Tuesday, October 14, 2008

My Own Worst Enemy Fan?

At the request of blogger Bonkers, here's a post for the new NBC show w/ Christian Slater that premiered Mon. 10/13. I didn't get to see it but for those that did and are interested, discuss away! :)

46 comments:

Bonkers for Bristow said...

So, I watched My Own Worst Enemy last night. I'm looking forward to hearing comments from you guys as I found it promising. After getting my hopes up for Terminator and Bionic Woman and Fringe, I was hesitant and was looking for things not to like. It started out promising and I found lots of Alias-like scenes to whet my appetite and make me come back for another episode.

First it started with the famous, laptop message and Henry's confusion that we've seen in commercials for months. But then they did the "48 hours earlier" twist that we all loved in Alias. There were international locations and night time assignations, mysterious briefcases being passed and a beautiful spy.

I liked the - perceived - shout outs to Alias fans; including the 48 hours time frame, the underwater shot while Henry was being drowned, the alley and warehouse that looked just familiar enough to the site of many Alias scenes, the elevator scanner that led to the underground lair, the partner who bust in and saved Henry's life, digging in the desert, and Edward's secret stash of weapons that reminded me of Jack's.

I liked Uzi, the bad guy, and am hoping that he might have survived the blast as he would make a good nemesis. Not only is he a good character but he had some good lines and he knows Edward's secret which could create the danger and tension we've been looking for. I also liked the partner, Raymond/Tom (?). He's one of those actors you see but he's never really made a big impression. It'll be intersting to see if he can pull off the action, tough guy stuff as all I remember him doing before is sitcoms. I liked the scene where he was talking to his wife, while loading the gun. Sets up the double life that we all know and love. Henry started out as a bit of a wimp but as he grew stronger and smarter, Edward became more of an ass. It'll be interesting to see how Christian Slater makes the two men different enough so the viewer can keep track of who's who without us disliking one of the men.

Overall, I liked it enough to keep watching. The second episode is always telling as they put alot of money into the pilot and set the scene for the series. I hope they try the serial episodes as I think they will work for the premise of the show. Give us a bad guy or organization that arcs the season and we can root against. Make us care for the safety of Henry's family and show us a little softer side of Edward. Maybe we'll have hit.

uncle111 said...

Bonkers,
I liked it a lot. I loved the Alias shout outs a lot too. They had to have been on purpose. I will definitely be back.

I already have a great idea for a season cliffhanger:
We find out that his wife is really an agent like him with the same organization.

Page48 said...

I liked the pilot as well. Didn't love it to pieces, just liked it.

While Slater isn't my idea of the physical embodiment of the master spy, I think he straddles the dual roles well. There were a couple of times when I didn't know if I was watching Henry or Edward (are these the best names they could come up with?), but I think that will get easier as we go along.

I think we were all on the lookout for "Alias" flashbacks. The head dunk was absolutely glaring. Who among us could not see Syd's flaming red hair at that instant?

The communication between the two Slater characters is reminiscent of the British miniseries "Jekyll", where the 2 sides of Dr. Jackman leave each other messages on a digital recorder. Helpful things, like letting their other half know where they parked the car last night.

It also smacks a bit of what I expect we may see from "Dollhouse", where memories are wiped clean and new character traits are programmed in.

I'm glad that we established early on that Henry and Edward are aware of each other rather than drag that situation out over a season. I was surprised at the revelation that Henry was actually just a profile concocted in the lab.

Like "Alias" and "Fringe", MOWE also incorporates the flyover to introduce scenes that take place back at HQ.

Like Bonkers, I wish they would go serial, but serial is so out of favour right now for reasons lost on me. What the public has against the weekly cliffhanger beats me. The story of the "marbles" has the potential to lead us somewhere, but will it unfold as slowly as "Burn Notice", with only 5 minutes per episode devoted to advancing the plot?

I'll be back for more of this show. Now that we've had the character introductions, I hope they will set about spinning us a great yarn. And with any luck, Edward won't be as big a jerk as he appeared to be in the first episode. I want a spy I can like (think Sydney Bristow).

uncle111 said...

