Not TAKEN With This One

Article first published as TAKEN Review on Seat42F.

Tired of the trend of movies turned into television shows yet? Me, too, but that doesn’t mean the networks are going to stop trying any time soon. Tonight, NBC jumps in with TAKEN, a prequel to the movies bearing the same title. Well, sort of a prequel because the technology used by the characters is from our present day, not set in the past. But character-wise, this is the back story for the lead guy.

TAKEN the series begins with Bryan Mills (Vikings’ Clive Standen taking over for Liam Neeson) out of the special forces, but not yet working for the CIA. He has done things that have made some people mad, terrorists mostly, and they want revenge. So the people that Bryan cares about are put in danger as his past catches up with him in violent ways. Yep, consistent with the big screen Mills.

This violence is the core of TAKEN, as far as I can tell. In the first hour alone, I’d estimate almost half of it involves sneaking around, fighting, and shooting. From the adrenaline-pumping, tragic opening, to the climactic showdown, this is, by and large, a popcorn adventure, with much more focus on action than on character development.

In fact, while there are some character moments in this pilot, I would argue that there really isn’t any notable character development in the first episode, nor will I expect to see any in future episodes. Bryan seems more or less the same person at the beginning as he is at the end, and will remain roughly the same individual in the films. There is a very stagnant consistency that is disappointing. It would be far more interesting to see Bryan grow into a badass than to have him ready-made this way. Though, given his established background, I guess TAKEN would have to start much earlier in his story to do that kind of arc.

While everything is happening to Bryan and he’s running around, the perspective does frequently switch back to Christina Hart (Jennifer Beals, The L Word, Flashdance) and her CIA team. They are watching Bryan, trying to decide when and if they should recruit him. Given that Beals and several of the others are listed as main players, it should be no surprise that they make a decision in the affirmative pretty quickly; Bryan has to join them before things can really start. But the inclusion of the various team members that make up the core ensemble indicate that TAKEN will be a series of procedural missions, the obvious way to go with this series, and a format TV definitely does not need any more of.

I will say, given that TAKEN is on NBC, rather than CBS or FOX, it does feel a little less formulaic than it otherwise might. NBC doesn’t typically box in their series so stringently, and that does come across in episode one. There are also some shades of the network’s Hannibal (a beautiful, brilliant show that is the exception to the bad adaptation rule) in the tone and style, though that comparison only hurts TAKEN, as it doesn’t live up to that other work by any measure. But what I’m saying is, while TAKEN isn’t good, it could be worse if airing elsewhere.

The best thing that could happen to TAKEN is a quick death. It doesn’t appear it’ll be one of the greats, and the last thing we need is another mediocre series. A fair number of people like the movies (not myself, but I know a few), so why not let those stand on their own for what they are instead of tainting them with a lackluster pseudo-prequel? It would be a mercy to the fans and viewers in general for this to get yanked quickly.

TAKEN premieres tonight at 10/9c on NBC.

PROOF a Bit Flimsy

Article originally published as PROOF Review on Seat42F.

TNT’s newest drama is PROOF. Dr. Carolyn Tyler (Jennifer Beals, The L Word) is a respected surgeon who has had a near-death experience and lost her teenage son. She’s found a way to go on, putting thoughts of an afterlife out of her head, until she is approached to study what comes after living from a scientific perspective. She’s fundamentally opposed to what she considers a waste of time, but for the right reasons, can be persuaded to try to find PROOF of what happens to us.

The thing that gets a grounded person like Carolyn to look into this is a little girl. Well, that and her own experiences. When billionaire Ivan Turing (Matthew Modine, Weeds, Full Metal Jacket) proposes the idea, Carolyn is quick to shoot it down. But appearances aside, she’s not a heartless person, and she softens when confronted with a kid who has recently visited the “other place.” It’s a bit too cheesy and done-before an event, and it doesn’t exactly start the show off on the right foot.

Carolyn is not alone in her quest, of course. She has an assistant, young intern Dr. Zed (Edi Gathegi, House M.D.), who brings a more open mind, and Janel Ramey (Caroline Rose Kaplan), who works for Turing and so is probably a spy in her midst. That’s it for now, Carolyn embarrassed for anyone to know what she’s doing, but swayed by the extraordinary amount of money Turing is offering (which of course will be used for charity because television archetype heroes cannot be the least bit selfish).

