Pilot Review: Cane

Cane (CBS)
Premiered September 25 at 10pm

Jimmy Smits is really good at playing really good guys, like his recent role on "The West Wing" as eternally honest president-elect Matt Santos. To me, he just does not work as an agressive, powerful boss who organizes hits and protects his family against any enemies with vicious force. Smits' character, Alex, is a huge portion of the show, which is why I place such emphasis on his casting. Supporting players Nestor Carbonell and Hector Elizondo both had far more energy on another short-lived Tuesday night CBS drama, 2004's "Century City." The plot, with keywords sugar and Cuban stressed as often as possible, is decent but too entrancing. It is the same old story set in a different city, and I am not sure how easy that will be to sustain. The relationsihp between Alex and Frank could get old very quickly. I do like the cultural music, but I am not sure how approved the use of Frou Frou. And I have to say, I am not so scared of the Samuels patriarch as I am of being caught in the sightline of Polly Walker's piercing eyes.

How will it work as a series? This kind of thing has been done before, and Jimmy Smits is popular, so that only helps despite his questionable casting.
How long will it last? I have written about this time slot many times. Good news for the show, however, since it premiered to the highest numbers since the debut of "Judging Amy", which lived out a more than healthy six years in this time slot. I still think it will be off the air before the end of the season.

Pilot grade: C