Tag Archives: 2016-17

Series premiere: Designated Survivor- 2016/17

The PolyBlog
September 22 2016

ABC is hoping for some West Wing-style magic with their new show, Designated Survivor. If you are a fan of Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan novels, you’ll remember that at one point, the Capital is attacked, all are killed, and Jack becomes President. Same premise here, except Kiefer Sutherland plays Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Kirkman, an unelected appointee. On the night of the attack, he is taken to an undisclosed location to act as the “designated survivor” in case of a hypothetical attack, and when the attack actually happens, he is sworn in as President.

When I saw the premise for the show, part of what turned me off was the producer pitching it to the press that this would be a great show for having political conversations representing both sides of the aisle, with smart people on both sides coming forward with solid commentary, arguments, etc. Tackling the issues that our current political climate can’t. In other words, verbal masturbation rather than focusing on what people tune in for…things like characters, plot, dialogue.

I even went so far as to suggest, sight-unseen, that the show would go no more than 4 episodes and get early cancellation. Having watched Ep 1, I think I grossly underestimated its potential. While pilots get tweaked within an inch of their life, and are no indication of how good of quality will follow in subsequent episodes, Kiefer Sutherland was awesome. Looking for his Presidential voice, he finds it in a meeting with the Iranian ambassador.

I’m not thrilled with the secondary characters. A general whose straight out of central casting as a buffoon stereotype “give em hell” leatherneck. A wife who may have potential but seems a bit sappy in places. Two kid characters whose storylines will no doubt be highly annoying for some time to come. Some bit players trying to support the President (his old chief of staff/policy analyst/EA, new speechwriter, acting Chief of Staff, etc.) seem okay but only one or two have any gravitas. And then there is the other “star”.

Maggie Q. I wasn’t expecting much, and was pleasantly surprised. She plays an FBI psy-ops agent investigating the explosion at the capital, and while she normally is highly physical in her roles, this one so far was more under-stated analyst-like duties. Didn’t suck.

Overall, the show has potential as long as it avoids the spin the producer was pitching to the TV press. I gave it my “1 episode” test, and while I’m not willing to commit to a long-term viewing relationship, I’m willing to go on a second watching date. As for the show’s longevity, I think it could either be gone in 10 episodes if the quality drops or run 7 seasons. If it makes it past mid-season, I’d up my bet for renewal.

Series premiere: Bull – 2016/17

The PolyBlog
September 21 2016

CBS has a new courtroom show starring Michael Weatherly post-NCIS. Unlike NCIS, Weatherly is “Dr. Bull” aka Phil McGraw, supposedly, and running Trial Analysis Corporation — “trial science” for the snobbish, jury consulting for the layperson. My original prediction would be that it would go half a season, no renewal. Having tested it with the one episode I originally gave it, I’m guessing now that it will go full season but be on the bubble to the end.

It’s basically very similar to “Lie to Me” from a few years ago, and will appeal to the same demographics. The first case involves a spoiled little rich kid accused of murder in the Bahamas (no idea why the case is being tried in the U.S.) and now on trial. The big reveal as life unfolds isn’t that big a reveal, and if you didn’t see it coming, you weren’t paying attention in pop trials 101 for TV courtroom shows. I don’t know how big of grey areas the show will tackle in future cases, but you would be an idiot to expect the first case wasn’t a slam dunk “not guilty because he didn’t actually do it” type case. I also had a pretty good idea who did do it, just wasn’t sure motive. And I suspect that the focus group watched the show, didn’t like the ambiguous ending, and so there is a wrap up scene where they reveal really who did it, just as the police show up to arrest them.

Decent show, but unless they have some decent mystery up their sleeve, I think they’ll be one season and done.

Series premiere: This Is Us – 2016/17

The PolyBlog
September 21 2016

NBC has a new dramedy called “This Is Us” about eight people tied to the concept of shared birthdays. It sounded originally like the eight would all share a common birthday, but I think it is just four plus four additional characters involved with them. There is a link in Ep 1 that four of them are turning 36. Early on you get to meet them:

  • a nerdy black yuppie (Randall) who has tracked down the dad who abandoned him at a fire station after his mom died in childbirth;
  • an expectant father (Jack) of impending triplets; and,
  • a brother (Kevin) whose a TV star of a low-rated TV show and a sister (Kate) who is obese and wanting to make changes in her life.

When I looked at the premise, I thought it had very little promise. Too much like a few ensemble shows over the last few years — a group who won a lottery, a group who were held hostage, a group who grew up together. A combination of fast forwards and flashbacks, but it is hard for a show like that to find and hold an audience’s attention in the cut-throat world of ratings.

My prediction was that I would try an episode, likely pass, the show would get a half a season at most (10 eps maybe), and certainly no chance at renewal. Having seen an episode, I think that prediction might have been generous, because this show might need some time to gather its legs. Which is too bad.

I *liked* it. The father of the triplets is awesome — Milo Ventimiglia who was in the original Heroes series. I liked him there too, but he has some gravitas here. Much more understated.

The TV star brother (Kevin) is played by Justin Hartley. I don’t always love him, but he gets the benefit of the doubt cuz he was awesome on Smallville as Oliver Queen/Green Arrow. Here he is kind of whiny and pathetic so far.