Let me add this observation:
The technology they are using to create Edward's cover is a twist on Helix. Instead of taking a second person and changing them to make an alias that looks like someone else, they are creating an alias and putting it inside an exsisting person, putting real person and alias in the same body. Instead of 2 different look alike bodies sharing one identity, 2 different identites sharing one body.

Anonymous said...

This is off-topic, but I was working on a paper with my television on and I suddenly heard "Credit Dauphine". I looked up and realized it was Eli Stone, the current home of Jack Bristow. Nice to know Alias lives on =)

Page48 said...

I just voiced this opinion at fringebloggers.com, so I figure why not chew my cabbage twice by posting it here:

Remember the episode in “Alias” where Will and Francie are knocking back a few cold ones and watching TV, fascinated by a car chase where (unknown to them) their roomie Sydney is forced to escape the authorities in hot pursuit of her by barreling her car off the edge of the pier and staying under water long enough to avoid capture by inhaling air from the tires of her car? In doing so, the revelation came to her that her mother was still alive. Remember that? Remember the doors that opened with that scene?

THAT (yes, in capital letters)is the kind of magic that Orci/Kurtzman/Abrams et al have so far failed to inject into “Fringe”. Have they forgotten how to do it, how to instill that magic? Are they a spent force? Have they gone back and watched “Alias” over and over again like many of us have, and like I’ve suggested they do?

It’s clear that they have put a lot of thought into “Fringe”, they have plenty of ideas mapped out for future development of the show, but have they forgotten how to excite us or how to manipulate our emotions?

Have they forgotten how important the characters’ vulnerability is? How important the skillful addition of popular music was in “Alias” (think Joni Mitchell’s “River” as a rain-soaked, tear-drenched Sydney melts into Vaughn’s lucky-ass arms)? Was that a moment or what? How about some of that in “Fringe”???

I strenuously disagree with the decision to go with stand-alone episodes, but since they’ve chosen to pander to the current disdain for serial television, I really think the writers have to dig deep for the special moments, because plot advancement is naturally slowed to a crawl with the episodic treatment. The science itself is of no interest to me. It’s where the science takes us that I care about, and so far it hasn’t taken me once around the block. The episodic format insures that wherever the science takes us, it will take us there at a snail’s pace, so if we must travel slowly, we should at least travel in style. What that means to me is thrill me, scare me, make me cry, break my heart, leave me scarred. At the very least, make me feel something that I didn’t feel before I tuned in.

I’m getting a little frustrated here.

Bonkers for Bristow said...

Anon,
did they actually talk about Credit Dauphine? I'd love to know why.

Page48 said...

Bonkers, they had VG's character trapped in the rubble of a bank destroyed by a crane that fell on top of it. The bank just happened to be "Credit Dauphine".

I guess this is ABC's idea of an olive branch for embittered "Alias" fans, sort of a group hug offering.

Well, ABC, I ain't in the forgiving mood.

uncle111 said...

They're trying to rub it in with Alias fans- "Hey, Alias fans. Remember this? Jack dieing? Huh? Remember?

Page48- great writing about Alias, as usual.

uncle111 said...

Someone copied Firefly and BSG for me. I never saw either of these before and I'm 5 episodes into Firefly. It's a good series with good production values. But, again, compared to Alias, which I know is an unfair comparison, it's just another good show, though those these days are scarce.

ILA4E said...

Just watched the MOWE Pilot last night, and god yes, did I see some Alias similarities -- the underwater shot screaming resemblance to our favourite show.

One thing that I immediately recognised, though (and I have this freakish ability to notice this, no matter the TV show/ movie or actor) was that the character of Uzi is played by an actor called Mark Ivanir...

...who also happened to play Boris Oransky on ALIAS -- Season 3, Episode 3: Reunion!

Ah, the ALIAS connections...

I don't know, MOWE didn't do too much for me, but I'll be giving it a fair go. ;)

Page48 said...

She's got an eye for "Alias" personnel

Page48 said...

