COMPLICATIONS Too Messy

Article first published as COMPLICATIONS Review on Seat42F.

USA has a new drama from Matt Nix (the creator of Burn Notice) called COMPLICATIONS. It is the story of Dr. John Ellison (Jason O’Mara, star of Terra Nova and several other short-lived series) and his terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day. Well, it starts off as roughly a single day, but it quickly spirals into major ramifications for his entire life and he may be spending a long, long time trying to get things back on track. Sounds a bit like Nix’s previous project, no?

To be fair, COMPLICATIONS doesn’t feel much like Burn Notice, despite that central similarity. Both men are good people whom bad things happen to and who have major skills they use to help people, but they are also quite different. While Michael Weston was an emotionally challenged spy, John Ellison runs much, much hotter, his emotions boiling over, and he works in a hospital alongside a team, not operating solo for-hire in his apartment. Plus, there’s no chain-smoking mother in sight.

John is a good-hearted man, the type who will use his medical skills to try to heal a squirrel his dog gets a hold of. When he comes across a drive-by shooting and intervenes perhaps a little more than he should, that’s when things get rocky. He is soon drawn into gang wars and neither his home nor his workplace are an escape from this.

But does John even want to escape it? Part of the pilot involves him discussing what’s going on with a shrink (Constance Zimmer, UnReal, House of Cards) and this is where we get some insight into who John is. Maybe he isn’t happy with the calm, normal life he’s been living; he definitely has some deeper issues to deal with, and these events help bring those to the surface. The only thing that seems certain right now is that John is unstable and unpredictable.

O’Mara doesn’t really play the protagonist as an overly sympathetic character. Because of his wild mood swings and erratic behavior, it’s hard to tell if he’s someone that deserves to be rooted for. Yes, he saves lives, but that’s his job. He certainly has compassion for his patients, but as he goes to greater lengths to do what he thinks is right in the moment, one begins to wonder if the ends justify the means. He is not trustworthy right now.

John is surrounded by enough of a supporting cast to keep the story going for awhile. There’s: John’s wife, Samantha (Beth Riesgraf, Leverage), whom he’s not exactly open with; his straight-laced co-worker, Dr. Bridget O’Neill (Lauren Stamile, Burn Notice), who probably would not participate in John’s madness if she knew what was going on; Gretchen Polk (Jessica Szohr, Gossip Girl), an abuse survivor (I assume) who believes justice trumps rules; Darius Bishop (Chris Chalk, The Newsroom), John’s link to the criminal element; and Dr. Quentin Harper (Ronreaco Lee, Survivor’s Remorse), whom I didn’t get a good read on in the pilot. This is a decent ensemble, and with various people being out of the loop right now, there will be fodder for conflict as they find out more of John’s secrets.

The thing is, though, I don’t know if I want to stick around to see it. The first hour of COMPLICATIONS is a hot mess, not told linearly, no grounded character to view the world through, and no compelling hook to stick around and see what it catches. USA has been moving away from formula and taking some bold chances. I won’t say COMPLICATIONS is boring in the way programs of the past have been on the network, but this is one experiment that is failing because of a lack of direction or anchor, at least out of the gate, and I didn’t find anything in this pilot that makes me want to give it a second chance.

COMPLICATIONS premieres Thursday, June 18^th at 9 p.m. ET on USA.

No SURVIVOR'S REMORSE From Watching This Show

Article first published as SURVIVOR'S REMORSE Review on Seat42F.

Starz’s latest series, taking over Outlander’s timeslot this week, is SURVIVOR’S REMORSE. It is the story of hugely successful basketball superstar Cam Calloway (Jesse T. Usher, Level Up) and his cousin, best friend, and manager Reggie Vaughn (RonReaco Lee, Let’s Stay Together). They are now living the big life, but cannot forget about where they came from, a rough neighborhood in which people are still struggling. How do you balance fame and fortune with helping out those who don’t have it? Can charity be misinterpreted?

