Drive 04/13 - "The Starting Line"

So did anyone else catch this tonight?

For those wondering, the premise of the show is a very illegal and hush hush cross-country race starting in Florida, with the winner getting 32 million dollars.

A good number of the people were recruited by coercion it seems. One of the main characters, Alex Tully (played by Nathan Fillion) was dragged into his race when his wife was kidnapped. When he shows up at the orientation, he learns that if he wins… well, he’ll get his wife back, another character had her newborn baby kidnapped to make her participate, another has cancer and is doing this as the one hurrah of his carefully measured life (though he drives like my Dad when he has a mind to it).

I thought it was interesting. Sort of like Rat Race, but not really because Rat Race was all about the comedic factor. This one is about the tension, of people trying to outwit one another, with the mysterious ‘them’ (who? We don’t know.) throwing curves at them.

I think it’s a not bad show, it struck the right balance between tension and comedic moments with a bit of mystery thrown in. Something I’ll watch for sure. If they can keep up the tension and not let it get over the top in the curves they throw I think it’ll do pretty well.

I don’t know who I’m rooting for to win though. Not quite yet.

We watched it tonight. I thought it was pretty good. It was certainly good enough to make sure we catch the next installment. It’s sort of like a cross between “Lost” and “It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World”, without the slapstick.

Aside from Captain Tightpants, who I would watch mow lawns, none of the characters held my interest. Is this show going to be on opposite *Heroes *on Mondays?

Is this some kind of crazy Canadian TV schedulin’? Because every advertisement I’ve seen shows Drive debuting on Sunday.

Yeah, Canuckistan got the premiere tonight on CTV and their sched for next week lists it as on Friday the 20th as well. Gay marriage, public health care, new TV shows, we’re always on the cutting edge :cool:

It’s taking Prison Break’s spot, which is going on summer hiatus.

I’m watching it right now, and I hereby dub Mal’s truck “Ol’ Paint” because I know a person who drives a truck very much like that one and that’s what’s written on the side (in rust, scoured out of the paint with a screwdriver). Except… if some shlub in a BMW tried to sideswipe that thing, he’d be picking up pieces of his shiny sports car for the next ten miles while Ol’ Paint kept on hauling ass down the freeway.

:nitpick:
2007 Dodge Charger.

Actually, she stowed her child away with some sort of child protective service or abused women shelter, to keep the baby away from her abusive husband. She brought along a doll of the baby so that if her husband or anybody that could speak to him got wind, they’d think at first that the baby was with her.

Another thread on the same topic: Drive -- new Fox show - Cafe Society - Straight Dope Message Board

Oh, I somehow missed that.

And Aes, I know. Mine was started before that one, on the 13th.

I’m not sure about that…when she called, she said something like “I’m calling on the phone you gave me” which I presume is the race instruction phone. All this implies I paid close enough to hear them!

Yes, but that was a different phone than the “clue phone.” She’s in charge of Sam’s location, not them. (She even told the race guy that bailed her out “Sam was safe.”) they neither knew nor cared. I liked it. I’ll watch again…

God damned Fox brand crack cocaine TV! It’s not like a mad mad mad mad world, it’s another version of 24, only 10 times as addictive. I don’t want to watch this ridiculous show, but I must find out what happens next.

It’s a show that was made for DVD. Far to many commercials, each one preceded by a 24-style clifhanger.

There’s a reason Melanie “Mommy” Lynskey looks like Jam’s girlfriend from Detroit Rock City. Same actress.

Do we know for sure that Mrs. Greeksomething has her baby threatened by “them”?

Did I miss any indicators as to why she was afraid to see her husband?

-Joe

Domestic abuse.

So, it was the obvious. The discussion above about her son being hostage to The Them had made me wonder if I missed something.

Unfortunately, Ms. Jeek has a problem where her mouth won’t actually, you know, STOP TALKING WHEN I’M WATCHING A SHOW.

So, I thought I’d missed something.

-Joe

I was hooked when I saw Nathon Fillon (can’t remember his story name) talking to the Cop in the beginning, and that cop was the same bounty hunter that hunted him in the last “Firefly” ep!

As far as I can tell, abusive hubby got her pregnant. When she gave birth, she was confronted about her bruises by the social worker, who, as it turns out, is one of “them.” She was given the cell phone as a way of contacting the social worker, who is taking care of the baby. Abusive hubby apparently cares enough to wonder why she’s not in Minnesota, but not enough to see his own son being born.

And apparently every single person in the universe not actually in the race is one of “them.” Abusive hubby and newborn son are probably in on it.

Looks entertaining and fun, nice summer pablum to counter all the reality shows that pack the summer schedule. Summers can be so BORING so I am pleased to see a show that shows a little promise.

Is it just me, or does the teen daughter look an awfully lot like Lindsey Lohan? I like the two brothers and the crazy hydraulics in the car.
Do you think they’ll keep the wrecked, falling apart pick-up during the whole race as a running joke? It was cute when the scheme to steal bad guy’s cool car went literally nowhere.