THE Merely GOOD DOCTOR

Article first published as TV Review: THE GOOD DOCTOR on Seat42F.

ABC premieres yet another medical drama tonight, one of the most common types of shows made. This one, called THE GOOD DOCTOR, follows a young man named Shaun Murphy, who has Autism and Savant syndrome. Shaun is hired as a pediatric surgical resident at San Jose St. Bonaventure Hospital. Most of the staff, including the head of surgery, do not want him there, feeling his limited ability to recognize and express emotion will make it impossible for him to be proficient at the job. But with strong support from the president of the facility, Shaun is allowed to give it a go.

Shaun is played by Freddie Highmore, a brilliant actor who is fresh off a starring role in the series Bates Motel. Highmore makes Shaun as interesting and well-developed as his Norman Bates was, and it is immediately clear that Highmore will do a great job. Joined by the excellent Richard Schiff (The West Wing) as Aaron Glassman, the aforementioned president, as well as several other capable, sometimes terrific, actors, it seems there is the framework in place for a very solid show.

Furthering the points in THE GOOD DOCTOR’s favor is the creative team behind it. This show is based off of a successful South Korean series, and was developed for the U.S. by David Shore (House) and Daniel Dae Kim (Lost). Shore definitely knows something about making strong dramas in the genre, and Kim is well respected as a performer, which sometimes makes for a good guiding hand in production.

Here’s where the review takes a turn, though. Despite everything working in its favor, THE GOOD DOCTOR is merely the adjective the title uses – good. You may ask, what’s wrong with good? Indeed, many merely good series are watched by a great number of people week after week, year after year. But this is 2017, the era of peak TV, and there are many, many more innovative, complicated, and compelling options available. Good is no longer good enough.

There are plenty of factors working against THE GOOD DOCTOR, starting with how the story is very cliché. Despite being somewhat character-driven, it appears poised to feature mainly stand-alone episodes. The way Shaun’s thought process is depicted is a step above what House did, graphically speaking, but not unusual when compared to other, more recent series. The climax feels forced, and the resolution, unrealistic. Characters are almost two-dimensionally against Shaun for the wrong reasons, and viewers are hand-fed manipulative emotional scenes.

So what could THE GOOD DOCTOR have done better? Well, let’s start with the other characters having more nuanced opinions of Shaun. Why be so certain he’s going to fail before a person has even met him? Or worse, once they see Shaun impressively figure out a tough puzzle, why do they still write him off so quickly? In stark contrast with Highmore’s performance, it’s glaringly bad. It would also be interesting if the show was more focused on communicating Shaun’s experience, rather than using it as set dressing against a more mediocre storyline.

The one thing it probably could not have done better is choose better actors, and that’s probably why I’m so disappointed. We have enough melodrama on TV, and there are plenty of fine thespians to handle those. With people the likes of Highmore and Schiff, far above average, the project could and should have had more weight.

In fact, the thing I would most relate this show to is a formulaic, feel-good Disney film about overcoming diversity, with the struggle simplified to a sugar-coated, nutritionally-lacking, tasty but unsatisfying snack. This is the television version of that. Airing on Disney’s ABC, that might work out for it. But for the discerning viewer who only has time for high quality and freshness, this won’t make the cut.

THE GOOD DOCTOR premieres tonight at 10 ET on ABC.

HOLISTIC DETECTIVE Whole Lot of Chaotic Fun

Article first published as DIRK GENTLY'S HOLISTIC DETECTIVE AGENCY Review on Seat42F.

BBC America has a new series coming this weekend entitled DIRK GENTLY’S HOLISTIC DETECTIVE AGENCY. No, this isn’t the first show to be adapted from the Douglas Adams books, but it certainly is an interesting one.

If you haven’t read the Dirk Gently books, one that shares a title with this show, a second called The Long Dark Tea-Time of the Soul, and a third that was only partially finished before the author’s passing, but was posthumously published anyway, called The Salmon of Doubt, you may be asking yourself what exactly is a holistic detective? Or, after seeing the names of the other books in the series, you may have already chalked up the author as a weirdo whose titles aren’t expected to strictly make sense. Both are probably correct attitudes to have.