It may not surprise you to learn that SURVIVOR’S REMORSE is inspired by (but not based on) the true story of LeBron James, who serves as a producer on the show. After all, Lebron’s rise to legend is memorable, and he’s still relevant on the court today. As an Ohioan, I’ve been hearing about him for quite a long time. It may, however, be unexpected to read that a major driving force and writer on the project is Mike O’Malley (Glee, Yes, Dear), a middle-aged white guy who is more known for his on-screen work than his writing talents. That could potentially change.

Whoever is making SURVIVOR’S REMORSE, though, isn’t nearly as important as how good the show is or isn’t. Happily, SURVIVOR’S REMORSE is terrific. An urban-influenced Entourage (which is not code for the skin color of the performers, which matters, but isn’t the main point), the characters are authentic and complex, and the story shows the influence of real people and events. We see how money can change a person and those around them, and we also see how different individuals choose to deal with that.

In the first episode, someone back in the old neighborhood happens upon some embarrassing material from Cam’s childhood and tries to extort the athlete. In the tapes and writings, Cam is shown being sexist and racist. This stuff shouldn’t matter because kids do dumb things and Cam never really felt the way it seems, but it does in modern society, where content can have a very long shelf life and spread rapidly. More importantly, how this guy relates to Cam and Reggie, whom remember him fondly and do want to help him out, is skewed by his pride and jealousy, so the situation is more volatile and interesting that it could be otherwise.

Cam and Reggie are best friends, but the money comes between them from time to time, too. Reggie is in charge of it and Cam wants to spend it. Whether Cam considers buying an Aston Martin with tricked out rims or paying for an aunt’s lap band surgery, there is frequently conflict between them about these things. But their strong love for each other overrides this, and at the end of the day, they are two very good guys who want to do the right thing and be smart.

They are surrounded by a colorful group that can be quite different from them, but each are interesting for their makeup. Sister M-Chuck (Erica Ash, MADtv) wants to lay women and spend money, irresponsible and along for the good time, and the guys include her willingly. Uncle Julius (Mike Epps, The Hangover) is also part of the clique, though sees less development in the pilot. Mouthy Cassie (Tichina Arnold, Everybody Hates Chris), Cam’s mom, is proud of her baby, and enjoys the lifestyle he buys her. Reggie’s wife, Missy (Teyonah Parris, Mad Men), isn’t happy being it Atlanta, no matter what their huge house looks like or how many luxuries Reggie throws at her. They are all ripe for further story.

SURVIVOR’S REMORSE is billed as a comedy, but that’s probably mostly because of its half hour running time. It is a comedy the way other pay-cable half hours shows are, in the vein of Entourage and Californication. There are laughs, but the show doesn’t seem to set out to deliver gags and one-liners. It’s more circumstance that come across as amusing, though still realistic, in their structure. It will run only six episodes in the first season, but hopefully will soon be filming more.

SURVIVOR’S REMORSE premieres this Saturday at 9 p.m. ET on Starz.

Burn Notice: The Fall of Sam Axe

     USA's Burn Notice is a popular series that finished its fourth season this past December. While fans wait for season five, a TV movie prequel premiered last night. Called Burn Notice: The Fall of Sam Axe, it follows Sam (Bruce Campbell) on his last mission for the armed forces, before he winds up in Miami for the series. The special is directed by Jeffrey Donovan, who stars in the regular show, and puts in a cameo in the movie.

     Campbell is easily believable as a slightly younger Sam, the only noticable differences being a trim uniform and the grey dyed out of his hair. Perhaps because Sam engages in a bit more action than during a typical episode of Burn Notice, there is also an extra liveliness. As such, the team behind this new production does a superb job of making it feel like a few years ago.

     The beginning is awkward, as Sam gets lost several times on the way to meet his commanding officers. While Sam is often the comic relief on Burn Notice, it does not make sense for him to appear bumbling while in uniform. He has never this goofy. The whole sequence comes off as silly and unrealistic. As such, the movie gets off to a bad start.

