Take Three: Necessary Roughness

Necessary Roughness: Season 1, Episode 3 “Spinning Out” (C+)

This show is cementing itself as a portrait of a rather out-of-control family that feuds uncontrollably and rather publicly for the entirety of the episode and then somehow decides that they’re all going to get along just before the episode ends. I’m not sure that progression is truly merited, and then definitely makes this show less convincing. The visit from the court-appointed observer to determine Dani’s fitness as a parent couldn’t have been any more poorly-timed, and her subsequent stops were certainly just as ill-advised. Her kids are rather horrific, however, so Dani can’t exactly be blamed too much for the state of things at home. T.K. is continuing to spiral out of control, so easily provoked by the most infantile of tricks. It’s a good thing that Dani’s clientele isn’t limited solely to the football players since that might quickly become boring, and dealing with different kinds of sports stars, at the behest of the team’s owner, makes sense as a regular routine for her. It does seem that her string are being pulled rather repeatedly by Nico, though it’s good to see some sort of relationship developing between them as he slowly lets little pieces of information trickle down to her. Her non-romance with Donnally continues to be a distraction that probably won’t turn into anything, and I imagine they’ll simply work together without letting their one-night stand get in the way. This show definitely needs some short of adrenaline since it hasn’t quite reached its potential yet.

Round Two: Necessary Roughness

Necessary Roughness: Season 1, Episode 2 “Anchor Management” (C+)

I’d like to say that this episode is an improvement over the first episode, but there are still a few kinks the show needs to work out before it can stand alongside USA’s other fare. Dani remains a character who’s not necessarily inconsistent but also not a superb lead, prone to her own insecurities in a way that would likely give prospective patients pause about her clinical abilities. Her sudden realization of what was ailing the anchor was also a bit sloppily handled, as flashbacks are often unnecessary if they don’t do anything to enhance the story (and Brenda has plenty of those such epiphanies on “The Closer” each week without visual aids). Her frequent fantasies about giving in to the temptation presented by her work associate are considerably more entertaining, which made her lackluster dating experience all the more disappointing. Her parenting style isn’t too reliable, as she tries to show her nonchalance by failing to punish her daughter for having someone pose as her boyfriend when she requested to meet him. Especially considering Trent seems like a decent guy and knew about Lindsay’s deception, it seems odd that he wouldn’t have just come as himself in the first place. It does cement Lindsay as one of the world’s worst daughters, and therefore the lack of consequences for her actions is frustrating. T.K. seems like far too much of a loose cannon, but I suppose it’s good that Dani’s thinking of smart ways to keep him in line and that people are actually listening to her.

Pilot Review: Necessary Roughness

Necessary Roughness (USA)
Premiered June 29 at 10pm

Summer is in full swing now that USA is airing six original series each week. “Necessary Roughness” is the latest show to premiere and join the lineup of characters that fill the schedule each week on what has become one of the most reliable broadcasters of scripted shows during the summer. Pairing it with “Royal Pains” makes sense since both deal with unconventional medical practices. Unfortunately, this pilot isn’t nearly as much of a pleasant surprise as that show was two years ago. There are a number of things that need to be sorted out before this show will be able to find its funk. Though this might be too strict a requirement for a show to have to fulfill, it doesn’t possess the same unique spark that other USA series do. Hypnotherapy, while somewhat uncommon, isn’t all that revolutionary, and the way that this show is structured isn’t all that effective or intriguing. Callie Thorne, who was and is so incredible on “Rescue Me” as the nutty Sheila, is the type of actress who is great in featured supporting parts, often stealing the spotlight from the stars. But to put her in charge isn’t as smart a move as it might seem, since she’s too prone to squeal-heavy outbursts and can’t really carry the show by herself. The ensemble supporting her is uneven at best. Marc Blucas, as her one-night stand turned work colleague Matthew Donnally, is particularly unenthusiastic, and her mother was downright irritating, not in an effectively amusing manner but rather a distracting one. Mehcad Brooks is surprisingly energetic as T.K., and if his character isn’t too ridiculous, he could be the core player on this show. The other characters, however, such as the destructive daughter and the cheating-prone son, just aren’t substantial enough for a good show to be built around them. It’s not that it’s off-putting or unappealing, it’s just not there yet.

How will it work as a series? Matthew alluded to the fact that Dani is going to potentially be working with other players besides T.K., so maybe she’ll soon have her own specialized field of medicine, hypnotherapy for footballers. Since T.K. is a series regular, however, he’ll likely be the focus, and I’m just hopeful that his story is interesting enough for the show to be able to grow around him and his relationship with Dani.
How long will it last? USA shows have an awfully good track record of staying on the air, especially recently. It helps considerably that it held on to over ninety percent of its lead-in’s audience. I’m not sure a second season is coming soon, but cable networks do like to jump the gun, so this one should find itself with a renewal sometime this summer.

Pilot grade: C+