"The Candidate" for ARROW

Article originally written for Seat42F.

This week’s ARROW finds a friend of the Queens becoming “The Candidate” for mayor of Star City. Given what has been happening to other candidates, and that Team Arrow has made no progress against the ghosts terrorizing the town, this doesn’t seem like a good idea. But not everyone believes what Star City needs is a mask; some people want a hero in the light. Is there anyone who can be found to fill that role?

I am disappointed that Jeri Ryan (Star Trek: Voyager, Body of Proof) is brought in to play Jessica Danforth, a seemingly one-episode character. I enjoy that actress, and I liked this role for her. I was hoping she’d stick around a bit longer.

But it’s hard to blame Jessica for withdrawing from the race. With her daughter, Madison (Tiera Skovbye), kidnapped by mad man Anarky (Alexander Calvert), one understands why Jessica doesn’t want to ride things out. She’s fine with risking her own life when the city needs her to, but not her daughter’s. Few would act differently in her position, nor blame her for this.

The primary conflict between Quentin Lance (Paul Blackthorne) and Oliver Queen (Stephen Amell) at this point seems to be that Oliver keeps his identity a secret. I can see why a police officer has a problem with that, but I’m glad things are thawing a little between them, Quentin even asking for Oliver’s help at one point. Hopefully, their relationship will much improve now that Oliver is running for mayor, a position that he is uniquely suited for given his ability to stay alive.

I wonder if Oliver can keep being the Green Arrow while running for mayor. It seems like he’ll have to choose one or the other. As mayor, he will be watched much more closely than he is now. But he’s seen how bad the city is, and someone has to step up. At least Thea (Willa Holland), the one family member he has left, can take care of herself at this point, unlike Madison.

Well, Thea can defend herself, but she’s not all right. The effects of the Lazarus Pit are beginning to show themselves in her brutality. Oliver is willing to let Quentin believe he burned Anarky to protect his sister, but he won’t be able to keep covering things up for her long-term. That’s why, even though The League is dangerous, it seems a good plan for Laurel (Katie Cassidy) to take Thea back to the Pit. With her dad in charge now, surely something can be figured out to help Thea.

Less smart is Laurel’s plan to bring her own sister, Sara, back in the Pit. Laurel has already seen the negative effects of resurrection. She should definitely wait and see what happens with Thea first, to understand if the negatives can be overcome. I also wonder if the Lazarus Pit would even work on someone who has been dead as long as Sara has. I guess we’ll soon find out, though Sara’s starring role in the Legends of Tomorrow spin-off seems to indicate she will rise again.

I enjoy “The Candidate” a great deal. Besides the stories above, which are all interesting and engaging, there’re a lot of fun moments in Felicity (Emily Bett Rickards) asking for a code name, or as she tries to take control of the company she now runs. New character Curtis Holt (Echo Kellum, Ben and Kate) has plenty of potential. The series is doing a great job balancing the various plot lines, while developing each character on an individual basis. As long as ARROW keeps up this trend, I’ll have no complaints.

Except the flashbacks. It still needs to get rid of the flashbacks.

ARROW airs Wednesdays at 8 p.m. ET on the CW.

HELIX's Shadow Falls

Article first published as HELIX's Shadow Falls on TheTVKing.

The title of SyFy's Helix season finale, which aired last night, is "Dans L'Ombre." Translated into English, it means "in the shadow." There is definitely one character lurking surreptitiously in the base, someone who betrays those who trust him and remains uncaught as the frozen base meets its end. Where will Helix go from here?

"Dans L'Ombre" begins and ends about eight months after the rest of season one. While the general format has been one episode equals one day, basically taking our characters through a two-week crisis, the plot spreads its wings and soars beyond that small scope now. To be honest, the story was beginning to feel quite limited, stuck in one base in the middle of nowhere, as cool as that is at the start, but by the end of the hour, the writers have literally opened up an entire world of possibilities as the show is about to get global.

I hope this change of scenery helps. I really enjoyed the middle of the season, when Constance Sutton (Jeri Ryan) showed up and things got tense. But the secrets that have been spilling out these past couple of weeks seem tame by comparison. Even the arc involving Julia's mother seems tired and limp, which could be why Helix couldn't wait to get rid of the new character almost as soon as they find her.

