I caught up with the first two episodes of Alcatraz on Wednesday and so far I am utterly pleased. I like the feel of the show which to me has a mixture of LOST and FRINGE, but provides it's flavor as well. My only quip with it so far is the overacting by Sarah Jones. It's going to take a few more episodes to see if she shakes that off, otherwise it could become distracting.
I'm glad to see Jorge Garcia back on TV and Sam Neill as the other leads. Sam Neill provides that mystery and intensity needed in the show. It's pretty normal JJ Abrams fare. All of his shows have the same look, feel and scripting to them. I hope the premise is strong enough to carry this one far into its season before they make a decision about it. Out of all TV shows I enjoy those that deal with sci fi and police work the most. That's what made going from Firefly to Castle with Nathan Fillion an easy transition. The dude can be humorous or turn on the intensity when needed. Firefly was the wild west in space and Castle is the comedic crime thriller author turned semi-detective. They are both fun shows that I can watch over and over again without getting tired of them. They bring something different to the normal line ups that are featured.
While the supernatural vibe is showing up in more shows now than ever before, Alcatraz has those two elements going for it. It's what I love about Fringe. A detective show that is bizarre and has cases dealing with things that aren't normal. A great cast in Fringe has carried it out of reach of its critics and FOX has carried it on despite the normal ratings that would have a show canned. I see Alcatraz doing the same if it can spin a good story from week to week. The first two episodes were good intros to the foundation of the show. I won't spoil it for anyone, but I think the ideas behind it are creative and intriguing. I'm a big JJ Abrams fan so it's no secret I am eagerly awaiting more from Alcatraz than any other show. Here's a toast to a new show I hope blows our minds.
Pan Am continues to be my favorite new show of this year's crop. Coming back strong from its break was going to be important as for some reason beyond me Pam Am was still in the bubble of the chopping block. I don't understand this at all. The writing is smart, creative and the premise has carried strong. But it was going to be important for it to throw in a few curve balls to keep things interesting and it has.
Episode 10: Secrets and Lies was one of the best of the series. Curveballs it did throw and I was disappointed in the decisions of some of the characters. That's what makes great TV, when you are emotionally moved by the story and characters begin mattering to you. PAN AM has me hooked and I am glad to see that it still has upcoming episodes listed which means no cancellation yet. I have another episode to watch sitting in my Hulu Queue so I better get on it. Honestly, if you haven't given this show a chance I think you should. It's what makes TV great!
After hearing it receive rave reviews I decided to invite my wife to sit down and watch it with me via Netflix. I was immediately drawn into the life of the Crawley Family and their servants. From episode one it drug us in and we found ourselves cheering for characters, already hating others and questioning the mentality of a few. Set prior to World War I, the first episode opens up with the news of the Titanic sinking and then dives into the lives of the Crawley family and how they live with their team of servants. I have to admit there is a scene in episode 1 that set me back a little and at first I turned it off and thought I was done with it, but in light of that short 30 second scene we decided to go back to it and I am glad that we did. It is a great dramatic show produced by PBS and gaining traction here in the U.S. as it should. It won't be for everyone but for those who like period pieces and a look behind the scenes of a family battling through the establishment of an heir after Lord Crawley's was killed in the Titanic accident. It is a well rounded show and again had me struggling through some emotions while watching it. It is currently streaming on Netflix right now so don't miss it!
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