Boomtown: another series lost to the morons

Cafe Society
#1

I liked last season’s Boomtown. I wouldn’t say it was a all-time great, but I did go out of my way to watch it. It had a couple of good things going for it; the unusual story lines which weaved together multiple viewpoints in a non-linear fashion and a willingness to let its characters be a mixture of good and bad qualities.

But even during the course of last season, you could see its creativity and individuality being diluted. The plots became more straightforward. The characters resolved their problems and became more “likable”. The show overall became more typical.

Now I read that the new season will be more “mainstream” and “lighter”. I’m willing to check it out but I’m not optimistic.

But why did they have to do this? There are plenty of shows on the air for people that want simple stories with simple characters. Is it too much to ask to have one or two shows with a little complexity? Don’t intelligent people deserve a little entertainment too?

To quote Dewey from Malcolm in the Middle, “Fine! I’m going to go read a book now! Are you satisfied?”

#2

Just what we don’t need: another Third Watch. I liked the multiple-character POVs, which have supposedly been abandoned. Plus, a total Emmy shut out. :frowning:

#3

Blame me. I gave up on Boomtown about halfway through last season because it was just too dark and convoluted. I’ve only decided to give the show another try this year because I’ve read that they’re lightening it up (and because they’ve moved it to a less competitive night). There’s a reason T.V. is refered to as “mindless” – most people use T.V to relax or as background noise, and don’t want it to be too tough to handle. I’m sure Boomtown would have retained it’s original style if more people had watched it the way it was.

#4

Boomtown would really need to be on a premium/pay channel to fully explore what it is capable of being.

#5

Ah, network television, where you can have any flavor you want – so long as it’s vanilla!

#6

I also liked the multiple-character POVs. They seemed to abandon that about halfway though the season. The first few shows were great. I guess it was too complicated for the average viewer. You know, you might actually have to think and watch at the same time. :rolleyes:
At the TWoP board, some posters would continually ask, “What’s up with the character names popping up at the beginning of some scenes? That doesn’t make sense!”
Um, that shows that it’s that person’s POV, ya moron.

:::good-naturedly elbows ArchiveGuy in the ribs on the way out of the thread:::
Watch it, bud. I like Third Watch.

#7

Another example of SBN (Screwed by Network), just like the John Larroquette Show.

#8

I loved the John Larroquette Show!!

Heck, I’m surprised they didn’t cancel Boomtown. To me, it was the best show I had seen since the first season of Homicide: Life on the Streets. Too bad they will be dumbing it down, but I do like the cast, especially Mykelti Williamson and Donnie Wahlberg.

#9

Oh. Dear. Lord. Boomtown is dead, and some kind of horrible undead … thing … has taken its place.

Here’s the season premiere. The four uniformed officers take up crime busting in their spare time to avenge the death of two of their own. They’re Cops With Attitude – Breaking All The Rules!

Oddly, they all seem to have acquired a lot more fashion sense in the last few months. Even Ray’s clothes seem to be neatly pressed. Oh, and Donnie Wahlberg’s wife? She’s just as chipper as can be, thank you very much! McNorris? MIA, except for a teeny cameo at the end. Messy subplots about graft and corruption? Swept under the carpet.

Anyway, our four feisty cops trace the killings to an underworld Mr. Big. While doing so they cross paths with another feisty detective … played by Vanessa Williams. Naturally, they team up, The four cops then fade into the background, spending most of the episode as her flunkies. (Except for Donnie Wahlberg, who plays a High Stakes Game of Cat and Mouse with Mr. Big. Tune in next week!)

It turns out the actual trigger, er, men in the killing were a couple of automatic-toting, well-dressed jewel thieves … played by Rebecca DeMornay and Kelly Hu. You know, the sorts of realistic criminals we’re used to seeing on Boomtown.

Actual segment of the show:

Cop: We’ll never get there in time.

Vanessa Williams: Not by car. But there are a few benefits to being a D3! [Naturally, she outranks all the established characters on the show.]

CUT TO: a helicopter landing on a rooftop. Vanessa and the four cops get out.

Cop: We’re too late!

CUT TO: a building across the street exploding.

A few minutes later, after Williams had been shot multiple times in the back and then popped right back up without a hair out of place (“Good vest!” she chirped,) I thought I had it all figured out. They could not be serious. They could not have taken one of the best dramas on TV and turned it into this.