     Things pick up as Sam begins to relay the story of a recent mission to two superiors. Sam inadvertently sleeps with an admiral's wife, and earns himself a transfer to an observe and report mission in Columbia. Sam tries to do as his orders command, but after only a brief stint in the jungle, he realizes that the people he is stationed with are not on the up and up. As such, Sam must betray his instructions to save a clinic, the people it treats, and the nearby "terrorists" he is supposed to be against.

     The "terrorists" are actually farmers, and only one has any real military experience. In order to get to do whatever they want, the leader of the squadron Sam is ordered to, Veracruz (Pedro Pascal, The Good Wife), plans on blowing up a clinic and blaming it on the farmers. Sam fakes his own kidnapping and evacuates the people Veracruz intends to hurt.

     Soon after Sam flees, Veracruz figures out what is actually going on, and sets his men after Sam and the farmers. Aided by local kid, Beatriz (Ilza Rosario), who doesn't really look like a kid, the farmers flee towards a secret CIA base that Sam knows about. It's a lot like the 24 TV movie, Redemption, where a well known hero is self-sacrificial and on the run with a group who is not really ready to defend themselves. Because of this, the special does not feel new or fresh.

     This is also not in character for the Sam presented at the beginning of Burn Notice, who informed on Michael to the feds. Perhaps that Sam is a bit defeated because of the events explained by this movie, and so he isn't as courageous as he is shown to be later on. That's the easiest explanation, as the Sam in this special is more like the Sam shown in the fourth season of Burn Notice, well after he has committed to a team that is always helping people.

     Sam and the others make it to the base, but they are badly outnumbered. Sam must stall by talking, something he has been shown time and again to be very good at. He does so long enough for help to arrive, but his previous actions are enough to earn him the threat of court martial. Only his resourcefulness saves him, having arranged for Beatriz to have blackmail material that Sam uses to negotiate himself an honorable discharge.

     The story started out slow and not very well written, but by the end, Sam has morphed into a more familiar figure, as he has come to be known to fans. This special is far from fantastic, but it does give a little bit of unknown back story on a popular character, and keeps the tone (and often, the music) of the series, so fans will probably enjoy it.

     The capable, but not stellar, supporting cast includes RonReaco Lee (The Good Guys) as the clinic doctor, and Kiele Sanchez (Lost, The Glades) as the doctor's assistant, Amanda. Sam has a brief romantic notion to be with Amanda, but a couple of kisses is all the further the special takes it. While it is unlikely Sam would have a permanent love interest in such a brief movie, his interaction with Amanda is so tame that it proves unneeded and feels out of place with the rest of the show.

     Burn Notice, back to its present day story line, will return to USA this summer.

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

Article first published as TV Review: Burn Notice: The Fall of Sam Axe on Blogcritics.

The Good Guys Ends First (Only?) Season

    FOX's The Good Guys was a summer show that got a rare treat when seven additional episodes were ordered for this fall. Sadly, the series looks poised for cancellation, although no official word has been handed down. Certainly the show will not have any other new episodes this television season, as none have been ordered at this time, and they've already aired twenty in the last six months. Still, as much as I enjoy The Good Guys, I can't decide if I'm hoping for its survival.

     The problem with The Good Guys is its silliness, which is also the best reason to watch. Pretty much every episode, Detectives Dan Stark (Bradley Whitford) and Jack Bailey (Colin Hanks) investigate some petty crime, in the case of this week, a dine and dash. Inevitably, events snowball, and without even realizing it, they are soon taking down murderers, dirty cops, jewel thieves, and the like. Entertaining? Absolutely. As I said in an earlier review, Whitford appears to be having the most fun he's ever had in his acting career and that enthusiasm is infectious. But even suspending normal disbelief, as has to be done for any TV show, this one stretches the bounds of believability. How can that same bumbling scenario play out over and over again and still feel fresh?

