness) plays Christopher Tietjens, a noble Englishman who sticks with the way he is brought up, no matter what. This means he goes through with his marriage to the wicked, manipulative Sylvia (Rebecca Hall, The Town, Frost/Nixon), even though he knows she’s been sleeping around on him, and it’s very likely her pregnancy isn’t a result of his actions.

Their union is predictable unhappy, and Sylvia doesn’t even try to stay faithful, spending much time apart from her groom in the company of other men. Christopher, though, keeps up appearances, even as he begins falling for the sweet, strong-willed Valentine Wannop (Adelaide Clemens, Rectify, Vampire).

Looked at through the modern eye, it’s very hard to understand why Christopher doesn’t just leave Sylvia for Valentine, a topic discussed in the series. Why should he show any loyalty to someone who is so nasty to him? But that’s Christopher’s way of life, so I’m not sure it even occurs to him to end his own suffering, at least not for awhile. Part of the beauty of the piece is the illustration of the type of man Christopher represents, a specific guy from a specific period in time in a specific place.

In fact, PARADE’S END succeeds very well artistically. The sets and costumes are made expertly, and the details that set an authentic tone are present. The writing is smart, and the characters are well defined. Presenting World War I as a catalyst is a good idea, executed with much success.

The cast is fantastic, of course, especially the three leads. For those who are familiar with Cumberbatch’s work, this should come as no surprise. The girls’ talent matches hiw, but this is Cumberbatch’s showcase, and he owns every moment he is on screen, conveying much in his sad eyes.

The supporting players also lend both a fuller picture, and some levity to the proceedings. They include Roger Allam (The Thick Of It, The Queen), Rupert Everett (My Best Friend’s Wedding), Miranda Richardson (Rubicon), Janet McTeer (Damages), Clare Higgins (Homefront), Stephen Graham (Boardwalk Empire), and Rufus Sewell (The Pillars of the Earth), each of whom adds a positive element.

My problem with it is that it’s slow and a bit boring. Like Mildred Pierce, it meanders for quite awhile, and there isn’t a lot of movement. Does it really take five hours for a trio to work out their romantic arrangements? Especially when we, the viewer, know right away the decision that Christopher should make. His struggle is interesting, to be sure, but the running time will likely drive some potential watchers away.

PARADE’S END is strongly British, and not completely accessible. One must pay attention to follow the story, and it isn’t very light-hearted. I enjoyed what I’ve watched of it (I haven’t finished it yet), but it’s a miniseries I’d have to be in a certain mood to really appreciate, for sure.

PARADE’S END airs this Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday on HBO.