But she has other things pulling her attention, too. Her boss, Dr. Oliver Stanton (Joe Morton, Scandal, Eureka), doesn’t know about her extra-curricular activity, nor does Carolyn want him to, though I doubt she’ll be able to hide it since she’s doing her research at the hospital. At home, she has a daughter, Sophie (Annie Thurman, Dark Skies), and spanning the two worlds, an ex-husband, Dr. Len Barliss (David Sutcliffe, Gilmore Girls). There’s also a man who claims to be in touch with the other side, Peter Van Owen (Callum Blue, Dead Like Me, Smallville), whom Carolyn (no surprise!) distrusts.

PROOF is an odd bird. It starts off with a very serial concept, the main character being tasked to find proof of life after death. The characters are decently well developed with some driving forces that would lend themselves well to an ongoing story. Yet, the way the first hour deals with a single patient indicates that it will be a repetitive procedural, Carolyn finding one person each week through which to continue her research, and the whole set up is rote. Doing this makes the program far less compelling.

If Carolyn ever solves the essential question at the heart of the series, it would be over. But I don’t think she will, which is disappointing, PROOF setting itself up for failure right from the beginning. No one knows what comes after death, and it’s unlikely that anyone ever will. Those who are spiritual enough to believe there is something don’t have a way to test that theory and report back on it, and anyone who thinks they do is considered to be on the fringe, possessing no concrete evidence. Yet, the pilot of PROOF, from the start, tells us there is more than life. So how can Carolyn’s project possibly end?

The idea at the heart of PROOF is an intriguing one and I like the pilot OK, I just have little confidence in this series going forward. The central premise is too flimsy and closed-ended, the procedural element is heavy, and the cast is just a bit too much structured like practically every other show in the genre, with no real surprises in the makeup. As such, I just don’t see this as a series to get excited about

PROOF premieres Tuesday, June 16^th at 10 p.m. ET on TNT.

The Chicago Code faces "Black Hand and the Shotgun Man"

     FOX's The Chicago Code had a great pilot, but to my surprise, it continues to deliver extremely well-made episodes every week. Those expecting just another cop show are mistaken, as this series is certainly much, much better than most of its peers on television. The series gets into some real human drama, the heart of the people that make up the city of Chicago. The main characters struggle with moral compromises and how far to go for justice. There are cases of the week, but there are also much larger plots that consistently get plenty of screen time, too. It is expertly written and acted. I cannot recommend this series enough.

     This week, Jarek (Jason Clarke) and Caleb (Matt Lauria) bust a drug dealer named Romero, only to find the situation is much more complicated than they have assumed. Romero's son has been kidnapped by a rival gang, and while Jarek is fine with using Romero to save his son, federal agents show up and demand Romero be handed over to testify in another case, after which they intend to stick him into witness protection. Jarek is not one to give up easily, and is not about to let Romero's seven year old pay for his father's mistakes, so he has his niece, Vonda (Devin Kelley), and her partner, Isaac (Todd Williams), distract the F.B.I. men long enough to allow him to save the kid.

     Jarek often crosses the line, but doesn't get into trouble because of his results. While this may not be entirely realistic, it is easy enough to explain away, as Police Superintendent Teresa Colvin (Jennifer Beals) has given him a long leash in an attempt to go after a very big fish. As such, even when the case is not connected to Jarek's main target, he is allowed to defy orders more than other cops. Which, of course, makes for extremely good action sequences. If you are missing Jack Bauer, Jarek Wysocki should help ease the pain.

     Teresa herself pushes boundaries, but as she has to play politics, she isn't able to go as far as Jarek. Which may explain why she goes so easy on Jarek. He gets to do the things she cannot. He is her tool to get done what needs to be done. Last week, it went so far as to Teresa staging a suspension for Jarek, a real suspension, but pre-planned between the two of them, so that she can maintain a public image, but the job can still get tackled. This week, Teresa uses her more diplomatic talents, convincing the F.B.I. chief (Adam Arkin, Sons of Anarchy, Chicago Hope) that both they and she can get what they want. She is tough, but fair, and doing a heck of a job cleaning up quite a mess.

