Person of Interest Season 1 Episode 1

Person of Interest Season 1 Pilot

When Person of Interest was announced as the brain child of Jonathan Nolan and JJ Abrams they had me sold. The Pilot episode of the show however didn’t leave me with any of the jaw dropping moments I had expected from such powerhouses of TV and Film. Not to say this is the worst new show on TV, but not that thrilling (from an Alias, LOST or Fringe way).

Jim Caviezel plays Reese, a former Special Forces officer who has been living on the streets and is recruited by Michael Emerson’s mysterious character, Finch who is a mysterious benefactor who wants crimes in the future to be prevented. Finch does this by a series of machines that find these people who are either in danger or want to commit a crime.

Both characters have silver linings that save them from mediocrity, but their portrayals are unbalanced. Reese doesn’t like to kill people, but does so several times in this episode. And by all means is a much more interesting character when he is dispensing fast justice instead of doing surveillance. Finch, who is very aloof by all accounts, needs to play things more closely to the vest. He gives far too much exposition to Reese at the front end of things. There are still many questions left about Finch, but this character should not be giving any sort of flat exposition. Neither should Michael Emerson. Ever.

Person of Interest has a lot of potential to it and that is where I put my faith. The future of the show. The pilot really didn’t do justice to the potential that Noland and Abrams have been known to do in their respected works. I feel as if CBS had a strong hand in throttling down the explosive action that the show does very well. And it needs more of this, right away.

Rating: Watch (give it a few episodes to pan out)

Original Air Date: 9/22/11

Thursday’s at 9/8c on CBS  

Glee Season 3 Episode 1

Glee Season 3, The Purple Piano Project

Glee is back for the show’s junior year and for a change, the show is actually learning and on a path to be a better show (even though these kids never seem to go to class). But before the review, a few thoughts:

The second season of Glee had to be one of the most unbalanced shows on TV last year. The plot was laughable, especially with Glee’s failed attempts to shove the concept that there is a main story weaved throughout the season. Then there were the excessive number of musical numbers that the show threw at the wall and would see what would stick. Yes, there were a good number of musical numbers that weren’t bad, but considering the sheer volume of musical numbers that were shown; the overall percent isn’t that great. And not to be forgotten: songs that have no real reason to be in the episode, singing for no reason and characters acting way out of character for no reason.

The season 3 premiere tries to fix some, if not all of the problems I’ve mentioned above. Giving a reason for why a character isn’t returning this season, good. Giving a plausible reason for said character for not being there, even better. Limiting the number of musical numbers to 5, thanks. Giving veiled explanations for why there is so much random singing and dancing in the halls of this high school, thanks but still an issue.

Look, Glee is going to be Glee, even at the show’s best. Yes there are still problems with the show that the show really can’t fix overnight. Hopefully with season 3, the show will be able to capture some of the ‘magic’ that the first season had. Lose the crazy, over the top, ridiculous story lines and get to the heart of the characters and their struggles while at the same time have these characters grow. The fandom will still support the show, but the casual viewer won’t stick around forever. If you stand still you will die (as a show) but acting sporadically will yield the same results. It will just take longer.

Rating: Fans Only

Original Air Date: 9/20/11

On Fox, Tuesday’s at 8/7c 

The Secret Circle, Season 1 Episode 1

The Secret Circle, Season 1 Pilot

Some TV shows that have a common producer or creator will have that person’s fingerprints all over the show.  A Law and Order show is instantly recognized as a Law and Order show. Alias, LOST and Fringe all have similar themes and shot compositions since they all share the same creator, writers all come from the same stable and share directors too. The Secret Circle (TSC) falls under the same umbrella as The Vampire Diaries (TVD), sharing several executive producers, not to mention that both were books written by the same author.

Some similarities that TSC and TVD share:

• ·         Mystic Grill and The Boathouse Grill à both hangouts
• ·         Parents keep dark family secrets from their kids
• ·         Small town in the middle of nowhere (kind of)
• ·         Strange murders
• ·         Dark atmosphere
• ·         Very attractive people litter the streets (not as many as TVD but still)
• ·         And (of course) supernatural events

The basic premise is that Cassie’s mom dies (people think she has an accident but it murdered by supernatural events), which forces Cassie to move in with her grandmother in a small town. The same town and house where her mother grew up. The same town that Cassie’s mom hasn’t visited in 16 years. Anyway, strange events happen to Cassie by local teenagers, which leads them to tell her that she is a witch and part of their circle. Actually, the key to the circle.

TSC doesn’t take too many risks in the pilot episode, but puts the plot forward enough to drive the next few episodes. Why was Cassie’s mom killed? What happened years ago with the previous circle that caused all those deaths? Why keep so much of this a secret from Cassie up till this point? What are the adults up to and why do they need Cassie for their plans? The questions aren’t frustrating (at this point) and hopefully will have logical answers to them, not just a rabbit hole of questions that answer one another.  Another hope is that TSC will get better with each episode, like TVD did in its first season.

Rating: Watch

Original Air Date: 9/15/11

Seen on The CW on Thursdays at 9/8c

                *The pilot is free to download before the TV premier at this time, which is how the review is up before the airing 

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