I bent the ear of the folks at watchingdollhouse.com tonite with more of the usual:

JJ has a lifetime pass from me because of “Alias” (and “Lost” isn’t bad either), but after 5 episodes of “Fringe”, I have to say that I’m disappointed that Abrams/Orci/Kurtzman/Pinkner and everyone else concerned seem to have lost either the urge or the formula for creating excitement, intrigue, suspense, thrills, urgency, danger, despair, heartache, etc…..(in other words, the stuff of “Alias”)

“Fringe” (so far) has followed a strict episodic template which viewers, trained to expect more from Abrams, will only grow increasingly weary of. For instance, after only 5 episodes, we now know for a fact that Peter will not stay in the car. He will get out of the car, get involved in the chase and immobilize the target in time for Olivia to apply the handcuffs. Please, JJ, please! This is pure formula, this does NOT stand out.

“Alias” was a highlight reel of great moments. I’m talking about the kind of life-altering moments you remember for years. The pilot alone was full of them:

-the opening scene with Sydney’s flaming red head held under water, thousands of miles from home, without any backup, as she gasped and sputtered and used her wits to keep herself alive
-the parking garage fight where she spins around, points a gun at the waiting sedan, and exclaims “Daddy?”
-the scene at the track where she guts Will Tippin by telling him that she and Danny are getting married
-Sinead O’Connor serenading us as Sydney marches into Sloane’s office and drops a bag full of Mueller Device on his desk and tells him “I’m back”
-the stunning visual of Sydney, still wearing black sweater and red hair, her mouth swollen from dental torture, shoulders back, steely determination, making her way through the unsuspecting pedestrian traffic, on her way to the real CIA, to present herself as a walk-in
-and how about the final scene, beautifully staged in the cemetery at Danny’s gravesite, where she receives her 2nd major revelation from her father, that he, in addition to not selling airplane parts, is also a double agent, as he hands her a cell phone that will change forever not only her life, but the lives of everyone she loves?

This is the kind of television I waited all spring and summer to see when “Fringe” was added to FOX’s fall schedule, but sadly, there has been a failure to deliver on the part of Abrams and his team, as the thriller I was promised is really just a freak-of-the-week procedural with no trace of the ingredients that made “Alias” so special.

JJ’s homework assignment this weekend is to dig out the “Alias” Box Set and watch a few gems like “Truth Be Told” or the masterpiece known as “Phase One”, and then spin the first 5 episodes of “Fringe”. If he would do this, I firmly believe that he would see how pale “Fringe” looks in comparison and maybe he could right the ship before the faithful begin to throw themselves overboard.

Do it JJ, prove that “Alias” wasn’t a fluke.

uncle111 said...

Page-
Wow!! Super writing! The beer must be flowing:)
I haven't seen Fringe for 2 or 3 weeks now. It's just not on my list anymore. I'm busy and most of the time I have to steal time from other things to go online and watch anything. I'm trying to stay caught up on Heroes and MOWE. I also want to try a little The Unit and Life on Mars, but can't quite get to them. This just doesn't leave room for any so so shows.

Page48 said...

Uncle, I'm sorry to say, that was literally a DRY run. Didn't get to the beer store this week....yet.

Page48 said...

Sinead O'Connor is, of course, forever linked to the best pilot ever, TBT. I don't even need to watch Sydney march into Sloane's office, I can see it in my mind's eye. It's burned into my retina, I suppose.

Here is a gorgeous performance by Sinead that I saw years ago on a PBS pledge drive. Just had a notion to look for it on Youtube and, sure enough, it was there. This is one of the few times I've seen Sinead with a full head of hair, not to mention a dress (but check out the shoes).

Sinead is eccentric to say the least, but she has the voice of an angel to be sure. Love the backup singers, too, four sisters from Ireland who call themselves the Screaming Orphans. They're clearly into working with Sinead. Notice how they all kneel down at the end.

SKlaft said...

Page 48,

I could not agree with you more in both of those pasted posts. You said it so well, you would hardly leave me anything more to say; and, as a writer, that's saying something.

I just had to write to give you your just dues. Bravo, and well done. maybe even an "attaboy."

-R.

SKlaft said...

I have not seen My Own Worst Enemy yet, but I am determined to find it somewhere.