     I absolutely love the dynamic between Jarek and his partner, Caleb. Caleb is a goody two-shoes, who is well educated and wants to go far in law enforcement. It's Caleb's unique combination of reminding Jarek not to stray too far from the right path, but also not to get in his way, that has allowed Caleb to stay Jarek's partner, despite the high turnover rate that position holds. Caleb recognizes the value in Jarek's methods in a way others have not, and seems to have a good moral compass and wisdom. He doesn't always agree with Jarek, but he knows how to pick his battles. For instance, he is now harping on Jarek's large consumption of energy drinks, but doesn't try to talk Jarek out of fooling the feds to save a little boy.

     Caleb also gives Jarek crap for cheating on his fiance with his ex-wife, a plot that sees some serious development this week. Jarek's son catches Jarek and Dina (Amy Price-Francis, Life Unexpected, The Cleaner) together in the middle of the night. Dina wants Jarek to leave his very young fiance and come back to her, but knows him well enough to not force a choice. However, once Jarek affirms to his son that he has no intention of getting back with Dina on a more permanent basis, Dina accepts a date with another man, annoying Jarek.

     Perhaps it is cliche in TV that the man who is super good at law enforcement has a screwed up personal life. But that doesn't mean it's not entertaining. Jarek is a deeply flawed man, but that may be why he is able to understand the bad guys well enough to take them down. He knows flaws better than most. Jarek doesn't seem particularly enamored with his fiance, so I do find it strange he doesn't just dump her for Dina, whom he seems to value more. However, not knowing their back story all that well, it's hard to know exactly what is informing Jarek's decision making process in this case.

     Speaking of back story, this series has a cool element where one of the major, not necessarily main, characters narrates some history, often times with brief flashback scenes, informing on what has brought them to the point they are currently at. It's not like Lost where the flashbacks take over the narrative, or are extremely important to the ongoing plot. But I do like to know how past decisions influence present ones, and it is accomplished in an unobtrusive way. Very neat.

     Finally, in an ongoing arc, Liam (Billy Lush) continues his undercover investigation into Gibbons (Delroy Lindo). Last week, to keep his cover, Liam committed arson, later finding out his deed led to a man's death. Thankfully, rather than just forgetting this twist, Liam is really struggling with guilt over what happened. Gibbons, who orchestrated the arson and murder so that Liam is under his thumb, asks Liam to be his driver for a day. But it's a ruse. He takes Liam to visit grieving families, including that of Liam's victim, basically letting Liam know he is now owned.

     I am not convinced that the man died in the fire. His body may have been dumped there to blackmail Liam. Even if he did die in the fire, he was certainly placed there on purpose. I don't see Liam facing long-term consequences for the man's death, other than the personal demons he must wrestle with.

     Of course, Liam isn't owned, because he's a cop, and was ordered to participate in the fire. Gibbons doesn't know this. It is done cleverly, with Gibbons never actually saying anything threatening to Liam, actually smiling and acting like a mentor. Yet, there is a cruel ruthlessness underlying Gibbon's friendly disposition. What Gibbons doesn't know is that Liam is about ready to quit the operation, until Gibbons's strategy backfires, renewing Liam's commitment to the take down. Had Liam quit, it likely would have taken a long time to get a new undercover office in as deep as Liam is. Gibbons is causing his own downfall.

     Which makes me wonder what the long-term story will be for this series. Gibbons, obviously, is the first big target, and a main character. But I don't see Gibbons staying in power more than another year, at most. Any longer, and the show risks growing stale. Chicago is know for corruption, so surely there are many paths that can be taken after Gibbons goes down, though hopefully the next will be in a different direction. Rather than getting ahead of myself, though, I'm going to force myself to slow down and enjoy the ride. Because it is extremely entertaining.


     The Chicago Code airs Monday nights at 10 p.m. ET on FOX.

Article first published as TV Review: The Chicago Code - "Black Hand and the Shotgun Man" on Blogcritics.

