MACGYVER Is Back Or Is He?

Article first published as MACGYVER Review on Seat42F.

CBS is bringing back MACGYVER this week, a rebooted series for a new generation. This show resets things at square one; it is not a continuation with a son or grandson or nephew of the old character. So if you’ve never seen the original, it won’t be any problem to keep up. But the central story of a top agent who doesn’t shoot people and can make inventions out of nearly nothing, often alongside ridiculously unrealistic explosions, remains. And if you are a fan, there are tons of Easter eggs stuck in just for you.

As many know Angus “Mac” MacGyver (Lucas Till, the latest X-Men movies) works for the very secret Department of External Services (DSX), a government agency that few know exists. He carries a Swiss Army knife and uses his superior mental abilities to save the day. In the new pilot, that means stopping a man (Vinnie Jones, Galavant, Snatch) from releasing a biological weapon on the unsuspecting public. Can he do it? Of course he can.

Unlike the previous MacGyver, though, this one doesn’t work alone. Sure, old Mac had his boss, Pete Thornton, who has become Patricia Thornton (Sandrine Holt, House of Cards) in the new series. But now he also has buddy and muscle Jack Dalton (George Eads, CSI), roommate Wilt Bozer (Justin Hires, the Rush Hour TV series), tech whiz criminal Riley Davis (Tristin Mays, The Vampire Diaries), and love interest Nikki Carpenter (Tracy Spiridakos, Revolution).

Now, not all of these characters are new, though the cast does look appropriately more diverse. In fact, Riley is the only one who never appeared in some incarnation back in the old days, which makes sense because technology wasn’t really an everyday thing then. However, besides Mac and Pete, Jack was the third-most seen character back then, and he was still only in 19 of the 139 episodes. So Mac working with a team is definitely different, and feels forced both by the standards of today and the lazy structure most case-of-the-week procedurals take, unable or unwilling to dig deep into one lead character. Even though yes, it doesn’t make sense for Mac to know tech, so that one addition is kind of necessary.

Also, the pacing is quite a bit faster. In the 1980s, Mac could take his time disarming a bomb or hunting down a single villain. In 2016, that’s not going to be the case, with the new MACGYVER rocketing through several obstacles pretty darn quickly and not stopping to catch his breath too much until the end of the hour.

What this makes for is a very odd mishmash of periods and styles. MACGYVER borrows a lot from the crime shows of today, as noted in the two preceding paragraphs, but it also tries very hard to mimic some of the things that the old MacGyver is remembered for, such as Mac’s narration, his charming niceness, a light touch, and of course, the really big, cheesy explosions, all of which feel very out of place on television now.

So can the current formula work with enough nostalgia and resurrected style? My gut tells me no. While the MACGYVER pilot is fun, the two competing tones don’t gel all that well together. I think the production should either have doubled down on creating a true 1980-1990s feel or updated for the modern day (though the latter would really have annoyed me) rather than trying to do both. The result is messy and uneven, and I feel like people will see right through the gimmick, making it tough to build a following.

I do recommend watching the pilot anyway, though. It is a relatively unique piece of drama precisely because of the things listed above. Just be warned it may make you long for something you can never have. And maybe you’ll be inspired to rewatch the original series on Netflix, which is nearly impossible to do because the aspect ratio is messed up and the quality is so bad. Can you get on fixing that, Netflix?

MACGYVER premieres Friday, September 23rd at 8/7c.

The Kept Or THE RETURNED

Article originally written for Seat42F.

A&E’s new series THE RETURNED is based on the French series Les Revenants, which re-aired on Sundance and Netflix with subtitles under the name The Returned. I haven’t seen the original yet, though I keep meaning to watch, so when viewing this pilot, I was instead comparing it to last year’s Resurrection on ABC, which in turn was based on an unrelated book called The Return. Is that confusing enough for you?

