Nah. It plays into society’s distrust of intelligence. Those brainy types can’t follow the rules, always go too far, think themselves above the morals of God-fearing commoners, etc.
Typically, the heroes are working-class joes more into booze, broads, and cars - smart enough to get the job done, but not deep thinkers. If heroesare brainy, they’re tormented by it, rather than enjoying it like the bad guys, so that we’re glad we’re not like them.
The show is obviously trying to make us think that Spader is Liz’s father. They’re practically beating us over the head with it. Yet it doesn’t seem to have occurred to any of the characters. No one brings it up as a possibility. Which means that either:
I’m betting Number 2, in which case that information will be revealed next week, so that the show can say to us “Ha! We got you guys! I bet you thought he was her Dad, didn’t you?”
Of course, then it will turn out that he really is her father after all. “Got you again, didn’t we!”
This is a very silly show. But I agree with all posters who says that Spader is highly entertaining and he alone makes it enjoyable.
It’s up on Hulu.
I’ll admit I didn’t recognize him in Lincoln. I kept thinking I knew that guy but couldn’t figure out who it was until I read the credits.
For those who care, they’re repeating the pilot tonight at 9.
Just watched the pilot. Enjoyed same. Definite Silence of the Lambs vibe, with a healthy dose of implausible but entertaining happenings. This makes 3 network shows I’m watching this season, and that hasn’t happened in…decades.
Agreed. Spader was wonderful - I could watch just him for an hour. Liz is apparently retarded and completely useless. All the other FBI agents are retarded and useless. They seriously need to step up their supporting cast and also their writing - we shouldn’t be reciting dialogue along with the characters or knowing exactly what is going to happen next in every scene.
And if Redd is Liz’s dad, I will be very, very disappointed that they couldn’t come up with anything better than that.
It actually took me a few days to get around to this on my DVR, and when it was over, I was kind of happy that I didn’t watch it sooner, because it meant I only had to wait a couple of days for a new episode. Fun stuff. As far as what kind of relationship Reddington has with the new profiler, I think the only explanation that isn’t going to completely annoy me is that he knew her father back in the day and swore to look after her to repay some kind of life debt.
In my personal experience, it’s the ones that DON’T graduate at the top of their class - the ones who were so intelligent that they were bored out of their skulls in a restrictive, regimented environment, who were two-to-five steps ahead of their teachers - that you need to watch out for.
That said, I think they are clearly trying to make us think Reddington is the FBI chick’s father (I said it about 15 minutes in) and am hoping that the writers are so good that they put that out there early as a “fake out”.
I watched the pilot over the weekend. I’ll watch the second episode to see if it gets any better, but so far I’m not impressed. Other posters have already stated nearly all of my objections:
All of the above, and particularly the last bit: it really bugged me that no one wondered how the bad guys found out about the change in plan (with less than an hour’s notice), or even seemed to notice.
Maybe I’m the only one who still remembers Alias, but the “your significant other isn’t who you think” storyline got beat to death in that show (much as I loved it) and I’m not ready for it again yet. It still feels tired to me.
When Reddington and Emily met for the first time and the cube finished being pulled back, I desperately wanted Reddington to grin and say “Hello, Clarice.” Emily could make a “ha, ha” face in response, then move on. I saw it happening so clearly that I was actually surprised when it didn’t. The whole thing screams Silence of the Lambs, and if they just would have acknowledged it – one quick nod – I’d have fallen in love with the show that instant.
Count me as another one who enjoyed James Spader, but the show around him is so silly I may or may not continue watching. I’ll definitely give it another episode or two, and hope it gets better. But oh man the silliness in that first episode was out of control.
That stupid high security box that slowly retracted while making large alarm sounds was just beyond ridiculous. Why would you EVER want that? Everything was so over the top it took me right out of the show.
And stabbing the guy in his carotid artery? Huh? That was one of the dumbest things I’ve ever seen in a show like this.
Still, Spader is managing to carry the show well enough that I enjoyed it. I hope the rest of it rises at least halfway to his level.
In addition to SotL Lecter, how about the nod to Liam Neeson’s Taken when they grab the daughter. The stabbing in the neck was good as a “I can’t believe she did that!” moment but stupid as he could have died very easily.
I think the whole who is the husband thing is going to get very stupid soon. I like to think that Redd and the terrorist set it up to have a lot of blood on that spot so she would change the carpet there.
Spader should wear a homburg and not a fedora. That alone is going to ruin the series for me.
No argument that it was silly and over the top. The only defense is that they didn’t build it; I think we’re supposed to assume that weird contraption had some sort of postal service function.
He wasn’t in Stargate SG-1, he was in the movie Stargate. Michael Shanks took over the role for SG-1.</nitpick>
I’m already getting bored with the entire FBI acting dumb and dumber. They’re like a giant lumbering elephant crashing around and knocking over the furniture. I realize Reddington is supposed to be manipulating them, but they’re making the Profiler lady and other agents too amateurish and incompetent.
I’m hoping it will get better now that Reddington has his deal and the tracking chip. Hopefully they won’t need twenty agents to shadow this guy. They looked pretty stupid in the Montreal scene. It was kind of pathetic watching them panic when they lost touch with Reddington for a few minutes.
I was surprised by the twist ending. Didn’t see that coming at all.
I’m still struggling to like the Profiler lady. She’s just so boring and useless. I haven’t seen any indication that she’s got any skills as an agent. Her own husband was a plant that made a fool out of her. She didn’t even realize the charity lady was a fraud. What kind of Profiler is she supposed to be?
It just seems like this role was horribly miscast. This actress seems totally lost in the role. But that’s also true of all the FBI agents. They are so useless and forgettable. I can’t recall any of their names.
I hope this show gets better as the season progresses.
Interesting…but what’s in it for the then dying (now dead) terrorist?
I’m starting to get a vibe that Redd is using the FBI to knock off people he doesn’t like for some reason…
The torture scene with the Freelancer’s compound fracture was a little graphic for broadcast television. That was Game of Thrones level gruesome.
I’m liking it so far. Yes, it’s gimmicky at times and over the top, but so far it’s been fun to watch.
Plus, I totally called Isabella Rossaslini’s character for what she was and that made me happy. I like it when sometimes I can figure out the plot.
At the half-way point last night I realized I simply didn’t care. I didn’t care what happened with the plot, or with any of the characters. So I guess I’m out, much as I’ve enjoyed Spader in other shows.
Yeah, with all the incompetence around them, the foil for Reddington needs to be sharp as a tack and completely engaging as well - this actor/character is neither. Spader/his character needs someone who can hold their own against him to make this a successful, interesting show.
The best line of the night, though - “This is the exact moment we’ll be defending to Congress in the future.” 
ETA: I keep comparing this show to “Person Of Interest” in my head, and it keeps coming up short. POI is no award-winning drama, but I love the heck out of it - it’s engaging as anything, and I love all the characters in it.