I wonder how much Alan (Billy Campbell) might drag things down. Campbell works great as a supporting player, but as the leading man, is a bit boring. The writers are trying very hard to punch up Alan's arc, reviving his romance with Julia (Kyra Zagorsky) and making his brother, Peter (Neil Napier), secretly evil. Normally, this would be enough to make any character exciting, but even in the scenes where Alan is beating up a guy, he still seems a little bland.

The most interesting character on the show is probably Hiroshi (Hiroyuki Sanada). Originally introduced as an antagonist, we now know that Hiroshi is blackmailed into much of what he has done, and really has been trying to save the day. The sacrifice of his son, Daniel (Meegwun Fairbrother), is heartbreaking, but at least he still has Julia. Hiroshi's mission to protect everyone, especially his family, possibly clearing his name in the process, though he will never live down his guilt and regret, is definitely the most compelling reason to watch.

As "Dans L'Ombre" ends, we are left with more questions than answers. Did Julia slip Alan the virus or the cure? Why is Julia running Ilaria? Are the silver-eyed people a different species, as The Scythe (Robert Naylor, Being Human) seems to imply (Ilaria is, after all, an extinct genus of the marsupial family, so maybe evolution and branching species come into play)? How will Sarah (Jordan Hayes) and her pregnancy fit into the next chapter? How about Sergio (Mark Ghanime) and his shifting alliances? Has the virus spread beyond Puerto Rico? How come Alan can't get anyone in power to listen to him, given his position and the destroyed base, something too big to cover up?

I don't know that Helix is as fleshed out as it should be. There are terrific moments, such as when Alan throws Constance's head into the helicopter to distract The Scythe, or when Hiroshi reveals the truth. But there are also many seemingly unconnecte, threads that don't really advance the main story. I found season one good, not great. Can a second year work out the kinks?

Helix will return to SyFy.

Is HELIX a "Survivor?"

Article first published as Is HELIX a "Survivor?" on TheTVKing.

There's a lot to praise about the SyFy original series Helix. For one thing, it's much smarter than most of the fare on the network. It's a disease outbreak stretched out to full television series proportions, which hasn't really been done before, at least not successfully. It contains some actual science (and, admittedly, some liberties with facts, too). It has mystery, suspense, and mythology on its side.

The thing that has kept it from really soaring for me, though, is the characters. Dr Alan Farragut (Billy Campbell), the lead, is a ridiculous caricature. He's very intelligent, but also abnormally kind, and is willing to fist fight with trained soldiers. He's way too stereotypical a hero, too good at too many things, and lacking any real depth. His relationship with Dr. Sarah Jordan (Jordan Hayes) is beyond dumb and formulaic. I'm not sure if it's the actor or the way the part is written, but it drags the show down.

Thankfully, quietly, slowly, the series has been building up an interesting ensemble that may be the key to take it to the next level. Dr. Julia Walker (Kyra Zagorsky) not only has a unique plot arc, but also some history with the company behind this whole mess that even she doesn't remember. Dr. Hiroshi Hatake (Hiroyuki Sanada) is more than he seems, and actually has personal motivations that extend beyond a grab for power or profit. Major Sergio Balleseros (Mark Ghanime), who I had written off after his murder of the only interesting personality from the first few weeks, stumbles onto some information that could shift his allegiances, making him a dangerous uncertainty.

This is all ramped up in tonight's excellent "Survivor Zero." If you've been on the fence and letting episodes build up on your DVR, this installment, the halfway point of the season, sent out to press for early viewing for a reason, is where things begin to change and get really interesting. There are developments which each of those three mentioned in the previous paragraph that should shock and intrigue you. They are part of a story I really want to see.

All of this is instigated by the arrival of Constance Sutton (Jeri Ryan, Star Trek: Voyager, Body of Proof). Sutton is the head of the parent company that runs the base, Hatake's boss. She comes to check on the progress of the mission, clues of which are revealed in "Survivor Zero" that haven't been obvious before. Her showing up kicks off a number of new subplots, or speeds along those that had been barely blooming, increasing the pacing of the show as a whole.

She is also a heck of a great character. Ryan shines in playing multiple sides, a master manipulator who has her own goals, some overt, some not so much. I've liked Ryan before this, but this is much more of a meaty role for her than the past work I've seen her in, and should she stick around, has the potential to quickly become the most magnetic personality on Helix.