According to Dirk (played here by Penny Dreadful’s Samuel Barnett), a holistic detective is one who looks at the whole picture. He follows any tangent that occurs to him, and it somehow all works out. The universe provides, so to speak. And for some reason, he can be hired to solve a murder by the guy who is killed. (Don’t ask.)

Thankfully (for obvious reasons), Dirk is not our protagonist. That honor belongs to Todd (Elijah Wood, Wilfred, The Lord of the Rings), a simple hotel worker who gets pulled into Dirk’s craziness quite unintentionally. Todd is our everyman who doesn’t understand why very, very strange things start happening around him, and doesn’t want anything to do with a man who just moves into one’s Seattle apartment without asking. So he’s our grounded anchor in a very bizarre show.

Although I have not read this book series, it does not appear that the new show is based on the novels, plot-wise. Todd isn’t mentioned in any novel description. Instead, it just takes the inane character of Dirk and drops him into our real world, with all new wackiness. Considering how The Hitchhiker’s Galaxy movie was received, perhaps that’s for the best, though I would likely be annoyed if I were someone who had read the books.

The show itself does a lot of the trademark Adams wit (I did read and enjoyed all of Hitchhiker’s, so I feel I can say that), with a bunch of mumbo jumbo dialogue that sounds good, but doesn’t really hold up under scrutiny, in a good way. Some of the laughs are obtained by pointing out absurdity in the real world in the context of the insane Dirk, and some are just derived from weird situations.

It also resembles humorist Dave Barry’s wonderful debut novel, Big Trouble, in that it features a great many characters, each with their own motivations, who somehow all come into one another’s orbit. In the pilot, we meet Todd’s sister, Amanda (Hannah Marks, Necessary Roughness), who is struggling with an odd affliction. We also meet a holistic assassin, Bart Curlish (Fiona Dourif, True Blood), and Todd’s neighbor, Farah Black (Jade Eshete, Shades of Blue), and a scared nerd, Ken (Mpho Koaho, Falling Skies), and a weird man, Gordon (Aaron Douglas, Battlestar Galactica), and Zimmerfield (Richard Schiff, The West Wing), and Riggins (Miguel Sandoval, Medium), and Friedkin (Dustin Milligan, Schitt’s Creek), and Estevez (Neil Brown Jr., Straight Out of Compton), and The Rowdy 3, who are actually four men, which I won’t list because this is getting ridiculously long.

All of the above are zany main characters, and their individual threads are all already coming into conflict already in episode one. It’s an extremely convoluted plot that is surprisingly easy to follow, and constantly entertaining. There was not a moment of this pilot that I didn’t love, and while I have absolutely no idea where this is going, or really, even who Dirk is, I am eager to follow along.

If you like offbeat British humor in general, or Douglas Adams in particular, I recommend checking out DIRK GENTLY’S HOLISITC DETECTIVE AGENCY, premiering Saturday at 9/8 c on BBC America.

Don't “Damnatio Memoriae” MANHATTAN

Article originally published as MANHATTAN Review on Seat42F.

“Damnatio Memoriae” is a Latin phrase that means a person must not be remembered. As MANHATTAN returns for a second season on WGN America, the premiere episode bears that title, and many in charge of Los Alamos would like Frank Winter (John Benjamin Hickey) to be forgotten. The hour does the opposite, though, with Frank’s absence felt in both big ways and small, and frequently mentioned. The more things change in the desert, the more Frank is ingrained in the minds of them all.

I expected MANHATTAN to feel like a different show without Frank (who isn’t the only cast member gone when the sophomore run begins), but it really doesn’t. Characters come and go on MANHATTAN, and while Frank is central in the first year, there are other important players who are still around. As such, while Frank (and Daniel Stern’s Glen Babbit) will be missed by the fans as well as the other characters, MANHATTAN must continue.

