Pilot Review: Ringer

Ringer (CW)
Premiered September 13 at 9pm

I’ll note right off the bat – realizing full well that I may permanently lose a few readers as a result of this admission – that I’ve never been a big SMG fan. I say that mainly because, for most, that’s the major appeal of this show, and it’s certainly the reason that a good portion of the audience on Tuesday night at the Paley Center’s first installment of its annual Fall TV Fall Preview series came out to see the CW’S newest offerings. Those who constantly sing Sarah Michelle Gellar’s praises will undoubtedly get a kick out of seeing her play two roles, one hopelessly pompous and the other rather nervous and sympathetic. I’m not in that camp, so I’m somewhat less than impressed by Gellar’s acting abilities in this particular double role. As for the show itself, it has a catchy premise on which it’s extremely hard to deliver. The show takes far more care in framing itself in as many mirrors as possible than it does working on the rest of the visual aesthetics, not to mention backdrops, as seen in the boat scene. The convenience of Siobhan washing away while Bridget was asleep seemed a bit too obvious, and I suspected that Siobhan might be revealed to be alive somewhere in the middle of the season, just as Bridget was getting comfortable in her life. The show beat me to it, revealing the double whammy of her being alive and someone having put out a hit on her, not Bridget, by episode’s end. That should make it infinitely more interesting than watching Bridget assume Siobhan’s life would have been, but it still might be a bit far-fetched. I’m saddened by the wasted talents of supporting actors Nestor Carbonell and Ioan Gruffudd, and disheartened by the amount of screen time given to serial series killer Kristoffer Polaha. The only cast member who is truly entertaining is Tara Summers, whose role is excessively over-the-top. The show doesn’t have much of a leg to stand on, but it’s tempting enough that I’m somewhat curious about where it will go.

How will it work as a series? We now have an enormous mystery to sort out, and that’s why Siobhan faked her death, not to mention who was trying to kill her. The added dimension of Bridget trying to fit into Siobhan’s life when she’s nothing like her should make for a hefty amount of intrigue and plenty of plot ground to be covered, at least for the first season.
How long will it last? I read reports that the numbers were just okay, while the CW touted it as the best audience in the time period for the network in three years. I have a feeling that the CW will want to keep around this female-led show with a hot star who is sure to attract people regardless of the quality or contents of the show, so a second season is decently likely.

Pilot grade: C+