Ringer, Season 1 Episode 1

Ringer, Season 1 Pilot

Personality is a key force in driving a TV show. Without it, the show becomes nothing more than a repetitive shell of mediocrity willing to be filled with the same cliché themes and plot. The pilot episode of Ringer is just that, devoid of anything interesting and thrilling. There is hope for the show, but this pilot plays things too close to the vest and even worse is extremely unoriginal in the way they choose to execute the first glimpse of the show.

To get it out of the way, Sarah Michelle Gellar is no Buffy in Ringer. Nor should she be. Buffy left its mark in TV history and Gellar has moved on from that iconic role that launched her into stardom. The only difficulties are the similarities between the shows. Gellar is the star of a show on the CW (formally the WB) and has to live a double life to protect herself and those around her (like the first few seasons of Buffy).  The similarities stop there. Gellar plays twin sisters, Kelly/Siobhan. Kelly is running from protective custody, in which she is about to testify against a murder. Siobhan picks Kelly up from a diner in New York and the two reunite for the first times in five years. Things take a sharp turn and Siobhan is missing, possibly dead and Kelly assumes her sister’s persona to escape the mob and the police. Lot to understand right? Not really, since this was already told to the audience in all the promos and beat over the head within the pilot.

Plot points aside for a minute; the most offensive thing in this pilot is the uninspired dialogue that weighs down almost every scene. Dull and trite can only begin to describe the lack luster picture that Ringer paints. Joss Whedon's fast, quick, witty dialogue is longed for, especially since Geller is up to the challenge. Back to some plot points that just don’t make any sense. Just knowing basic information about Siobhan’s life is a quick obstacle that Kelly has to deal with, but somehow is put aside as Kelly goes about masquerading as her sister, but lacking the finer aspects of the assumed life.

The hope for the show comes more from the background that these actors have. Many of them have been on big shows that have done well (looking at you Nester Carbonell from LOST). The pilot just doesn’t take that many chances. There is only one or two that the show takes, and they aren’t until the ending, which doesn’t help driving the show and the payoff isn’t that substantial for having to wade through so much gunk. Please get better with each episode. Next week will be the litmus test to determine if Ringer will have any staying power.

Rating: Fans Only (of Geller)

Original Air Date: 9/13/11

Seen on The CW, Tuesday’s at 9/8c