“Damnatio Memoriae” begins with the testing of the atomic bomb, before jumping back in time fifteen months. While it’s not news to the audience that the bomb actually gets made and works, something taught in history classes all over the world, the show uses a subplot with Russian spy Jim Meeks (Christopher Denham) to build suspense. The flash-forwards also seem to promise Frank’s return. Are these events set for the season finale, or much later? We’ll have to wait and see.

In the present, Charlie Isaacs (Ashley Zukerman) has been promoted to head up the implosion project, now the focus of the camp. He bristles against how he gets the job, but he takes to the new-found authority with startling ease. From going head-to-head with the mysteries spy hunter Occam (Richard Schiff), to lying to the staff about Frank’s whereabouts (or so Charlie thinks), Isaacs quickly becomes comfortable with his position. He may not have wanted this turn of events, but they suit him well.

Part of Charlie’s stepping up could be because he learns that his wife, Abby (Rachel Brosnahan), is pregnant. She may not give their marriage a second chance, but Charlie is going to be a parent, and that rearranges one’s priorities. But even before that he shows the tenacity, strength, and willingness to play the game that is needed. I have to say, I’m a little surprised, especially knowing the mistakes he’s made in the past. Some people just rise to the occasion, though.

Frank may be gone, but his wife, Liz (Olivia Williams), is not. Told she must stay in Los Alamos because of what she knows, she is demoted in her living quarters and not given any information about what happened to her husband. She’s essentially an unwilling prisoner at this point, but I give her credit for not giving up and managing to get her daughter transferred away, despite the efforts of Dunlavey (Jefferson White), who is by no means a worthy opponent.

The major character introduced in “Damnatio Memoriae” is the new head of the base, Col. Darrow (William Peterson, CSI). Darrow comes into quite a mess, and while he won’t get everything under control right away, he does get a chance to assert his authority with Crosley (Harry Lloyd). This scene tells viewers right away the type of commander Darrow is, and he’s one that should not only get things running much more smoothly, but also will not be trifled with. The time for nonsense is over.

Being on WGN America, many people may not yet have heard of or given a chance to MANHATTAN. It is a terrific human drama, though, and while not wholly historically accurate, with fictional characters put into real events, is a fascinating look at the type of place in which the bomb was built. It’s definitely worth watching.

MANHATTAN airs Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET on WGN America.

MANHATTAN Ignites

Article originally written for Seat42F.

WGN America is making huge plays these days to elevate itself from ‘superstation’ to full-fledged cable network, including creating their own content. Their first original drama, Salem, is good. Their second, MANHATTAN, which premiered last night, is even better.

Set in Los Alamos, New Mexico, which was unnamed in the 1940s when this story takes place, the series dramatizes the invention of the atomic bomb, with a focus on those who helped design and formulate it, as well as their families. A highly secretive project, the men and women employed by the U.S. government at this isolated site were among the best and the brightest. Their spouses often were not, and were not even trusted with knowing what the employees were desperately working on, racing against Germany to end the war.

MANHATTAN is besieged by the ticking clock. The Americans believed that Hitler was also working on the bomb-to-end-all-bombs, and that he was close to finishing it. Thus, they are spurred on not only by patriotism, which nearly all of them possess in spades, but also by the fear of the consequences should they lose the race. As one character muses when his daughter wants to go to college in New York, to paraphrase, ‘A densely populated city on the East Coast? No way.’

The pilot, “You Always Hurt the One You Love,” introduces us to a lot of characters, but thankfully, it keeps the core cast small enough to handle. There’s: Frank Winter (John Benjamin Hickey, The Big C), a brilliant scientist leading a small team competing with Akley’s (David Harbour, The Newsroom) much bigger, more well-funded one; Frank’s wife, Liza (Olivia Williams, Dollhouse), a botanist with a PhD who isn’t allowed to plant crops in the complex; new recruit Charlie Isaacs (Ashley Zukerman, Rush), who is physically nauseated when the purpose of the place is revealed; and Charlie’s wife, Abby (Rachel Brosnahan, House of Cards), who wants to go home, and will likely get Charlie into trouble.