I am loathe to go into details because I think "Survivor Zero" works best without clues. Not being one to watch episode previews before they air, I'm not sure how much has been given away, but popping this into my player this past week was surprisingly rewarding. If this is an example of what is coming for Helix, and by the way it unfolds, I think it is a good indicator of what is planned for the back half of the season, it should really become something to watch in the very near future.

Helix airs Fridays at 10 p.m. ET on SyFy.

BODY OF PROOF Examined One Last Time

Article first published as DVD Review: 'Body of Proof - The Complete Third Season' on Blogcritics.

The final season of ABC’s Body of Proof  begins on a sad note, with Dr. Megan Hunt (Dana Delany) just getting back to work after three months off, a break taken following the death of her professional partner, Peter (Nicholas Bishop). To make matter worse, her daughter, Lacey (Mary Mouser), is kidnapped, and a bomb is hidden in a dead body. So Megan’s return is not exactly something to celebrate.

It’s kind of nice, though, to start with a case that will match the current tone of the series. With both Bud (John Carroll Lynch) and Sam (Sonja Sohn) gone from the cast, too, there is a sense of loss and emptiness anyway. By going down such a dramatic, depressing path, it allows the show to match the sadness felt by fans, rather than just trying to pretend that nothing has happened and move on.

Unfortunately, the replacements for those missing characters seem a bit too contrived. I like Mark Valley (Harry’s Law, Boston Legal), but his character of Tommy Sullivan, the new police detective that works with the Medical Examiner’s office, has a past with Megan. Yes, he is more magnetic than Peter, but the two men are far too similar, making every feel like replaceable archetypes. Why must TV shows force past connections? Why not allow new relationships to bloom on their own? Why does Tommy so neatly fill the role that Peter did? There’s both a sense of continuity, and one of overreach, right from the start of the run.

There are some things this third season of Body of Proof does correctly. It allows Megan to delve deeper into her father’s suicide, uncovering a cover up, and find closure. In fact, her story overall ends on a very hopeful note. The ensemble is still intact, with delicious friction between Megan and Kate (Jeri Ryan), and comic relief provided by Ethan (Geoffrey Arend) and Curtis (Windell Middlebrooks). Each member of the cast gets some nice bits of their own this year.

The final thirteen episodes are teeming with fantastic guest and recurring stars. Among those featured in The Complete Third Series are Henry Ian Cusick (Lost), Alan Dale (also Lost), Luke Perry, Joanna Cassidy, Richard Burgi (Desperate Housewives), Lorraine Toussaint (Saving Grace), Marissa Ramirez (Blue Bloods), Annie Wersching (24), Christopher McDonald (Harry’s Law), and Sharon Lawrence (NYPD Blue).

Of course, bringing in that kind of roster, especially while struggling to stay on the air, does seem a bit gimmicky. And the biggest issue with the show, that it concentrates too much on the case of the week, rather than the soapy drama between the characters, which is the bread and butter of most ABC series, is not overcome. But as far as procedurals go, this one is better than many.

Now that it’s canceled, Body of Proof will be missed, most especially because Dana Delany deserves to be on screen. She is a wonderful actress who can draw an audience, a fact proven in the multiple shows she has starred in. At least we have The Complete Third Season on DVD to rewatch and enjoy, as these are pretty solid installments, especially the series finale. Hopefully, she’ll be back before you know it.

This three-disc set has five bonus features, including an amusing gag reel. Other offerings include featurettes on the look of the production, the importance of props, a set tour, and the visual effects that make Los Angeles look like Philadelphia. It’s an appropriate amount of extras for the size of the release, and while none are super memorable, they do fit with what is presented.

Body of Proof The Complete Third Season is available now.

Dig up Body of Proof The Complete Second Season

ABC is not usually beholden to the procedural formula, preferring to specialize in soapy drama instead. However, there are exceptions. One such example is Body of Proof, a crime-of-the-week show following a medical examiner and her team. Body of Proof The Complete Second Season has recently been released on DVD.

The main issue I take with Body of Proof is that it is rote. Week after week, Dr. Megan Hunt (Dana Delany) and her co-workers manage to figure things out before the cops (John Carroll Lynch and Sonja Sohn) do. The whodunnit may not always be predictable, but it is nearly certain that Megan will finger the killer by the end, thus maintaining her glowing reputation.

