Spring Pilot Reviews: Part Three

This spring included a flurry of pilots, some of which faded immediately and others that soared with impressive ratings. To play catch-up, I’m going to forego my usual pilot reviews and offer brief thoughts on all of the pilots in three segments. I’ll try to group them by my general feelings towards their quality and enduring possibility.

For my third go, I’ll look at the pilots that just couldn’t capture my attention. Most of them lost me halfway through the pilots, and in some cases, they’re just not the type of shows I’d likely watch. That’s certainly the case for Lie to Me, which despite having a fun concept, doesn’t seem to have any special kind of hook to draw viewers in to its weekly procedural nature. I thought it could have been more like ABC’s “Eyes” from a few years ago with Tim Daly, and a more enthusiastic, capable ensemble might make it work a whole lot better. Tim Roth is pretty cool, no doubt about it, but Kelli Williams isn’t a great co-lead. The show itself isn’t terribly inventive, which is a real shame because a series about lie detectors should be inherently fascinating. No such luck, for me at least, but its second season pickup this week means that its loyal fans (including my roommate) will have many more lies to detect in the future. ABC’s Cupid is another show that just didn’t spark. Actually a remake of a 90s show with Jeremy Piven and Paula Marshall, this series doesn’t provide much of a makeover. While comparison isn’t always the fair way of judging a show’s potential (and I made sure to watch the 2009 version first), the new incarnation doesn’t improve at all upon a show that didn’t quite click in the first place. Bobby Cannavale is a lot of fun (his turn as Will’s cop boyfriend on “Will & Grace” won him a well-deserved Emmy), but he’s playing too broadly and freely here, whereas Jeremy Piven had the role more under control. Sarah Paulson, great as she was on “Studio 60” a few years ago, isn’t quite bristly enough, though that is something Paula Marshall specializes in (see “Gary Unmarried” and “Californication”). “Cupid” has the same kind of aimless feel “My Name is Earl” introduced in its pilot – this show could go on forever without ever going anywhere. I feel like I can accomplish a whole lot more in my life before Trevor makes some so-so surprising matches. HBO’s The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency is quite an unusual offering, with each episode deep and extensive like other HBO series, but with a bizarre twist. Unlike past series like “The Sopranos,” “Six Feet Under,” “Carnivale,” and “Deadwood,” just to name a few among the many, there isn’t a tremendous ensemble here. It’s just one woman, hanging out in Botswana solving cases with her energetic but relaxed approach. It’s not a show made for me, and I don’t think I could handle any further installments, but to its credit, it’s exactly what it’s supposed to be. Jill Scott, though it’s not type of my performance, does do a great job and carries the show along with her obnoxious secretary.

Three other shows left me disappointed because they’re the kind of fare I might typically enjoy. A&E’s The Beast, starring Patrick Swayze, had terrific advertisements trumpeting its premiere, and I got excited about the gritty feel that would make it irresistible, as an ideal kind of improvement on A&E’s other currently-running drama, “The Cleaner.” Swayze’s pretty intense, that’s for sure, though I’m considerably less impressed with his rookie partner and the rest of the governmental players. The main logic that kicks in while watching this show is that there are only so many times that corrupt cops going over the line can be shocking or even interesting. Maybe this one’s gone too far, and there’s little unexplored territory it can cover. The exact same logic rings true for NBC’s Southland, which got picked up for a second season almost right away. It’s another cop drama that seeks to be controversial in its graphic depiction of real life. Ben McKenzie (Ryan from “The O.C.”) does a good job actually acting (!) but we’ve seen this story play out before. Young rookie cop arrives and works with a disgruntled training officer, and both come out of the experience changed. Given how long John Wells’ last NBC drama, “ER”, lasted, this show could have some potential to go further, but I’m not up for sticking around to see if it pans out. Michael Cudlitz, who I recognize from bit parts here and there, isn’t really the lead type, and I think that calling on him for a show of emotion someday will likely disappoint. The final show that left me wanting a bit more is Starz’s comedy Party Down. A great cast of very funny actors, namely Ken Marino, Lizzy Caplan, and Jane Lynch, just isn’t very…funny. Or interesting for that matter. Marino is talented, but his part just never allows him to be funny unless he’s being stupid, and Lynch, usually a hilarious recurring player, has too much of a big part which results in her overdoing it all the time. Caplan didn’t have a chance to be more than just a depressed sad sap in the pilot, and given her recent insanely great performance on “True Blood,” I’d hope to see her talents used far more shrewdly. I’d like to try and get back into the show, but episode two didn’t really do much for me either.

There were, however, two pilots that I did enjoy a lot: ABC’s Better Off Ted and NBC’s Parks and Recreation starring Amy Poehler. I’ll offer my thoughts on their recently wrapped, shortened seasons in my forthcoming posts on their freshman years. Fortunately, they’ve both been renewed for another season, and everyone will have plenty of time to get into them.

The summer should offer some new pilots, and fall is only a few months away! In the meantime, check back daily for season recaps of all the shows I’ve been watching.