These four are surrounded by a large group of wonderful players, including Daniel Stern (Home Alone, City Slickers), Josh Cooke (Dexter), Harry Lloyd (Game of Thrones), Eddie Shin (Men of a Certain Age), Michael Chernus (Orange is the New Black), Christopher Denham (Argo), Katja Herbers Alexia Fast (Jack Reacher), Richard Schiff (The West Wing), and Mark Moses (Mad Men), but keeping these two couples at the core helps ground the narrative.

Many issues are brought up and dealt with in MANHATTAN, even when just considering the pilot. There’s the military state, security that may be over the top or could be construed as necessary, depending on your perspective. There’s the political nature of the hierarchy, as Frank finds out when he approaches Oppenheimer (Daniel London, Mildred Pierce) with a better idea than Ackley’s, but is shot down anyway. There is the splintering of marriage when trust is broken, mainly because of the constraints of the job. There is the constant threat that even the best intentions could get one into serious trouble, and rumors and gossip spread quickly. There is the challenge of living in a new environment in the middle of nowhere, a major stressor on those who aren’t in the office at all hours.

Yet, despite the extremely full hour-plus running time, MANHATTAN is not overwhelming. Instead, it presents a complex structure with interesting topics and people, an authentic-seeming look at an important part of history. The moral quandaries of The Manhattan Project are still debated today, so MANHATTAN, besides being an entertaining drama, is also a way for modern people to sort out mixed feelings about it, and also get some historical perspective. I find myself thoroughly engrossed and excited about this series.

MANHATTAN airs Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on WGN America.

MURDER IN THE FIRST Running Last in My Book

Article first published as TV Review: 'Murder in the First' - 'Pilot' on Blogcritics.

Murder in the First is a new crime drama that premiered on TNT this week. It follows Detectives Terry English (Taye Diggs, Private Practice) and Hildy Mulligan (Kathleen Robertson, Boss) as they investigate a couple of murders that seem to both be connected to young, rich tech genius, Erich Blunt (Tom Felton, the Harry Potter films). Can they find the truth and bring the murder or murderers to justice?

I have to give TNT credit for trying to tackle a higher-concept series. On a channel that has plenty of case-of-the-week procedurals, including Rizzoli & Isles, Franklin & Bash, Perception, and Major Crimes, it’s refreshing to see a series that is actually going to have the story running for multiple weeks, not a quickly tie up at the end of the hour. Admittedly, TNT has done serials before, such as Falling Skies and Dallas, but this is the first time I can think of them doing a show like this in the crime genre. Are they finally ready to enter the fray of high-concept investigation programs, competing against True Detective and its ilk?

Murder in the First reminds me of The Killing, in that it sets up a complicated case with many different players and moving parts. There’s definitely an effort made to build something complex and engaging, with a number of different personalities in different roles participating, including lawyers and a judge, as well as the cops and those connected with the central tycoon. The case will be carried out over the course of a season, at least, to allow greater depth in the story. We will get snippets of the larger picture, which will only culminate after much time is spent following the clues.

The problem is, Murder in the First immediately establishes itself as far less interesting than those shows it directly competes with. The characters are mostly from stock, with children and a dying wife thrust upon the lead detectives, scenarios that are designed purely to create more drama, not because it furthers the story or enriches the roles, at least, that’s how it comes across in the “Pilot,” given the predictable way in which they’re handled. While there may be ‘twists’ coming up, there is no shades of grey in the way Blunt is introduced, very clearly telegraphing himself as a person of interest. And the pacing is far more concerned with action and developments than allowing the actors to dwell on their emotions.