The thing is, Megan isn't even the boss. She is a former surgeon who now works on the dead instead of the living. She must take orders from her ex-husband's girlfriend, Dr. Kate Murphy (Jeri Ryan). It's not an ideal situation.

Which is why Body of Proof manages to stay entertaining. Like it's network sibling, Castle, too much time is devoted to the crime, but when the series dares to stray into the personal interactions of the team, it becomes quite entertaining. Body of Proof has a fantastic cast that is often wasted. When they are used, they really shine, with terrific chemistry, witty one-liners, and shifting relationships. This focus on the personal is slightly amped up in season two by the promotion of Megan's daughter, Lacey (Mary Mouser) to series regular, and the scenes between Megan and Kate remain the best part of the show.

After a short first season, year two basically keeps the same set of circumstances, though a few things are allowed to evolve over the course of the sophomore run. Some memorable installments:

• "Love Thy Neighbor": The cul de sac central to this episode is a play off of Delany's former series, Desperate Housewives, making for some fun tongue-in-cheek moments. Kate tries to not-obviously bribe Megan.
• "Hunting Party": Kate fires Megan from a case at the request of a wealthy guy who is not afraid to throw his money around, but Megan still manages to save the day.
• "Missing": Bud (Lynch) is under investigation after an interrogation gone wrong, and Megan's mother (Joanna Cassidy) offers to help her daughter, though her motives remain murky.
• "Point of Origin": Megan clashes with firefighters.
• "Hard Knocks": Megan's ex (Jeffrey Nordling) decides to move away, making Lacey choose between her parents. Bud tells everyone that his wife is expecting.
• "Home Invasion": Curtis (Windell Middlebrooks) gets Kate's job, leading to lots of tension in the office.
• "Going Viral": In this two parter, a deadly virus is plaguing the city, and it's up to Megan and company to stop the body count on it's sharp rise.
• "Mind Games": A serial killer from Megan's past returns, posing a serious danger that results in the death of one of the team.

There are also 12 other episodes on the four-disc set, so plenty to keep you busy for awhile!

One thing ABC does do right is bonus features. There are quite a few on these DVDs, including a goof reel and some webisodes. Featurettes examine the set design, how the crew makes the dead bodies so realistic, various stunts in the series, and special effects. There's also a fashion bit, if you're into that sort of thing, and many Delany fans probably are, given her good looks and sense of style, both in this role and in others from her earlier career.

All in all, it's a decent series with some really interesting characters, and slightly better than average procedural cases. Were the focus to be even more about the people, it could be something really special. As it is, it's still worth a watch if you like a crime mystery.

Body of Proof The Complete Second Season is available now on DVD.

If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter! Check out my website, JeromeWetzel.com! Article first published as DVD Review: Body of Proof The Complete Second Season on Blogcritics.

Does Body of Proof "Love Thy Neighbor" ?

     For the second season premiere of ABC's Body of Proof, "Love Thy Neighbor," the team investigates a case in a neighborhood that purposely will remind fans of Dana Delany's previous series, Desperate Housewives. In an idyllic cul-de-sac, a man is murdered, and the body is made to look like an accident. But a little digging, and the team discovers an extensive circle of swinging, and eventually, the real cause of the murder, a meth lab. Throughout the case, Megan (Delany) proves she still has her wits, even while increasingly bothered by the relationship between ex-husband, Todd (Jeffrey Nordling), and her boss, Kate (Jeri Ryan). Specifically, how they might mess up Megan's still-in-repair relationship with her daughter, Lacey (Mary Mouser).

     The setting is a fantastic homage, and even Megan's toss off about "desperate housewives" at the end of the episode doesn't seem too corny. The whole thing is done with affection, rather than parody. The characters making up the neighborhood get filled by some fantastic guest stars, including Joelle Carter (Justified), Derek Phillips (Friday Night Lights), Rick Fox (Dirt, Oz), Christopher Wiehl, (Jericho), and Danielle Bisutti (True Jackson, VP). The cops find evidence of kinky sexcapades and false real estate schemes, with juicy twists and delicious surprises. As a case of the week, this one is pretty darn good.

