Checking in with...Standoff

Standoff: Season 1, Episode 12 "No Strings" (D)

Taking the suggestion of two posters who commented on my post from a few months back, I watched this week's new episode of "Standoff" to give it another shot. I went in with a relatively open mind, having had no strong feelings either good or bad about the pilot. I was terribly underwhelmed by what I saw. Ron Livingston and Rosemarie DeWitt have absolutely zero chemistry, and what is supposed to pass as an endearing tendency is their annoying talking at the same time, saying different things. They show no emotion whatsoever, seeming at most disinterested when one of their hostages gets shot. They talk both to the hostage-takers and about their theories as if they have never done this before (I know that not to be true, as their characters have appeared in 11 episodes thus far). Gina Torres, who I have never liked, is forgettable as a higher-up on the scene. She was far better used in showy roles like Anna Espinosa on "Alias". This show lacks a dramatic punch, and there is too much comedy for the subject matter and nothing flows well. This episode does boast a guest appearance from the fantastic Xander Berkeley (see: "24" Season Two), which is always welcome, though this is not his best role by a long shot. I am just not interested in tuning back in, and I highly doubt that the show will return, even if it has not been officially cancelled yet.