     Not the show is not devoid of hope. There are glimmers that the people that make it realize their premise is limited, and have tried to add other distracting elements. Great guest casting, such as Joshua Malina (The West Wing) as an Internal Affairs agent bent on bringing down Stark, Chris Klein (American Pie) as Bailey's former partner turned deputy chief who is on the take, and especially Gary Cole (Entourage, The West Wing) as Stark's former partner Frank Savage, has helped. But how long can stunt casting really keep a show afloat before it becomes an obvious ploy?

     I think the main issue if that there are truly only two interesting characters: Jack and Dan. Early on they clashed, providing some good human drama. Now they've settled into a firm, loyal partnership, so that tension is gone. They're still fun, but their actions and decisions have become obvious, taking away suspense. For most of the series, Jack pined for assistant district attorney Liz (Reaper's wonderful Jenny Wade), but now that they're together, that is gone, too, and Liz often feels unnecessary and cumbersome to the rest of the plot. I also adore Diana Maria Riva, who plays Jack and Dan's boss, Lieutenant Ruiz. Unfortunately, she rarely gets to do anything much, with the recent exception being in the peeping tom episode. Using her more could go a long way towards salvaging things.

     Because of the stagnant four main characters, others have been added to spice things up. Early fan favorite snitch Julius (RonReaco Lee) returned for a total of eleven episodes, and originally always brought something new to the table, though even he was becoming stale near the end of the season. In the second half, Samantha (Angela Sarafyn) showed up, who was a police ally / assistant and a possible love interest for Jack. Perhaps the gun was jumped when Sam waited until after Jack and Liz got together to kiss him. However, should the show get a second season, it would not be surprising at all to see Jack and Samantha as an item, for awhile at least.

     I'm not a hater of this show, far from it. But I began getting bored after twenty episodes, and perhaps this is one show that would have benefited from a nice, long hiatus in the middle of the season, though they only got six weeks. If it does return next summer or fall, I will probably get excited again, as I will definitely miss The Good Guys after awhile. But unless something is done to seriously shake things up and change the rules of the game, it will grow old much faster in the second batch. Not only that, a shake up may kill the series, because it relies on a formula, and abandoning the formula is a serious risk.

     Perhaps this would have worked better as a miniseries or a set of TV movies. The talent level is high, but the magic is just not there in a sustainable way over the long term. Awesome concept that didn't work so well when drawn out. As a twenty episode series, it will be fondly remembered. If it becomes a forty episode run, fans may not stay so enamored. The good news is, should The Good Guys get the ax, the actors should not stay unemployed too long.


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

Article first published as TV Review: The Good Guys Ends First (Only?) Season on Blogcritics.

The Good Guys is doing pretty good

Not in the ratings, sadly.  But creatively, summer's funnest show, FOX's The Good Guys, has gotten even better this fall.  Following the buddy cop formula, Bradley Whitford plays Dan Stark and Colin Hanks is Jack Bailey.  I've said it before, but I think Whitford, a fabulous actor, as proven by his long stint on The West Wing, is just plain having fun in this show.  That makes it enjoyable for the audience, when you see a guy clearly loving what he is doing.  Stark is obnoxious, backwards, sports a 70's 'stache, and goes on about the good old days.  Bailey is straight-laced, mostly by the book, though Stark has been rubbing off on him.  Hanks plays it wonderfully, too, finally a role that really suits him.

     The plot the last few weeks has gone a little further into character development.  Two weeks ago, we finally met Stark's old partner, Frank Savage (Gary Cole, Entourage, Office Space), who has long been retired, and given up his antics.  He lives a quiet life with wife, Cynthia (Rachael Harris, The Hangover, My Boys, Notes From the Underbelly), who does not approve of Dan coming back and upsetting their balance.  Also in that episode was Ethan Suplee (My Name is Earl, Chasing Amy) as Andy, the now-grown little boy that Stark and Savage saved back in the day, and a TV movie was made about it.  As the plot unfolded, one could see that Savage and Bailey are two quiet different partners for Stark.  Bailey tries to reign him in, while Savage lets the crazy fly.  They both clearly care about Dan though, with Bailey's affection grown into unwavering loyalty in just the short time they've worked together.  Do you blame him though?  Dan is nothing if not loyal, and while he can be a screwup, he is sincere and honest.  Obviously, while Stark and Savage have fun, with Bailey's influence, Stark can be a better cop than ever.