This is a shame because Murder in the First has lined up an excellent roster. Besides Diggs, Robertson, and Felton, the cast is loaded with James Cromwell (American Horror Story: Asylum), Steven Weber (Wings), Richard Schiff (The West Wing), Raphael Sbarge (Once Upon a Time), Ian Anthony Dale (Hawaii Five-O), Nicole Ari Parker (Revolution), Currie Graham (Raising the Bar), and others. This is great ensemble and they could handle much more advanced material than they are being given. It seems downright cruel to tease them with a show that should be good, and then deliver another mediocre installment.

Can Murder in the First rise above these weak roots and grow into a strong tree, an oak anchoring the network? Probably not. In a world where AMC, HBO, FX, Netflix, and so many other strong competitors are breaking fresh ground, really stretching the art of storytelling and exploring new corners of familiar worlds, Murder in the First is too little, too late, a pale copy of other series. I suggest if TNT wants to play with the big boys it return to the drawing board and come up with something totally original, rather than copying other works. It shouldn’t compete in a formula that it cannot possibly win, hurting itself in the inevitable comparisons.

Murder in the First airs Mondays at 10 p.m. ET on TNT.

Keep working on The Mindy Project

Grade: 73%

I really wanted to like THE MINDY PROJECT. The star and creator, Mindy Kaling, has not only played Kelly Kapoor on The Office for all of these years, but has also written some of the funniest episodes of that show. It is time for her to get her own vehicle, and to let her voice be heard outside of the protective bubble of the long-running, popular sitcom.

Sadly, it’s really hard to be a fan of this new effort. At least, the “Pilot” isn’t very good. The jokes are predictable, the situations a little too “been-there, done-that,” and the characters don’t seem fresh. It may grow into something great, and I really hope it does. But it is not there yet, as of the first episode.

Kaling’s character, not coincidentally named Mindy, is a lot like Kelly, though toned down slightly to be more realistic. She is a relatable girl, smart and cute, even if she worries about her weight issues. She loves romantic comedies, and longs so much for her life to be one. But, like many girls who can relate to this attitude, her dreams will not come true. She struggles to find any guy who can live up to her ridiculous standards, but even those who fall far below that seem to be scarce. She doesn’t help herself by sleeping around, a habit hinted at, but not shown in the “Pilot.” All in all, the best adjective to describer this character, meant on a couple different levels, is sad.

The writing is as uneven as the character herself. There are lots of great pop culture references, which might date the show in the future, but seem timely enough for now. But the delivery of them isn’t goofy, like Kelly, or witty, as in other shows. Instead, it just adds to the mental delusions that keep Mindy out of touch with reality. Perhaps if she had a little more confidence, or didn’t sound like she believed them so sincerely, they would land better.

Much of the first episode is given over to Mindy’s romantic adventures. First, there is an oral surgeon (Saturday Night Live’s Bill Hader) who dumps her to marry a younger model. Then, there is the sane and handsome first date (Kaling’s former co-star, Ed Helms), who may be scared off by her crazy. The thing is, neither of these men feel like they have chemistry with Mindy, making the whole thing seem off.

Of course, the man Mindy is supposed to be with is right in front of her face and she is blind to it. His name is Danny (Chris Messina, Damages, The Newsroom), and he is a man’s man, as well as a co-worker. While Mindy is seeking romance, he tries to tell her to alter her expectations and look for a “real” guy. She ignores him, not willing to abandon her mission.

If THE MINDY PROJECT would allow Mindy to calm down and ditch her silly, unrealistic ideas, it would work much better. Danny isn’t just the opposite of what she thinks she wants, but really needs, he is also someone who will challenge her and help her to grow. An element that takes a back seat in the first episode is that Mindy is a doctor, and Danny is her competition. He is driven at work, and if she’d stop seeing Danny as an obstacle, but rather, someone she can have a friendly game with, things would change for her. This will probably happen. Eventually.

