Pilot Review: Feed the Beast

Feed the Beast (AMC)
Premiered June 5 at 10pm

This show is the latest series that I’ve seen advertised nearly everywhere across New York City on billboards. I had very little idea what it was about aside from two guys opening up a restaurant, but wherever I first looked it up didn’t immediately point me to its two stars being Jim Sturgess and David Schwimmer. I couldn’t think of a stranger pair. Strugess is a British actor known for “Across the Universe,” “21,” “The Way Back,” “One Day,” and others. I suppose his recent role in “Kidnapping Mr. Heineken” is his best qualifier to play a criminal type, though I think that nice guy Dion has much purer intentions than his money-seeking abductor in the so-so film from last year. Schwimmer spent ten years on “Friends,” and the only time that he reappeared since then was in a well-received role on season one of “American Crime Story” playing Robert Kardashian. Putting the two of them together does feel weird, and they’re obviously from different worlds, though the drive-by shooting of Tommy’s wife connects them both to the gangster business. The opening credits were appealing with a dinner table appearing in a subway car and all across the city, and I’m definitely down for some appetizing storylines. What doesn’t get me is a villain named the Tooth Fairy who celebrates his moniker by carrying around a pair of pliers to inspire fear in those he meets. I haven’t made my mind up about this show just yet, but with another installment aired just two days after this, I’m up for another look.

How will it work as a series? The Tooth Fairy made it very clear that he is going to kill Tommy and T.J. if Dion’s restaurant idea doesn’t take off and enable Dion to make enough money to pay him back. The biggest problem is that it is sure to take a while to get it off the ground, but some creatively time representation could help get this show off the ground and to enticing action soon.
How long will it last? I think this is going to be one of the few AMC shows not to take off as a hit. Both the reviews and the ratings for “Preacher” were far better than they were for this premiere, and I think that’s going to spell a short future for this show. We’ll see how it improves over the next few episodes, but I predict one season will be it for this one.

Pilot grade: B-