Pilot Review: Rogue

Rogue (DirecTV)
Premiered April 3 at 9pm

DirecTV is known primarily as a satellite cable provider, but its flagship network also famously saved two series from extinction after their original broadcasters opted not to renew them. After both “Friday Night Lights” and “Damages” got a chance at a second life thanks to DirecTV, the channel is now ready to roll out its first original series. What “Rogue” represents is an extraordinarily intriguing premise, one which only becomes clear by the end of the second hour of its extended premiere. The notion of Thandie Newton’s Grace being undercover without any support from her police superiors and working with a mob boss who is well aware of her true identity is certainly engaging, but I’m not sure that the show that exists around it does justice to its potential. Grace is meant to seem somewhat unstable and unhinged, but Newton is hardly the right actress for the role, overplaying her eccentricities and energy and making her lead character difficult to endure. Marton Csokas is similar over-the-top as Jimmy, and this show could take a cue from Cinemax’s recently wrapped “Banshee” on how to portray a mob/police dynamic in a compelling way. I would point to the casting of Ian Hart, who has been seen as a regular cast member on two short-lived cable shows, “Dirt” and “Luck,” as Buddy, Grace’s main link to the police world, as strong, though he always plays highly detestable characters. This show’s pacing and tone needs work, and the way that this two-hour pilot ended makes it seem somewhat worthwhile to come back, though it hardly guarantees its quality or sustainability.

How will it work as a series? Grace can now embed herself deep within Jimmy’s operation without fear of being caught because she’s both no longer technically a police officer (though that’s not entirely true) and because Jimmy wants to use her to find out who is trying to take him down. That sounds like an interesting plot, and I’m hopeful that this show can get its dialogue and its characters more on track to fulfill it.
How long will it last? Because it airs on DirecTV, this show will be held to a different standard than other series. The ten-episode season is slated to air, but, given the generally negative reviews this show has received, I don’t suspect it will be back for a second season. It will all depend on whether DirecTV wants its first scripted series to be considered a failure.

Pilot grade: C+