The overweight sister is played by Chrissy Metz and I thought it was going to go “Mike and Molly” or “make fun of the fat person” cliches, but she is awesome. Let’s be frank — she is a plus-sized woman. And she has a scene where she is just in her underwear. I don’t know if it is all her, or they added to the pounds, but it is a pretty brave scene for someone without a ton of acting credits behind her. She starts of a bit cliche, and then nails it in scenes where she isn’t feeling sorry for herself.

Randall by contrast is hard to judge. He seems like he could be a cliche, but instead, he has these self-aware moments that just sizzle. It’s almost like he’s breaking the fourth wall to say, “Hey, I’m living this and it feels like I’m in a sitcom.”

And some of it rocks as drama, but there are sequential light moments that are great.

On top of it all, Gerald McRaney plays the doctor delivering the babies. And he NAILS the character. I have liked him all the way back to Simon and Simon (particularly if I ignore Major Dad) but his cameos either work great or they don’t work at all. This one may be the best I’ve ever seen him. He is absolutely fantastic.

I’ll watch it as long as it lasts, but I’m likely to be disappointed after about 4 episodes when it disappears.

Season premiere: NCIS 2016/17

The PolyBlog
September 20 2016

Last year, Season 13 of NCIS ended with Tony DiNozzo exiting stage right to look after his and Ziva’s daughter, with the life of a single dad not fitting with his NCIS lifestyle. Back when Ziva’s character exited, the producers spent a whack of time over a bunch of episodes playing “agent, agent, who wants to try out as an agent?”. Lots of old characters rotated in and out for an episode, and eventually they added Ellie Bishop. Not all the fans out there love Bishop, I don’t mind her, but I was hoping they wouldn’t do another round of rotating characters. I thought the producers said that one or two of the characters from the last couple of Eps of Season 13 would become recurring characters if not full season regulars, so imagine my surprise with both of the two other agents gone, and not a lot of explanation other than they returned to their agencies.

Season 14 kicked off with a lot of backstory for a Latino agent who has been undercover in various operations for eight years, and recently had his cover blown in Argentina. He’s been off the grid for awhile, NCIS wasn’t even sure if he was alive or dead. But he was alive, still working, and when his cover was blown, the family he was after decided to take out his family back in the U.S. too. Lots of sub-plots around revenge, heart-break, infiltrations, blah blah blah.

But the real story is that the former undercover agent, Nick Torres, is now a new agent with the team. Played by Wilmer Valderrama, it’s nice to see last year’s Minority Report secondary actors getting work. I confess both last year and this year that I recognized him, but couldn’t place from where. Double-checking his bio writing this, I was shocked to realize it’s Fez from That 70s Show. I never would have come up with that.

NCIS likes to add a twist though, and they did it this time too. They added TWO agents, not just one. Jennifer Esposito plays Alexandra Quinn, a NCIS trainer that Gibbs pulls out of the academy to join the team. I’m hoping she’s not on the team just to give them a red shirt to eliminate in the future. I loved Esposito as Jackie on Blue Bloods, even if she didn’t have enough to do in the series. I even liked her on Taxi Brooklyn for the short time it was on. Happy to see her getting some work, and she has great presence. Not sure the dynamic with Gibbs since she’s not the spring chickens like the other three.

Finally, while the overall plot for the Ep was so-so, there is a great cameo by good old Bud Roberts. Now a Captain, and still at JAG, he starts to tell a story about Mac and Harm and what they’re up to, and then he gets interrupted and there’s no story. Oh, so close. Cute little scene. But baby faced Bud? He looks OLD now 🙂

Season premiere: Gotham – 2016/17

The PolyBlog
September 20 2016

Season 2 of Gotham last year was sub-titled in part as “rise of the villains”, and rise they did. By the end though it was all about Indian Hill and Dr. Hugo Strange. Finally, in an attempt to save many from a large explosion, Gordon stopped a bomb from going off but Fish Mooney managed to escape with a busload of X-men. No, meteor freaks. No, meta humans. Well, whatever we call them, they’re the results of Strange’s experiments.

I confess I was not thrilled to see Fish Mooney back. Call me Jada-ed (see what I did there?), but it is painful most of the time with her over the top acting and one-dimensional character. There is a small but loyal Gotham fanbase who were thrilled when her character seemed to be killed off, and yet like bedbugs, it’s hard to eradicate her character.

But she was in the first episode, and well, she didn’t suck. I don’t want to watch her but if the rest of the season’s shows stuck to the same level of her involvement, I’d be okay with it.

Gordon is okay as the past-wronged, now enjoying his freedom, ex-cop turned bounty hunter. Still enjoyable. Selina is working with Fish and causing trouble, but even she is having her own trouble adapting. Bruce left town after the Indian Hill and has just returned with stunning accusations to the Board at Wayne Enterprises that there is a cabal among them that is corrupt. Lots of little threads to kick off the season.

But I think I liked the interactions between Riddler and Penguin the best. Still fun, still enjoyable. Love Edward Nigma. Even if he’s nuts.