     This past week the guest talent kept coming, with Ed Begley Jr. (Gary Unmarried, Veronica Mars) as Jack's crooked but charming Uncle Nate, and Method Man (The Wire, How High) as an arson-happy villain.  Nate brought some needed background and depth to Jack, as usually the past we hear about it Dan's.  Dan also managed to drag his favorite snitch, Julius (RonReaco Lee, Worst Week, The Shield) into the fray, though Julius wasn't too happy about it.  It's always a pleasure to see Julius, and hopefully the series will keep him coming back.

     The show isn't all great guest casting, though the past two weeks have been among the best in the series.  It's about the characters that star every week.  There are two women in the opening credits, too, and though they don't often get much plot, they are wonderful actors.  Diana Maria Riva (Studio 60 On the Sunset Strip, The West Wing) plays the boss, Lt. Ruiz, while Jenny Wade (Reaper) is Jack's ex-girlfriend, whom he is still smitten with, A.D.A. Liz Traynor.  The two girls were featured a few weeks ago, as they attempted to bring down a Senator (Wade's former Reaper co-star Ray Wise) on their own.  It was nice to see the two out of an office, and while Bailey and Stark and definitely the heart of the show, hopefully the women will get more to play with, as they can certainly handle it.

     I highly recommend you check out The Good Guys, as they can really use a ratings boost.  The show is way better than many other shows with higher numbers, and one of the most laugh-out-loud cop dramas ever made.  It's not high quality television, but it's loads of fun.  The Good Guys airs Friday nights at 9pm on FOX.

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

The Good Guys is bad a**

    Fox has a new buddy-cop show this summer, called The Good Guys.  Two episodes have already run; the first ran many times over a two week period.  It's odd for a summer series to get so much attention and air time, but this is no ordinary summer series.  In fact, if they just cleaned up the writing a little bit, it could be a good contender at any time of year.  In fact, with twenty episodes now ordered, it will be running in the fall on Friday nights, which could spell doom.  However, it seems it's being given a fair shake, on Monday nights this summer.

     The show is from creator Matt Nix (Burn Notice) and stars two cops.  The new-ish partners are washed up legend Dan Stark (Bradley Whitford, The West Wing), and abrasive, going-nowhere Jack Bailey (Colin Hanks, Roswell).  Though, Dan seems to be anything but ineffective and Jack can solve cases with the best of them.  So how they became the no-go duo is kind of anyone's guess.  In the first two episodes they turned routine cases into big take downs.  For reality's sake, the cases are either going to have to get more minor, or they are going to need to get promoted.  Hopefully it'll be the latter, because what's happening on screen is great fun, the primary component being the wonderful chemistry between the two leads.

     The series also stars the lovely and talented Jenny Wade (Reaper) as Jack's ex, Liz, and the tough and feisty Diana-Maria Riva (Studio 60 On the Sunset Strip) as their boss, Lt. Ruiz.  It's a shame they weren't given a larger group to work with, because I wish Julius (RonReaco Lee, In the Motherhood), their snitch, was sticking around.  He brought much levity to the first two episodes.  But from the cast, to the colorful setting of Dallas, the show has plenty going for it.

     An annoyingly too-often used device in recent television is showing the ending of the episode first.  The Good Guys often does this, but many of the other scenes also air non-chronologically.  It's always done for good reason, and actually adds another fun element, rather than falling into the cliche trap.  I hope they keep it up.

     If you want to watch The Good Guys, and I certainly hope you do, please tune into Fox Monday nights at 9pm.