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The Chicago Code Does It Right

     There are far too many cop / legal shows on the air right now. That should be apparent to anyone casually glancing at the network prime time listings. That's why I was extremely pessimistic about FOX's The Chicago Code, and wasn't looking forward to reviewing it at all. This, despite the fact that the show sponsored me on Examiner last week, so I owe them one, which has no baring on my opinion of the show, but still... I figured I would reluctantly sit through it, and then I could dash out a couple quick paragraphs about what drivel it is, copying everything else already on the air.

     That opinion was dead wrong. The Chicago Code is not at all the basic procedural drama. It's a mystery about corruption in a city known for it. It's an heroic tale about those that are finally willing to stand up to that corruption. Classic David versus Goliath, in modern day law enforcement and politics. It seems equally parts reality based, and dark, crime fighting, comic book inspired. Most of the first episode dealt with those major themes, and I am very much hooked.

     Alderman Gibbons (Delroy Lindo, a familiar face) has run the city for decades, relying heavily on the Irish mob, whom he seems to control, despite not being of that nationality himself. Six months after being named police superintendent, Teresa Colvin (Jennifer Beals, The L Word) is transferring ineffective cops to dead end beats, and is ready to tackle the source of the city's problems. Gibbons denies her request for a task force, but she doesn't let that stop her. Instead, Colvin approaches her former partner, Jarek Wysocki (Jason Clarke, Brotherhood), and asks him to do some investigating. Joined by his newest partner, Caleb (Matt Lauria, Friday Night Lights) and undercover detective, Liam, (Billy Lush, formerly of the canceled-too-soon The Black Donnellys), Jarek promises to do what he can.

     The road ahead will surely not be easy. But then, the show wouldn't be worth watching if it was. Gibbons has his hands in everything, and the people around him do not hesitate to take out whoever threatens their boss, without waiting for him to ask them to. Despite the resources at her disposal, if Colvin comes at Gibbons too strongly before she gets enough evidence to fully send him away, he could likely just have her removed from her job. How do you go after a man so powerful? It's a great question, and I look forward to a weekly series that answers it.

     Of course, the fight with Gibbons cannot go on indefinitely. I am thinking one, maybe two, seasons, tops. For those who may argue with me, thinking it would kill the show, Alias did it, toppling their big, bad organization a year and a half into the series, and they continued just fine for another three and a half years. A plot with such a defined villain cannot go on forever, and the series will get boring if it attempts to stretch it too long. At some point, things have to come to a head. Based on the progress made in just the first episode alone, this series is looking at a showdown sooner rather than later. Which is fine. I'm sure there are plenty of other problems the police of Chicago need to solve.

     Also in the main cast, besides all of the people mentioned above, is Jarek's niece, Vonda (Devin Kelley), and her partner slash lover, Isaac (Todd Williams, In Plain Sight). They are regular beat cops, sort of filling the role of the youngest brother on Blue Bloods, without the contrived conspiracy. That's because the conspiracy is the show. They are connected with the show's main plot only on the fringe. Instead, they simply add another layer, and a family element for Jareck. I predict they may get drawn into the larger story eventually, and hope they do. Otherwise, I don't see them needing to stick around for season two.

     One of the strongest elements of the show is how it can jump perspective. It did this several times, with narration alternating characters, including Jareck and Colvin. This format allows the show to add new central characters with little effort, or allow stand alone stories for single episode guests, such as they did in the pilot.

     If you have not watched the pilot, do not read this paragraph. If you do, the best surprise of the episode will be ruined. Antonio (Manny Montana), who was Colvin's driver and assistant, was right in the middle of his narration when he was gunned down, soon pronounced dead. I was shocked, and impressed. The episode really had me liking Antonio, and his death hurt. I wish he had stayed around, because he seemed like such an interesting character. On the other hand, what a neat, bold twist for a pilot to take! It's been done before, but seldom as well as done here. Major kudos.

     If you'd like to check out The Chicago Code, and I certainly recommend you do, it airs Monday nights at 9 p.m. on FOX.

Article first published as TV Review: The Chicago Code Does It Right on Blogcritics.

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