No, this had to be a spoof, a parody a … a dream! Yes, that’s it. Probably what happened is that Ray fell asleep while watching Miami Vice reruns after eating too many nachos and this is all his dream. And he’s going to wake up any minute now! Right? Right? Wake up, Ray, wake up!

…oh crap, the credits, it’s over…

The clever dialogue has been replaced by cliches; the character segments replaced by fake-Tony-Scott montages; the old music replaced by a blaring and cheesy soundtrack; the drama by lame action scenes; and the acting of the superb ensemble cast by the attractive-but-stiff Vanessa Williams.

There is no reason to watch this show. If you liked the old Boomtown, everything good about it is gone. If you didn’t like the old Boomtown, the current zombie using its name is no better than a bunch of other cheesy action shows on TV, including that syndicated one with Pamela Anderson Lee.

Advice to the network: put Boomtown out of its misery immediately. At least allow us to remember its name with respect. But keep Williams, DeMornay, and Hu – if you add Tanya Roberts and Yasmine Bleeth, and you’d have a great Fox Force Five!

#10

Well, my opinion wasn’t quite that negative. Overall, I thought the episode was weak but no worse than an average episode from last year.

Casting women as beautiful as Williams, DeMornay, and Hu does ruin any chance of believability. But this has always been one of Boomtown’s biggest weaknesses. Consider Nina Garbiras, Theresa Ortiz, and the actresses who played Joel’s wife and the policewoman - none of them could be described as typical looking.

The multiple POV idea was almost non-existent - I think I saw it used twice. But it does appear they’re working on the idea of linking episodes together in story arcs. If they handle this well, it could work out. This was used to good effect in shows like Hill Street Blues and Wiseguy.

I’ll admit if this was the first episode of a new series, I’d probably give it a pass. But based on past performance, I’m willing to give them a few more episodes to see if they can settle in and develop from what they’ve put on the table.

#11

I thought this episode was rather weak as well. When it started it was billed as the “multiple POV crime drama” and now they’ve turned it into a mere crime drama. Unacceptable.

How many times did they say “Are you in or are you out?” What the hell happened to the show?

Apparently Nina Garbiras left, and McNorris is going to be wholesome and pure, and Heckler and Stevens will begin to like each other. Joy upon joys.

Meh. I hope this doesn’t collapse into cliche as much as 24 and CSI have as of late…

#12

No, no, no – they can’t clean up McNorris. That would be utterly unacceptable.

I just got around to watching this last night – yikes. sigh. I’ll probably watch it again to see if they calm down and get back to what they did so brilliantly at the beginning of last season – but I’m not exactly holding my breath.

#13

What? I haven’t seen it yet, I watched The Handler & taped it so I could watch it as Boomtown is meant to be watched. This is a gag, right? You’re all pulling my leg, right? RIGHT???

Boomtown was the best show on television. It totally changed my standards for television writing. And it’s gone simplistic?
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#14

Finally watched the tape.

It’s worse than they described.

It’s a bad LAPD Blue.

I know last year, they did less and less of the same scene from multiple points of view…but they didn’t abandon the idea altogether. And it was, well, dirtier…and less shiny. And having the outsiders helped.

This was just awful. Well, that’s one hour a week that can go to something else.

#15

Well, it’s all moot now, as Boomtown has been cancelled:

http://www.thefutoncritic.com/cgi/gofuton.cgi?action=newswire&id=6185

I wonder if we’ll ever see the 4 remaining episodes?

#16

Who would want to?

#17

Bummer.

McNorris’s Blackout/“Hit & Run” episode last season was great TV.

I was disappointed with the season premiere but hoped it would be salvagable. It was still better than the various flavours of CSI or Law & Order.

Thank god for Third Watch.

Why is it so rare for quality character-driven television to succeed? Do people really prefer to be formula-fed?

#18

Apparently, the network got worried when the show’s producers filmed a two part episode for what would have been the 5th and 6th episodes of the season. I guess it wasn’t dumb enough.

#19

The premiere pretty much sucked, but the last episode wasn’t so bad. Maybe it will get better? <doesn’t hold breath>

#20

It’s called “Friday Night,” the kiss of death for any TV show. Every network believes it can prop up sagging Friday night ratings by premiering a new show then or moving a well-rated show and “re-tooling” it. The reality is that Friday night is where shows, good or bad, go to die. Then midway through the season, each show is yanked as they realize no one (or at least, an insignificant market share) is watching. Eventually the networks will stop trying and just write off Friday nights as “cheap movie night.”