     Thankfully, much of "Love Thy Neighbor" focuses on Megan's personal life, rather than just the case of the week. ABC. is generally pretty good about keeping the characters interesting in their procedurals, and Body of Proof looks to continue that trend. Megan now seems far closer to Lacey than when season one ends, and she is desperate to keep that mother-daughter thing from deteriorating, a perfectly understandable reaction. It's hard to tell how much of Megan's distress over the situation comes from worrying over Lacey, and how much is jealousy concerning Todd, but the former seems to be winning. Nice job keeping that at the forefront, while still going about this week's business.

     Other characters besides Megan are showing some growth and depth, too. Is Kate just acquiring a fancy, expensive new piece of machinery so that her staff doesn't hate her for what she is doing to Megan? Bribery is not necessary, as Kate is staying as classy as possible under the circumstances. Ethan (Geoffrey Arend) and Curtis (Windell D. Middlebrooks) continue to bicker, but help each other.

     Bud (John Carroll Lynch) gets to complain to Sam (Sonja Sohn) about his sex life. This opens up something that is perhaps not necessary to know about Bud. But it also humanizes him, and allows a real look at the two homicide detective's working relationship. This is welcome, and so are the scenes of the two doing their own jobs, as the pair are often only on the fringe during season one. Clearly, both actors can handle a bigger workload.

     Peter (Nicholas Bishop), so far, remains generic and boring.

     Watch Body of Proof Tuesdays at 10 p.m. ET on ABC.

     If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter! Click here for all my Body of Proof reviews.

     To order the Body of Proof DVD or purchase streaming episodes, please click here.

Body of Proof: The Complete First Season on DVD next Tuesday

     After stints on ABC's Desperate Housewives and Castle, Dana Delaney finally gets her own series on the network with Body of Proof, which premiered last spring, and comes to DVD next Tuesday, September 20th. Delaney plays Dr. Megan Hunt, a medical examiner who used to be a neurosurgeon, until she is in a car wreck, and can no longer live with the guilt of killing anyone. Plus, her hand goes numb.


     Now Hunt cares, something she didn't use to do, so she goes out of her way and solves the crimes that result in the victims she examines. She is very intelligent, doesn't have much respect for authority or rules, but gets away with it because she helps bring justice to the world. She is sort of a cross between House's House, Castle's Castle, and Bones's Brennan, three of the best offerings in the crime procedural genre, but Hunt doesn't quite live up to the standards of any of the trio.

     Make no mistake about it. Body of Proof does fit firmly into that crime procedural genre. Does Megan step outside the purview of her occupation, as she is only a medical examiner? Possibly, but I don't hear Detectives Bud Morris (John Carroll Lynch, The Drew Carey Show, Close to Home) and Samantha Baker (Sonja Sohn, The Wire) complaining when she helps them catch yet another killer. If you have a genius, use her. And make no mistake about it, Megan is a genius.

     Which is why her boss, Dr. Kate Murphy (Jeri Ryan, Star Trek: Voyager, Shark), lets Hunt get away with spending a huge portion of the department's budget, despite the fact that she has many co-workers to share the money with.

     There's her partner, Peter (Nicholas Bishop, Past Life, Home and Away), who is generic and dull. Seriously, if Peter were to be replaced in season two with a similar looking guy, few would notice. Curtis (Windell D. Middlebrooks, The Suite Life on Deck, Scrubs) is often grumpy, but helpful, and has a contagious excitement when cases get interesting. Ethan (Geoffrey Arend, Trust Me, Daria) is an eager to please, still learning, underling, who frequently gets saddled with the crappy jobs. Considering that Curtis ranks above Megan, it may seem odd that he often ends up helping Ethan with said disgusting chores, but perhaps realizing Megan's genius, Curtis only good-naturedly complains. None of these supporting players get much development in the freshman run, though the latter two show promise.

     Finally, there's Megan's family. Her teenage daughter, Lacey (Mary Matilyn Mouser, Life Is Wild), whom she drives away during her surgeon days, is someone Hunt wants back in her life. Now that she seems to value more than her career, to which she still devotes most of her focus, she is trying to repair things with Lacey. Ex-husband, Todd (Jeffrey Nordling, Desperate Housewives, 24, Dirt), is another story, especially when, in the season finale, it is revealed that he is secretly involved with Kate. It's just unnecessary melodrama, especially because Kate and Megan's interactions are the best part of the series, and this revelation threatens that relationship.