Every since the pop-culture hit movie, "Pump Up The Volume," I have been something of a fan of Christian Slater. He hasn't had many good outings since then, but I always wished they would have made him a full time guest-star on Alias. With a Russian double agent wife, Elsa, at home taking care of their beloved little one, Slater would have made a nice addition to the group (perhaps as a more intellectual version of Thomas Grace).

Anyway, I am looking forward to MOWE, recognizing that it couldn't possibly meet the ALIAS-expectations. I have only glanced at some of your comments so as not to be spoiled for the Pilot episode, but I appreciate the "heads-up" and honest reactions.

Uncle, I'm glad you're giving Firefly and BSG a chance. The Sci-Fi aspects of both are not at all central to the very human stories that are told. I love them both. When you have finished Firefly, however, be sure to watch the movie, "Serenity." It puts an exclamation point on a really great, and sadly under-watched TV show.

Nice to see you all are still here.

-R.

Page48 said...

Thanks Robetron, I calls 'em like I sees 'em.

"Firefly" was one of those rare gems that, for some reason, slipped through the cracks. To think that FOX has already ordered a full season of "Fringe" but gave a beauty like "Firefly" the axe before airing a dozen episodes. It defies any kind of logic. And I agree that "Serenity" is a must-see follow-up to the series, although I watched it first (and several times since).

It's nice to see that most of the cast is working these days, but I must say that their talents would be better served bringing us more FF adventures, especially in the case of Nathan Fillion, who I last saw wasting his time on "Desperate Housewives". I mean, seriously!

uncle111 said...

Robetron,
Good to hear from you again.

You can watch MOWE on the network's site. It has the feel of a seires I could get drawn into, the way Alias felt at first, though not the same.

I'm finished with Firefly and have started the movie. When I say watch, that means mostly listen and a little watch. That's the way I have to do things at work. At home we just watch an hour of TV a night while eating, and it has to be something my G-PG wife can stand.

I enjoyed Firefly and felt like I was just getting into it. I wonder what it would have been like to see one episode per week. I could have done without the Companion character, and thought the most interesting episode was the last one with the black bounty hunter. Great character. The most emotional episode was where the guy who had fought with them in the war was going to turn them in, but was killed and they took his body back to his parents. Very strong.

The movie is starting well.

I'll start BSG next.

Page48 said...

Uncle, the bounty hunter you refer to was Jubal Early, a name borrowed from a Civil War figure.

I love the way Whedon blended Wild West with space travel and some pretty cool technology. The language, a blend of English delivered with old-time phrasing and punctuated with something that sounds like Chinese cursing really created a unique style that sounded completely wrong for a future society but worked like a charm.

"Serenity" is gorgeous visually and makes me salivate for how great an expensive big-screen "Alias" affair could look in spectacular HD.

"Alias" and "Firefly", 2 shows that were tossed aside far too soon, and to make room for what exactly??

BTW, I have to confess that when I see Gina Torres now, I tend to see Zoe Washburne rather than Ana Espinosa.

Bonkers for Bristow said...

Anyone watch MOWE yesterday? I swear NBC is trying to lure in the old Alias fans. Sal's Pizza? Boyscout? Plane leaves in an hour? Tech guy in the briefing room with a new gadget? The shout outs were coming fast and furious yesterday. I have to admit the hour started a little slow but it got better as soon as they started on their mission. There's enough continuity to be a quasi-serial show which is promising and Henry was less annoying and Edward was less obnoxious. So far so good.

Anonymous said...

I thought the exact same thing. Boyscout, Sal's pizza-it is too similar not to be on purpose. I am really liking this show. I have one question-why do they need Edward to have a regular life? Why can't he just be a spy? Also is Tom aware of Raymond? I was thinking he was last week but now I don't remember.

Page48 said...

If "Eli Stone" can use Credit Dauphine, then MOWE might just as well have come out with Joey's Pizza. Absolutely, this had "Alias" influence written all over it.