All of these stories may be similar, but if you haven’t seen any of them, the premise of THE RETURNED is this: A girl named Camille (India Ennenga, Treme) dies when her bus runs off a cliff. Four years later, she returns home to her parents, Claire (Tandi Wright, Nothing Trivial) and Jack (Mark Pellegrino, Lost, The Tomorrow People), and twin sister, Lena (Sophie Lowe, Once Upon a Time in Wonderland), unaged and with no memory of the past four years. She’s not a zombie or a ghost; the first things she does are to fix herself a sandwich and take a bath. But she has no memory of the crash nor explanation as to where she’s been, nor any sign on injury, healed or otherwise.

Then, other dead people start showing up around town, too, not her classmates from the bus, but others that have passed in various years past. A man finds his fiancé getting remarried after a long mourning period. A wife who appears to have died decades ago goes home to her now-elderly husband. And there’s a little kid that no one seems to know, but may just hold the key to the mystery.

I have seen reviews for THE RETURNED that say this new series is to Les Revenants as Gracepoint is to Broadchurch. If you don’t get that reference, Gracepoint is a decent FOX series that aired this fall that is extremely similar to a superior show called Broadchurch, which was made in England. Without that knowledge of the source material, I like THE RETURNED, but those who have viewed the original may think this is a pale imitation. I cannot comment on that.

I can say THE RETURNED is about ten notches better than Resurrection. The story is far more cohesive, and the characters are compelling. There is a definite, big unanswered question in the pilot that I doubt the show will solve soon, but while I want to find out the answer, I’m also happy to enjoy the ride getting there.

The cast is phenomenal. Besides those mentioned above, the ensemble includes Jeremy Sisto (Suburgatory), Michelle Forbes (The Killing), Aaron Douglas (Battlestar Galactica), Mary Elizabeth Winstead (Scott Pilgrim vs. the World), Sandrine Holt (House of Cards), Kevin Alejandro (True Blood), Leah Gibson (Rise of the Planet of the Apes), Agnes Bruckner (Private Practice), Dylan Kingwell (Big Eyes), Mat Vairo (Revolution), and Rhys Ward (Heartland). Not all of these people are well known, but most are, and have been in some of the best shows on television in the past decade. There aren’t any huge movie stars present to distract from the others, but these are some strong small screen performers.

The cast is super important to THE RETURNED because the program will hang on the characters. With the mystery of the show being so strange and obtuse, there aren’t likely to be any major clues anytime soon. Instead, the drama will live in the interaction of the players, and how the various people deal with coming home having lost years or welcoming back someone they believed gone forever. Not everyone handles it the same way, one person tragically unprepared, but this what viewers are going to want to see.

THE RETURNED is also a little creepy. The living dead do not appear to be monsters or killers, but who has brought them back and why? One of the main characters (not one of the returned) is exposed as having done something really horrible to another. Human nature can be dark, and pairing THE RETURNED with Bates Motel likely signals that this more negative side of personality will be explored, at least in conjunction with the positive.

I don’t know what THE RETURNED has in store, and I’m likely to still watch Les Revenants in the meantime, which could change my opinion. But for now, I’m very interested to see where the series is going.

THE RETURNED airs Mondays at 10 p.m. ET on A&E.

Deal Another HOUSE OF CARDS

Article first written for Seat42F.

WARNING: This review contains major spoilers from the first hour of the second season of HOUSE OF CARDS. It is recommended that you watch that episode, then return to read this review. There will be no spoilers given from episodes after the premiere, this being written before further installments have been seen by this reviewer.

Netflix’s HOUSE OF CARDS launched their second season in its entirety yesterday. For anyone who worried that the intense thriller might lose momentum in the second year, those doubts were quickly dispelled within the first installment, “Chapter 14,” by a series of major plot twists and the death of a very central character.

As “Chapter 14” begins, Frank (Kevin Spacey) and Claire (Robin Wright) are on their night jog. This is where we left them last year, and provides a seamless continuity between the two seasons. While nothing happens in this first scene, it’s important to give the show its cohesion, and it lets viewers find a framework with which to enter back into the story.

