Cobie Smulders (late of How I Met You Mother) plays an unemployed Army veteran with PTSD who helps find a missing teenager. This will apparently lead to her becoming a licensed P.I. in the coming episodes.
I kind of liked it. While there were a number of well-worn crime-show cliches (most notably the out-of-control car that, instead of crashing into anything, heads straight toward a handy ramp-like structure and goes spectacularly airborne), and her investigation seemed to progress a little too quickly and conveniently, the pacing and tone made for an entertaining hour of turn-off-your-brain television. They seem to be aiming for a Rockford Files with a female lead vibe - a high bar, but if they keep the right balance between serious and silly, they might pull it off.
Smulders did a nice job with the tough but flawed lead; sassy and seemingly confident, but full of anxiety and self-doubt. It will be her performance that ultimately makes or breaks this show, I think.
I saw it and enjoyed it, and will be tuning in again. Good cast (Smulders really carries the show, and I’d say she’s more than up to the challenge), pretty good dialogue, not a bad case for her to crack right out of the gate, interesting Portland setting, etc. I like that it has prominent contemporary Indian characters, too.
The fight in the car was exciting but I always wonder why the driver in those kind of Hollywood scenes doesn’t just brake hard and stop the car (other than the need for more excitement for the viewer). Why keep going - even accelerating - when you’re so dangerously distracted and not in full control of the car?
Good performances actually, in a badly written episode. Cobie Smulders better learn how to not wear a ton of makeup while pretending to be a tough PI. You don’t get in a fight leaving you cut and bruised without smearing some of that pancake makeup.
This was a pilot for a show which will be somewhat different, it has a chance to get good writers and direction and become something like Rockford Files with a female lead as mentioned above. Even without that it will limp along for a while with a small but dedicated audience that has less trouble suspending disbelief than I do.
We enjoyed it. The ongoing joke of the mixed tape stayed amusing throughout, and she carried off the bad-ass part of her character very well. Glad to see some Native American actors getting work.
I saw it over the weekend. It was OK, but I could do without the war-veteran-with-PTSD element. (Apparently the show is based on a graphic novel, so presumably that’s from there. It’s still a tiresome cliche.)
They also had Cobie slightly misuse peoples’ names a couple of times. It cracked me up because I felt like it was on purpose. I think it’s a way to knock people down a little bit. I hope they continue that ‘bit’.
I’ll definitely be watching it again… that and Unicorn. The new Walton Goggins sitcom.
I enjoyed it, despite the rather cliché’d plot of the pilot; thirding the Rockford Files vibe, with maybe just a touch of The Big Lebowski thrown in, and there’s the potential for some interesting character development.
Also, please keep feeding Smulders the snappy dialogue; she’s got a great delivery.
Well, S1E2 aired. I’m hopeful this is going to be a good one. We got a little insight into Grey’s background; which can be full of story arcs as well. The ‘bad-cop’ Lieutenant Cosgrove even showed some signs of being reasonable; which I wasn’t expecting. I thought they’d have her be the cop that always hates what Dex is doing, no matter what. Can’t wait for S1E3.
I tuned in at first chiefly to gawk at the local scenery, but it’s engaging and just fresh enough to keep me coming back for a while. I’m hoping it doesn’t get too soapy and keeps a strong “case of the week” focus.
True, but I like that she generally gets her ass kicked when fighting people bigger than her, at least until she manages to find some sort of weapon and/or opening for a crotch-shot.
Which I is also Rockford-like, for those who see the similarities between the shows.
I think it’s a way to knock people down a little bit. I hope they continue that ‘bit’.