The scene in the briefing room, in particular, was extremely clone-ish, and how about the series of injections used during the interrogation??? Is it a coincidence that MOWE executive producer John Eisendrath, was a producer and writer of several "Alias" episodes, including "The Box" Parts 1 & 2 (was not The Box full of nasty needles used to make folks undergoing interrogation feel reallllly uncomfortable?).

uncle111 said...

I just finished Serenity. Great movie.
Need to find time to watch MOWE from this week.

Page48 said...

"Serenity" is shiny.

Awhile back I read a review that rated "Serenity" the most eye-pleasing HD movie released to date. I've seen it in 720p on my laptop, but that's as close as I get to HD. Nevertheless, I, like Uncle, think it's a great movie.

Back to MOWE for a moment. Sure, we're only 2 episodes in, but already, I'm wishing they would focus on the spy angle and leave the gimmick of dual personalities behind. It's fine to pay tribute to "Alias" by ripping off minor details like Sal's Pizza, but I think a more appropriate tribute would be to try to live up to the good spy/bad spy story told so brilliantly by "Alias" writers.

If it isn't obvious that MOWE is focusing too much attention on the gimmick of dueling banjo personalities instead of something more substantial, just check out the title of 1.2, "The Hummingbird", a reference to one of Edward's favourite sexual practices. Note that "Alias" never had an episode called "Girl on Girl" because "Alias" had bigger fish to fry. Again, it seems to come down to TV's current reluctance to concoct a long-term storyline and run with it.

I get the fact that Henry is a weenie and Edward a stud, but so what? MOWE will need to fry some of those big "Alias" fish itself, or else, IMO, it will have difficulty sustaining interest for an entire season, let alone five incredible years.

uncle111 said...

Looks to me like they are serializing MOWE. I saw Alias fingerprints all over this one. To paraphrase an Alias episode- It's like Alias (Sloane), but not. You know what I mean?
This was like the cast of Alias was on vacation and they had another cast subbing in.
I bet whoever Edward works for turns out to be like SD-6. And as you watch, be expecting to find out that Henry's wife works for them too.

SKlaft said...

I just watched the two episodes of MOWE, and I am glad I did.

Dollars to donuts the writers were given the whole idea for the show from ALIAS' 1.07 "Color Blind" where Syd rescues the guy who had been implanted with psycho-triggers that made him an assassin, and discovers that it was he who killed Danny. (Remember that? Talk about powerful!) Earlier this year, I started writing a novel based on similar ideas, cross between MOWE and the poor man in that episode. Since this show has come out, I sort-a lost my motivation.

At any rate, I liked MOWE more than I expected to, but they have yet to find a rhythm, and a balance between drama and action, tempered by humor. Christian Slater is a master of sarcastic humor, and I think they could use that to broaden the likability factor.

I agree with some of you, they should focus in a little more on Edward's adventures, and let Henry be the complicating element, rather than vice-versa.

Unfortunately, I accidentally watched the two episodes in reverse order, and it didn't make much sense until I figured that out. I was thinking, "man, there is a lot of exposition going here." What was happening was, they were letting new viewers know what the background story was if they hadn't seen the pilot. I hope they do not do that much more. It slows down the story arc.

Speaking of ALIAS call-outs... I know you all think I am obsessed with McKinnas Cole, but the the needles with the poison in little bulbs at the back end came straight from ALIAS 1:12 and 13, "The Box Part I and II." I would not be surprised if they took the exact same props and painted the bulbs pink. Not to mention the lines Edward delivered, explaining what he knew about them was almost a paraphrase of Cole's explanation and experience with them.

You all talked about an under-water shot with Henry, and I looked for it, but never saw that. Is it possible that it was cut out of the online version? Watching them in reverse order messed me up, but I do not remember that scene, and one would think I would not miss it if it were there. I guess it is a good excuse to watch it again.

Overall, I will be watching to see if MOWE develops passed the ALIAS roots. It's far better than some of the other trash I have seen this passed summer.

BTW - Uncle, I'm not sure what to think of this season of The Unit, but I know, deep down, right from my heels on up, that if you watched the first seasons in order, you will like it a great deal. It's not for everyone, but it is far from being a so-so program for those who like shows depicting the human element of the military. I do not presume to know everything about you, but from our posted conversations, I think you might enjoy the realism of The Unit.

uncle111 said...

