Pilot Review: Chase

Chase (NBC)
Premiered September 20 at 10pm

Here we have an instance of a show about an elite squad that focuses on a specific type of criminal. The trouble is, there’s nothing elite about the show. It’s a perfectly generic cop show with unenthusiastic characters and relatively unexciting villains. The team of U.S. Marshals is particularly disappointing. Half of the cast is taken from now-defunct FOX shows – Kelli Giddish, star of the five-episode “Past Life,” Cole Hauser, star of the ten-episode “K-Ville,” and Amaury Nolasco, star of “Prison Break,” which mysteriously and miraculously went on for four seasons. Also assembled for this fugitive-hunting group is Jesse Metcalfe, of season one of “Desperate Housewives,” and Rose Rollins, who played a tough army chick in “The L Word.” While Giddish and Hauser have never really displayed much talent, it’s disappointing to see Nolasco, Metcalfe, and Rollins relegated to one-note roles. The show isn’t much better than its lackluster performers based on this first installment, pursuing super-serious serial killers in the heart of Texas. As Rollins says to newbie Metcalfe, it’s like “hide and seek with guns.” It seems that whoever conceived of the idea (and the dialogue) for this show has about that same childish outlook on life. There isn’t much else to cite regarding this show’s quality, and it’s certainly much inferior to CBS’ offering in the same time slot, new series “Hawaii Five-0.” Sure, Hawaii may naturally be more exciting and appealing than Texas, but there has to be more to a show than an emphasis on footsteps and running.

How will it work as a series? The cast doesn’t speak too well for itself, so it will depend largely on how well the show can incorporate episodic villains for Giddish’s Annie Frost to pursue. While it could theoretically go on for a while, it’s going to really depend on the quality of each episode and arcs contained within.
How long will it last? The future does not look promising. This show will likely go the way of NBC’s “Trauma” and “Mercy” from last year and get cancelled by the end of the season. Up against the season three premiere of “Castle” and the series debut of “Hawaii Five-0,” the pilot did not fare well, and I imagine that it may be gone before 2011.

Pilot grade: C-