No one else really stands out in the “Pilot.” The cast is full of wonderful performers like Anna Camp (True Blood, The Good Wife), Stephen Tobolowsky (Californication, Glee), Richard Schiff (The West Wing), and Amanda Setton (Gossip Girl). But none of them are given much to work with, and if one wasn’t familiar with their other work, one probably wouldn’t notice them here. THE MINDY PROJECT is the type of show that screams for an ensemble, and has a very capable one. It just needs to figure out how to use it.

THE MINDY PROJECT premieres Tuesday, September 25th at 9:30 p.m. ET on FOX.

The Cape - "Pilot" and "Tarot"

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     Super heroes have been tried on the small screen over the years with varying degrees of success. Recent attempts include Smallville, which started off as a monster-of-the-week procedural that was not at all good, then evolved into an often pretty cool original story of Superman's early life. Heroes was a slow, large casted serial, that began with a lot of steam, and then tapered off. No Ordinary Family went for the lighter approach, combining family drama with the powers, sort of like a Fantastic Four. Now we have NBC's The Cape, which feels like a modern Marvel movie, with elements of Christopher Nolan's Batman films. In short, should the show maintain what it showed us in the first two hours last night, we could finally have a movie-quality hero on the small screen, with movie-quality adventures every week.

     While there were two episodes aired together last night, with one opening credit sequence, they were separate stories. The first hour, "Pilot", felt like an origin movie, rushed and gutted to fit into one hour. The second, "Tarot", would have made a great sequel, though the family stuff, as well as the arc with Patrick Portman (Richard Schiff, The West Wing) could easily have padded the middle of the pilot. If the two hours didn't contain three separate villains, different editing would have delivered one solid movie. Yes, super hero movies have done three villains in one film before, but rarely very well. I kind of wish this approach had been taken, as that would have created a product superior to what aired. But what did make it on screen was still pretty good.

     Obviously, there is a hero. In this case it's Vince Faraday (David Lyons, ER, Eat Pray Love), a good cop who stumbles onto some bad machinations he wasn't supposed to know about. The main villain of the show, Peter Fleming (James Frain, True Blood, The Tudors), promptly has Vince killed, and pins all the bad stuff on him, ruining his good name. Peter is slowly taking over the town of Palm City, which is so full of corruption that it seems a lost cause. Think Gothic City in The Dark Knight. To make matters worse, Vince's best friend, Marty (Dorian Missick, Lucky Number Slevin), is one of Peter's minions. Vince realizes that revealing he survived puts his family at risk, so instead, he works on taking down Peter and clearing his name in the shadows, taking on the guise of The Cape.

     Peter is not content to battle The Cape alone. Sure, it's likely only a matter of time before Peter, also known as the super villain Chess, discovers The Cape's secret identity and can go after Vince's loved ones. But until then, it seems he will be bringing in a slew of lesser bad guys to tackle our hero. He already had two different ones in the first two hours, though the first one wasn't killed in the pilot. Why did he need another new one? I hope that these other baddies with super powers end up being more than henchman to Chess. Imagine how good the show could be if Chess teamed up with some of his equals?

     Now, Vince is far from alone in his endeavors. He is first found by the Carnival of Crime. Only, the carnival people commit crimes against Peter and his company, not the citizens. Or so they say. That part was a little confusing. The carnival is run by Max Malini (Keith David, Gargoyles, Platoon), who is assisted by the small but tough Rollo (Martin Klebba, Scrubs, Pirates of the Caribbean). There are others in the gang, but those are the only two main characters, so I assume they're the most important. For some reason, Max has a cape just sitting around that, when used properly, makes Vince into his favorite super hero. Yes, The Cape already exists in comic book form, and Vince read it to his kid. Again, not explained. See why I wanted a two hour origin?

     Vince is brought into the mess, and soon partners with, the mysterious Orwell (Summer Glau, Dollhouse, Firely, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles). Orwell won't reveal herself to anyone but Vince. She is a technical whiz, and provides tactical and technological support, though she can also kick butt when needed. Quick note, Glau is amazing, and always participates in awesome projects, giving me much optimism about The Cape. However, said projects are always canceled in two seasons or less, so let's hope that the pattern breaks this time.