Robetron,
The head underwater scene is E1 when he's in Russia(?) and he has switched back to Edward, which causes him to get caught by the bad guys. They push his head into the toilet(?)to set him up for interrogation.

This from Page48:
"Is it a coincidence that MOWE executive producer John Eisendrath, was a producer and writer of several "Alias" episodes, including "The Box" Parts 1 & 2 (was not The Box full of nasty needles used to make folks undergoing interrogation feel reallllly uncomfortable?)."

My brother tells me I would like the Unit. I may get the DVD's and check it out.

Page48 said...

I like "The Unit", but I've never been a regular viewer. I find the wives/girlfriends portion of the show a little underwhelming, but the operatives at work is well done.

Interesting to note that long-ago-Terminator, Robert Patrick was joined a few seasons back by a soon-to-be-Terminator, Summer Glau (of "Firefly" fame).

And, of course, Jen's first husband, Scott Foley (soon to star with Victor Garber in "The Last Templar")is a regular as well. It's such a small world, no?

What's this funky new way of posting comments?

SKlaft said...

I dunno, Page. It wasn't like this earlier today. I don't dislike it, but I am a little adverse to any change. *shrug*

uncle111 said...

When I subscribe to a topic I get emails when someone posts to it. This new look is the way it always looked when I clicked the link in the email to post a reply. My guess is a setting here changed to make all posts look this way.

Anonymous said...

Anyone know how to post? I just wrote a whole pst and couldn't sign in. Then it got erased. Grrrr.

Page48 said...

Losing a post sucks. If I feel a long one coming on, I often switch to Word to do the actual typing, and then copy and paste into the comment box.

Page48 said...

IMO, 2 things have to happen for MOWE to enjoy a lengthy run.

1) Henry and Edward have to do some male bonding. They have to develop some empathy for each other and begin working as a team, rather than opposing forces, otherwise we'll never get past the part where Henry wakes up in the middle of a delicate mission and has to muddle through somehow. That gets old quickly. Get the two of them working together so they complement each other and we start to make headway.

2) The baddie of the week has to give way to a storyline complete with recurring foes. "Get Smart" had CONTROL vs. KAOS, "Alias" had the CIA vs. SD-6 and others. So far, we have Janus vs. no one in particular.

Progress is being made on the first issue. The two Slater characters are showing a slowly increasing tolerance for and acceptance of each other.

On the second issue, more work is needed, but at least there was, in this week's mission, a reference to Henry's disposal of Uzi in the first episode. No reference however, to any shared interest between Uzi and tonite's bad dude. And, no mention of Fainburg's Marbles. I thought the marbles were supposed to be important to this show, but who knows?

Now, in true "Alias" fashion, the final scene with the shrink gives me hope that there may actually be more to MOWE than a short-circuit in Henward's brain. The twist with the shrink is the kind of thing I tune in to spy shows for...nothing and no-one is what they seem to be. Bring THAT on!

For the record, I don't like Tom or Raymond. They are bland/lifeless to the extreme and neither are the least bit sympathetic. Raymond needs to be shot in the head in the next episode.

Now, just as one would expect, after 3 episodes, we get a two week hiatus. Yawn!

Bonkers for Bristow said...

I agree about Tom/Raymond. he had a lot more going for him in the pilot. It's almost as if the writers were told to dial it down on his character. Plus, I don't think Tom/Raymond was a spilt personality in the pilot. Did I not get that at first or did they change it after the pilot?

I was pretty excited when FBI dude was shot and the chick came out of the fog. I was SURE it was his wife. So the shrink was a small downer for me. It adds a new element which we need but I so wanted it to be his wife. :(

I really have to give credit to the writers on the bad guys. Although we keep getting new ones, I like them. Like I said before, i liked Uzi and I also liked the guy yesterday. They aren't your typical 24 style baddies, these guys have redeeming qualities to them. And yesterday's guy didn't die. Maybe he'll be back.

And I agree on Henry/Edward having to work together more. I would have preffered that Edwards had not killed the doc as that would have added some complication to the plot but I like how Edward showed a little softening by buying the fridge. The communication between them is interesting and they could do something with that.