From there, the hanging story arcs are picked up one by one. Zoe (Kate Mara), Janine (Constance Zimmer), and Lucas (Sebastian Arcelus) continue their frustrating investigation into Russo’s murder. Claire sees a doctor about the possibility of getting pregnant, while still fighting Gillian’s (Sandrine Holt) lawsuit. Frank prepares to assume the Vice Presidency and makes plans for who will succeed him, as well as dealing with the nosy reporters. It’s all just how we think the show will resume.

Even many of the minor players pop back up quickly. Doug (Michael Kelly) is forcing Rachel (Rachel Brosnahan) to relocate so Zoe and company can’t find her. Christina (Kristen Connolly) is seen applying for a job with Vasquez (Sakina Jaffrey), continuing her career trajectory. President Walker (Michael Gill) talks with Frank about changes in Congress, though is content to let others make the decisions. Frank gets another batch of ribs from Freddy (Reg E. Cathey). Meechum (Nathan Darrow) remains Frank’s driver and bodyguard, getting ready to transition into the Secret Service. Again, this really makes the series seem like the seasons aren’t separate, very important to ease viewers back in.

There are some new developments early on, such as the introduction of Jacqueline Sharp (Molly Parker, Deadwood, The Firm) as Frank’s hand-chosen replacement as whip, and thus the likely target of the next round of danger and scandal. But because Jackie is introduced in conjunction with Frank’s goals, it doesn’t feel out of place at all.

But then, as soon as we get comfortable, thinking we have the layout of the game figured out, Frank shoves Zoe, arguably the second or third most important player on the show, in front of a subway and she dies.

This is the brilliance of HOUSE OF CARDS. It lets the viewers think one thing, then yanks the rug right out from under them. It never goes into nonsensical territory, and the developments, even those that are surprising, are a natural part of the tale. It’s this unpredictability, though, especially after so much of the installment takes care to set up the opposite, that makes the writing so darn good, and the series highly addictive.

Lest we’ve forgotten the type of man Frank is, he tells us, just after he kills Zoe. He looks at the camera and reminds us he hasn’t let us slide. It’s a chilling end to the episode, the camera lingering on his cufflinks with the initials F and U, very appropriate for Frank’s attitude towards everyone. This is a man that can lie about having taken a life without batting an eye, never loses a wink of sleep for his actions, and most people in his circle would be wise to follow Janine’s example and run far away. He is the reason to watch HOUSE OF CARDS, a compellingly psychopathic character, unique in the television landscape, and masterfully developed by an actor at the top of his craft.

Wright also deserves major credit for “Chapter 14.” At first, I couldn’t figure out why Claire abandons her quest to have a child late in the episode. But after consideration, it has to be that Gillian’s pregnancy left her vulnerable to be manipulated by Claire. Claire doesn’t accept weakness, and if she can use a baby to go after someone else, she isn’t about to leave herself open to the same. Wright conveys all this without dialogue to explain it, and it makes Claire an interesting terror, one who is a quieter, but still appropriate, match for Frank.

At the end, we see Claire learn about Zoe’s death, but her non-reaction indicates she either likely knows that Frank is involved or strongly suspects as much, but she doesn’t care or trusts that Frank had a good reason. She has accepted her husband for who he is, and while may not always respect his wishes, making sure he gets a birthday cake, knows which buttons she can and cannot push, effortlessly getting him to quit smoking, at least for now. And he accepts her influence without a fight, showing us something neat about their seemingly closed-off relationship.

“Chapter 14” should satisfy all fan expectation, and be a highly enjoyable piece of television in its own right. The only disturbing thought I’m left with is, how could anyone possibly ever bring down Frank? The only one with a real motivation and opportunity to do so at this time is Lucas, but he’s hopelessly out of his depth.  I look forward to watching more.

All thirteen episodes of HOUSE OF CARDS’ second season are available now on Netflix.

Viewers Are HOSTAGES To Popcorn Political Thriller

Article first published as HOSTAGES Review on Seat42F.

HOSTAGES is CBS’s attempt at a drama that is a departure from the procedural, a much appreciated move. It concerns the assassination of the President of the United States, a political thriller with many moving parts and a slew of characters with dark secrets and selfish motivations. Unfortunately, built like an action movie, it falls short of its goal.