     In summary, Body of Proof does little to raise itself above its peers, of which there are many currently on television, and quite a few of them much better. With this talented cast, there is a chance that that might change in season two. After all, with only nine episodes in the initial run, the series is just finding its legs. Now it's time to steer the show more character focused, and less about the case-of-the-week, if it wants to remain interesting.

     The bonus features are, sadly, about as dry as the nine episodes in the DVD set. "Examining the Proof" spends ten and a half minutes assuring viewers that the science and medical details are real. It is commendable that the staff behind the series puts so much effort into authenticity, using consultants with wounds and terminology and even the set. But we get it already. Having the entire cast and a number of others keep telling us that is not needed.

     "If Looks Could Kill" is a five and a half minute feature focusing on Roberta Haze's costume design. Clearly, she is a legend in her arena. Her detailed explanation of how she differs Megan and Kate's looks is interesting. But again, if one is not into clothes and fashion, this feature isn't all that beneficial, and is worth skipping.

     "Body of Goofs" is the mandatory (for ABC shows) blooper reel. Clocking in at over three and a half minutes, there is everything one would expect in such an extra. There are plenty of flubbed up jargon, and cast members screwing up lines. John Carroll Lynch, who opens the bit with an interview from his "dressing room pool" stands out as the most amusing part of the segment. But again, disappointing.

     Finally, "New Evidence: A Sneak Peek at Season 2" is simply a forty-five second commercial for the new season. Which begs the question, why word it so promisingly if it's just a commercial? Viewers can see the same thing, or practically the same thing, on other venues. While not promoted as a bonus feature on the packaging, the title given the segment leads to a huge letdown when it is actually watched.

     It's hard to recommend Body of Proof: The Complete First Season on the aforementioned merits. It isn't terrible, but it isn't great. It falls somewhere in the middle of quality television. What will make the biggest turning point in deciding on whether or not to purchase a copy is how season two plays out. Until a few episodes get to air, I find myself ambivalent.


     You can buy Body of Proof: The Complete First Season on DVD next Tuesday, September 20th, and watch new episodes Tuesday nights at 10 p.m. ET on ABC, beginning the same day.

     If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter! Click here for all my Body of Proof reviews.

     To pre-order the Body of Proof DVD or Blu-ray, or purchase streaming episodes, please click here.

Article first published as DVD Review: Body of Proof: The Complete First Season on Blogcritics.

Body of Proof Season One Overview

     ABC premiered a new medical drama, Body of Proof, in late March. After reviewing the pilot, it seemed to be a standard medical/crime procedural, so I allowed it to languish on my TiVo for months. Truthfully, I was just hoping it would be canceled, and I wouldn't have to watch it at all. There are a few interesting procedurals, including Bones and Castle, but most are boring and rote. But then Body of Proof got a second season, and I decided to give it a shot. Having watched the entire nine-episode run these past few days, most of my initial opinions hold firm. It is definitely a standard procedural, and far from the best on TV, but there are a few hints of something decent, so I will at least be watching the season premiere next fall.

     The best thing Body of Proof has going for it is that it stars Dana Delany (Desperate Housewives) as the central character, Dr. Megan Hunt. Delany excels on Desperate Housewives, and continues to stretch her range on Body of Proof. She now plays a surgeon who, after an accident, been forced to switch careers, becoming a medical examiner. Although at first she comes acros as cold, Delany brings an earnestness and compassion to the role. It takes but a few hours for her to start to see the bodies as people, and really care about what happens to them.

     Delany's plot is furthered by the fact that she has an ex-husband, Todd (Jeffrey Nordling, Desperate Housewives, 24, Dirt), and a teenage daughter, Lacey (Mary Matilyn Mouser, Life Is Wild), whom she drove away during her surgeon days. Now that she seems to value more than her career, to which she still devotes most of her focus, she is trying to repair things with Lacey. While Mouser isn't the best actress, the strongest episode of season one, "Talking Heads," is one in which Megan gets very involved in Lacey's life, and Lacey reciprocates.

     Todd, on the other hand, remains an obstacle for Megan. While it may be understandable, given their history, that he harbors bitter feelings towards his ex, he does not think of her when acting, and barely considers her in regards to Lacey. In the season finale, "Broken Home," Megan learns that Todd and her boss, Kate (Jeri Ryan, Star Trek: Voyager, Shark) are in a secret relationship, damaging Megan's relationship with both of them. Todd doesn't seem to care about Megan's feelings of betrayal, and insits that he has done nothing wrong. He may be technically right, but his reaction is not.