The only Alias references I saw last night was the slow-mo running into focus at the beginning and the talking with the shrink. Sort of made me think of Barnet. Oh, and the warm filters over the camera in Mexico. That had an Alias flavour to it. Any that I may have missed?

Page48 said...

Earlier, Uncle111 said this: "I already have a great idea for a season cliffhanger: We find out that his wife is really an agent like him with the same organization."

Official description of 1.5 ("Night Train to Moscow") says this: "Henry starts to suspect that his wife, Angie is a spy planted by Janus"

As for me, I think we'll soon find out that little Ruthy is really Allison Doren.

uncle111 said...

Very Cool!
Maybe Alias had a BIG influence on them too and they're thinking Alias-think. If so, we should have some good Alias storylines ahead of us.
Look for Janus to be an SD-6(?)

SKlaft said...

To be honest, I do not want Alias-imitation. They cannot measure up to that standard, and anything falling short would be a sorry replacement.

I am a little disappointed with MOWE. We still don't know whether to like Henry or Edward. The one seems like a namby-pamby, while the other seems like a low-life.

I agree that Tom is lifeless. Maybe its just because I keep waiting for him to make a stupid-guy sitcom remark like the actor used to do on that comedy show (can't remember the name).

I will keep coming back to MOWE, though, because it is so filled full of potential. There are flashes of brilliance; the acting is well done, the visuals are great, and the effects are way-cool, junior (love the technology of a holographic, interactive display!)

One thing I do like is that it comes right on the heels of Heroes. Two good shows in a row make it easier to keep up from week to week.

They are messing with a format that was working in season one on Heroes, but there is enough action and story progression in each episode to keep me interested. Unfortunately, I'm not sure what the story-line is at this point. I don't mean to sound arrogant, but I believe I ought to be able to summarize a plot after a few episodes, and if I can't, the show appears to be floundering.

Lost was like that in season 3, but it came together late, and I found it satisfying because I endured through it. I think this season of Heroes will be the same. At least, I hope so.

-R.

Page48 said...

I think this review is a pretty fair take on MOWE thus far. The last paragraph of the review deserves a second reading, because it really is the bottom line with this show.

As Robetron says, MOWE is plump with potential, but doesn't yet seem to know how best to exploit it. I'm hoping someone figures it out.

The Tom/Raymond character adds zero to the show as far as I'm concerned. I want him gone and replaced with a spy-chick, and, unlike Tom/Raymond, it would be perfectly acceptable to me if she had a personality.

Like Robetron, I'm hoping that Henward will morph into someone I can actually root for (i.e. Sydney B.) Neither character fits that bill so far. I would like to see Henry man up and embrace his new reality with some dignity and I wouldn't object to seeing some quality in Edward that makes me think he's worthy of being mentioned in the same breath as the Bristows, Bournes, Bonds of the spy world. Right now he comes across as being the punk spy who thinks his shit doesn't stink.

And, yes, the computer displays are wayyyyyyy cool, no doubt about it.

"Heroes" is really testing my resolve this season. The words "convoluted mess" come to mind. I don't know how much more angry Peter I can handle. Season 1 was really a smoothie with much to like, but this is "Extreme Makeover Heroes", and I'm not sure I approve. I just find a lot of the first season's charm is proving itself difficult to recapture. And, maybe it's just me, but I think they're just constantly introducing way too many new faces. "Heroes" needs to be careful.

Bonkers for Bristow said...

"The series, which is from executive producers John Eisendrath (Alias) and Jason Smilovic (Bionic Woman)..."

I believe this quote from the review explains it all. In the struggle between John and Jason, I really hope John wins.

SKlaft said...

Don't you love it when professional critics say the same things that we amateurs say for free here on LTA?

Seems like they should pay us something, right?

Bonkers for Bristow said...

Where do you think they get their ideas? :)

uncle111 said...

I also agree with that review. MOWE has lots of promise, and I hope they find a way to cash in on the potential Alias legacy that just hangs out there waiting for someone to grab it.

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