The first mistake HOSTAGES makes is starting with a tense scene, then jumping back twelve hours. As I have stated in other reviews, which is evidence that this happens far too often, this storytelling technique is done to death and should be used sparingly. It may be a quick hook, but it’s an unnecessary and unwelcome one.

Another glaring issue I have with that first scene, besides the fact it exists, is that one of the show’s leads, Dylan McDermott (American Horror Story), is incredibly obvious behind a ski mask that sports way-too-big holes. I don’t care what developments happen later in the hour to “explain” why this is OK; what it obvious from the get-go is that this show will choreograph its moves well ahead of itself, and seeing the stars’ faces is more important than logic.

These are two major complaints before the story even begins. Not a good sign, and this trend continues throughout the first installment. We learn “hidden” bits about each of the central family, but they are all easy to see coming before they are officially revealed. Music takes scenes from dramatic to overly so. The action cuts in a certain false way. A main character makes a face on television that she really shouldn’t, and should be noticed by far more people than it is intended to be.

I assume that HOSTAGES wants to be the next House of Cards or Homeland, but despite some terrific actors, it lacks the script, director, and editor to reach those heights. By playing out exactly to formula for a film in this genre, it distracts us from the good moments tucked within the larger cheese.

Things progress in a standard way. We are introduced to Dr. Ellen Sanders (Toni Collette, United States of Tara), who will soon perform surgery on the President (James Naughton, Gossip Girl). Her husband, Brian (Tate Donovan, Damages), is pretty much a caricature of a certain type of spouse, weak-willed and trying to posture to make up for it. Her kids, Morgan (Quinn Shephard, Unaccompanied Minors) and Jake (Mateus Ward, Sports Show with Norm Macdonald), seem like they are pretty well behaved, overall, as far as teenagers go, but also have a shady side.

In the real world, Brian, Morgan, and Jake probably wouldn’t have these vulnerabilities, but they need them here so that they can be manipulated. By extension, so is the viewer. If Ellen’s family were perfect, those who want to pull her strings wouldn’t have the leverage they need. Because the characters are artificially layered in terrible ways, Ellen can be controlled.

Now, HOSTAGES does seek to show Ellen can stand up for herself and will not go along with what she is supposed to do. This should anger the hostage takers who hold Ellen and her clan captive. After which, the bad guys should do horrible things to Ellen’s family. Except, that doesn’t seem to be what this show is about.

The main gang that takes Ellen is led by Agent Duncan Carlisle (McDermott). After the opening, the first time we see Carlisle, he is doing his job brilliantly, catching something everyone else misses. Since he is such a fine, upstanding FBI guy, we know he can’t possibly seem as bad as he first appears to be. The “Pilot” doesn’t get into why Carlisle does what he does to Ellen, but there is obviously more we’re meant to wonder about him, and we certainly won’t believe that he’s evil. Is he being forced to play a part, too? This is the thing that might save Ellen’s family.

Carlisle is joined by Archer Petit (Billy Brown, Dexter), Maria Gonzales (Sandrine Holt, House of Cards), and Kramer Daly (Rhys Coiro, Entourage). The latter makes the mistake of being nice to one of their hostages, which Carlisle dresses him down for, but not in a cruel way. So these are good guys?

By involving the FBI and people that don’t harm innocents, HOSTAGES wants to make viewers wonder at the real motivations behind the plot. Maybe the FBI must take out this president, as some think they did with prior ones, in the name of protecting the country. Maybe their loved ones are in danger, too. Whatever the reason, though, there’s supposed to actually be a sympathetic cause behind their actions.

I’m not saying HOSTAGES shouldn’t go for the onion-format, constantly peeling new layers. It’s just that what unfolds on screen isn’t of the quality one would expect it to be given the premise. Going just by the production, one would think Carlisle and crew were run-of-the-mill villains, which is why it doesn’t seem right that they aren’t. It’s this disjointedness that ruins this show for me.

HOSTAGES airs Mondays at 10 p.m. ET on CBS.