     Megan and Kate may or may not be okay when the season ends. A true pleasure of season one is any scene with Delany and Ryan together, both being fantastic veteran actresses. Ryan's role is too small, and for that reason alone, it is forgivable that she gets involved with Todd, which gives her more screen time. Kate's place as Megan's boss, who Megan infrequently listens to, but both seem to have some personal mutual respect, is a delight, and the two have wonderful chemistry. The Todd subplot should be gotten rid of, but any time Kate wants to get more involved in a case, it's welcome.

     Also fun are Megan's co-workers in the lab. Curtis (Windell D. Middlebrooks, The Suite Life on Deck, Scrubs) is grumpy, but helpful, and has an excitement when cases get interesting. Ethan (Geoffrey Arend, Trust Me, Daria) is an eager to please, still learning, underling, who frequently gets saddled with the crappy jobs. Considering that Curtis ranks above Megan, it may seem odd that he often ends up helping Ethan with said disgusting chores, but perhaps realizing Megan's genius, Curtis only good-naturedly complains. Neither get much development thus far, except for Ethan's love story with a beautiful woman (his real life wife, Mad Men's Christina Hendricks) in "Dead Man Walking," but hopefully that will be corrected in season two. Perhaps even a return of Hendricks?

     Sadly, Megan's partner, Peter (Nicholas Bishop, Past Life, Home and Away), is generic and dull. There is nothing about him that stands out or is memorable, and he could be replaced by a similar looking actor tomorrow, and few people would notice. While he does sometimes give Megan good advice and offer her a sympathetic ear, Bishop is doing not a single thing to make his character stand out or interesting. If Peter is going to stick around, or god forbid, be a love interest for Megan, major changes are needed.

     The final main characters, Detectives Bud Morris (John Carroll Lynch, Close to Home, The Drew Carey Show) and Samantha Baker (Sonja Sohn, The Wire), are a mixed bag. While Baker gets some character development while investigating the death of a friend in "Buried Secrets," and Morris is shown bonding with Megan in "Helping Hand," one episode is all either get to do anything other than typical police work. Both seem to be very capable actors, but both also take episodes off, and the plot changes little with only one at a time working. It's a shame, because Morris and Baker are probably the biggest untapped potential of the series. Often on screen separately, as they don't work in the lab, they get cheated more than the others.

     So the main problem with Body of Proof seems to be that some of the supporting characters need to be beefed up. While Delany is fantastic, Body of Proof would be more interesting if it was more ensemble-focused, rather than banking on just one star. It has a deep enough talent pool to do so. Season one is not bad, but it could be better.

     Body of Proof will return this fall to ABC.


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

     To pre-order the Body of Proof DVD or Blu-ray, or purchase streaming episodes, please click here.

Article first published as TV Review: Body of Proof - Season One Overview on Blogcritics.

JWTV Quickie: Body of Proof - "Pilot"

     When we last saw Dana Delany, she was leaving Desperate Housewives' Wisteria Lane with a female lover, not long after she matched wits with Castle on Castle. I guess it should be no surprise, then, that the star is popping back up on ABC. This time, in Body of Proof, Delany plays Dr. Megan Hunt, a medical examiner who used to be a neurosurgeon, until she was in a car wreck, and could no longer live with the guilt of killing anyone. Plus, her hand goes numb. Now Hunt cares, something she didn't use to do, so she goes out of her way and solves the crimes that result in the victims she examines.

     Does Megan step outside the purview of her occupation? Possibly, but I don't hear Detective Bud Morris (John Carroll Lynch, The Drew Carey Show, Close to Home), whom clashes with Hunt throughout the case, complain when she helps him catch the killer. If you have a genius, use her. And make no mistake about it, Megan is a genius. Which is why her boss, Dr. Kate Murphy (Jeri Ryan, Star Trek: Voyager, Shark), lets her get away with spending a huge portion of the department's budget. Also, I'm guessing, why Bud will be using her again and again, since he's listed as a main character.