     Lastly, there is Vince's family. Poisoned by the media and Marty, his wife, Dana (Jennifer Ferrin, As the World Turns), drops his last name to seek work. But his son, Trip (Ryan Wynott, FlashForward), who has been visited and reassured by The Cape, still believes in his father's innocence. Trip doesn't take Dana's decision well, and guilts her into reversing it. The family is the unknown quantity in this show, as until Vince reveals himself to them, I don't understand how they would really figure into the larger arcs. Dana taking a job with the DA (at least, I think it was the DA) helps, but it's not good enough. I'd think Vince will have to tell them the truth early in the series.

     The dark tone of the show jells nicely with recent profitable superhero movies, so I can see this show doing well. The quality of work is pretty high, and the acting is better than decent. There are some plot holes, especially in the origin, but hopefully they will be plugged in subsequent episodes. And if not, there is always a leap of faith that has to be taken with any series involving supernatural powers and mutated villains. That being said, I thoroughly enjoyed the first two hours, and I think the show is better than any of the recent fall premieres.

     The Cape isn't all dreary and depressing. Trip's hope is supposed to be an identifiable quality for the audience; the boy's real purpose in the cast. Some of the dialogue is pretty funny, too. For instance, in "Tarot", Vince goes to rescue Portman, but Max has taken away his cape. Vince identifies himself to Portman as 'The Cape', to which Portman responds, "But you're not wearing a cape." You can sense the grumbling behind Vince's "I'm aware of that." The whole exchange was probably my favorite part of the episode. Also, any scene with Summer Glau eventually ends up providing some kind of snarky, amusing line.

     I'm also very gratified to see a super hero with a cape that is actually useful. In the past, I, along with plenty of others, have wondered why any hero even bothers with a cape. Surely it just gets in the way. However, Vince's cape has CGI-enabled powers, allowing it to snag things, choke people, and break his fall (somewhat) from a great height. Used as a tool, and super strong, the title of the show is appropriate. Even if it sounds a little hokey, which the writers even poked fun at in the pilot.

     The Cape, despite its Sunday premiere, will air regularly on Monday nights at 9 p.m. beginning next week on NBC.

Article first published as TV Review: The Cape - "Pilot" and "Tarot" on Blogcritics.

Past Life already past its shelf life

     Fox added a new show to their lineup last night called Past Life.  Taking Fringe's normal Thursday 9pm time slot for now, aside from last night's 'special preview episode', it is clear that the network is hoping to cash in on viewers already accepting of the strange and supernatural.  That idea would be sound, if this show were any good at all.

     Following a long-used formula, two partners attempt to solve crimes.  The believer is Dr. Kate McGinn (Kelli Giddish, All My Children), who has recently hired ex-police detective Price Whatley (Nicholas Bishop, Home and Away) to assist her.  Of course, Price is skeptical, but Kate says that is fine, as long as he uses his skills.  By the end of the preview episode, he is starting to believe.  A lot too quickly.  Combine that with his natural superstitiousness, and none of it even feels genuine.  Both characters are flat, predictable, and too ill defined, as well as poorly acted.  Their chemistry is not great, even though surely that is what is supposed to hook viewers enough to tune in week after week.

     They are joined on the team by Dr. Malachi Talmadge (Richard Schiff, The West Wing) and Dr. Rishi Karna (Ravi Patel, Easy Money), the grumpy boss and the token Indian, respectively.  And who came up with the character names on this series?  Anyway, considering the premise, that they are investigating people who remember past lives, and were victims of an unsolved crime in said past life, you'd imagine the client list is small, no?  Yet, they can budget four professionals, three of them with doctorates, in an office?  I don't believe it.  I have a hard time believing they can find a dozen or two clients a year in the entire country, let alone this.

     The script was weak, the acting hokey.  Schiff can act, but he's wasted here.  I recommend not tuning in.  However, if you are so inclined, it will be airing on Fox Thursdays at 9pm.