     Now I could tell you the basic story of Body of Proof's "Pilot", but if you've watched one of the gazillions of other crime-related procedurals currently running, you pretty much know how it goes down. Megan is a mix of House's House, Castle's Castle, and Bones's Brennan, three of the best offerings in the genre. She is very intelligent, doesn't have much respect for authority or rules, but gets away with it because she helps bring justice to the world. If this show succeeds, and the high ratings it racked up during last night's premiere are a good first step, it should not be because it masters a formula. We have more than enough shows that do that. I, for one, will not be watching if it relies too heavily on a case of the week format, though I'm willing to give the series a chance to prove itself before I tune out.

     No, what I want to see, and what I hope the writers deliver, is interesting characters. While I find Hunt's co-worker, Peter Dunlap (Nicholas Bishop, Home and Away) dull, and am not impressed with Bud's partner, Det. Sam Baker (Sonja Sohn, The Wire), I like Bud, Kate, and geeky mentee Ethan (Geoffrey Arend, Trust Me) just fine. I love 'why doesn't anyone call me Doctor' Curtis Brumfield (Windell Middlebrooks, Scrubs) even more, especially when he's ranting how Hunt shouldn't get the special priveleges that she does. Delany is fantastic as Hunt, bringing just the right amount of depth and layer. My heart breaks when she admits to losing her daughter for her career, and then losing her career. The only inauthentic moment of the entire hour is when, as shown in the preview, Hunt mouths off to Bud about being worse than he's heard.

     But my main concern, starting out, is I need to see plenty of Hunt's family. Todd (Jeffrey Nordling, 24, Dirt, Desperate Housewives) is a scheming jerk, keeping Hunt away from their daughter, telling Hunt not to even come to a birthday party. Or maybe he's not. Let's see more of their backstory! Maybe, considering Hunt's referenced past, he is justified in trying to keep sole custody, at least in regard to the old Hunt. Now Hunt wants to be there for Lacey (Mary Matilyn Mouser, Life is Wild), and if cake is any evidence, it's not too late. If the series can give enough time to personal details, it will be great.

     A special episode of Body of Proof will air this Sunday, and then the series returns to its normal time slot Tuesday nights at 10 p.m. ET on ABC.

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Leverage returns to finish second season

     TNT's hit drama Leverage returns tonight to air the final six episodes of their second season.  When the show first premiered, I likened it to a small screen version of Ocean's Eleven.  Each week a team of ex-crooks pulls off a con against someone that has done wrong and gives it back to the little guy.  High tech Robin Hoods, if you will.  It is one of the most interesting procedurals on television, but because each episode went pretty much the same, per the definition of 'procedural', I gave up watching it midway through season one.

     Recently, Turner sent me a screen of the summer finale from September and the first two episodes of the six about to air.  As it had been awhile since I watched the show, I popped them into the player.  It was as entertaining as I remembered.  Apparently, the first season was sort of like a stand alone miniseries, with an ending, but the team reformed for season two.  However, by the end of the summer episodes, one member of the team, Sophie (Gina Bellman, Coupling), has left.  She is still part of the main cast, and does appear in the premiere, but she is currently being temporarily replaced by her friend Tara, (Jeri Ryan, Star Trek: Voyager, Shark) who was in the summer finale.  Ryan is fantastic, already finding her groove with the rest of the team.  The one problem facing the series, besides coming up with new con ideas each week, is that Ryan is actually quite a bit better than Bellman, and it will be a disappointment when the former concludes her guest run and the latter returns to the show in her previous capacity.

     The rest of the main cast members are fantastic.  Timothy Hutton leads the group as Nate.  He is brilliant at slipping into different characters, and whoever did the original casting did right by the show by putting Hutton in the head seat.  Equally entertaining is Christian Kane (Angel, Close to Home) as Eliot, the muscle of the group.  Nerdy Alec Hardison (Aldis Hodge, Friday Night Lights) and the beautiful, but emotionally stunted Parker (Beth Riesgraf) round out the team.  The end of the season will bring several new escapades, as the group takes on the fashion world, a medium, an Irish loan shark, and in the two part finale, a mayor obsessed with baseball.  Upcoming guest stars, besides Ryan, include Luke Perry and the return of the underrated Mark Sheppard's Sterling, who will help Nate try to get his ex-wife out of a Ukranian prison.

     If you are a fan of procedurals, and haven't discovered the show, it is worth checking out.  Leverage will air the next six Wednesday nights at 10 p.m. on TNT, and a third season, consisting of fifteen episodes, has been ordered.