Skip to the last few paragraphs if you want my latest take without all the tedious nit-picking that came before...
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Not a fan of Ashley Judd. Never have been, likely never will be (though I'll grudgingly confess to liking "Kiss the Girls," but only because of Morgan Freeman and Cary Elwes). I started watching because I heard Sean Bean was attached to it. The first episode was horrible. Jarring, nausea-inducing shots, really far-fetched action scenes where a flower shop owner kicks every butt in sight, and some pretty bad lines. The other two episodes I've seen haven't been much better, and if it wasn't for the fact that Bean's character is supposed to resurface, I wouldn't have bothered watching past the first.
The show is insipid, vapid, contrived, and kind of ridiculous. It's also in the same time slot as 'Big Bang Theory' and '30 Rock.' Hmm. Its producers must have a death wish.
Pretty locations? Sure, but I can go stare at a tree if that's all I care about. At the time I'm writing this, IMDb actor info has Bean in 5 episodes (in flashbacks), but the only way I see them making sense is if the husband isn't dead after all. Hurry up and bring him back already. There's only so much of this offal I'm willing to watch before I look elsewhere for satisfaction. Game of Thrones, anyone?
4 stars only out of hope that Sean Bean will return as a soft-spoken super villain (which he does REALLY well). 2 stars as is.
4/5/12 addendum WITH MORE SPOILERS: The husband has resurfaced. Though there are still some pretty dumb things (the CIA folks check only 1 room of a mansion, and announce that it's 'clear?!?') and the dialogue in Judd's scenes is so predictable I can almost always guess what will be said before it is, the story in general has just become much more interesting. I now care about seeing where it's going. Increasing rating from 4 to 5 stars.
4/20/12 addendum 2 WITH MORE SPOILERS: Still trying to decide whether to forgive the rotten dialogue that heartily embraces every tired stereotype, but the action is definitely moving along at a better pace. Definitely not HBO, but hey it's network TV so there only so much you can get away with. That said, I'm now hooked (Thank you, Sean Bean), and committed to seeing it through to the end. Not upping the rating because I don't like Ashley Judd's character, and I'm starting to think Cliff Curtis' character is a complete idiot. As well, I still maintain the first few episodes were simply painful to watch. If you like seeing Bean play action hero baddies, this is a good series to do it. Definitely not Game of Thrones (and I'm just not a fan of Bean's 'American' accent), but it's highly preferable to afternoon soaps.
Cautiously feeling optimistic that this is actually worth seeing to conclusion. 4 episodes left this season. They have a lot to tie up. I'll be watching.
..................Latest Rant Starts Here..................
4/27/12 update (WITH SPOILERS): I'm recanting the 'hooked' statement. I think it's now more accurate to say I'm staying in a bad relationship merely because I've invested too much to just walk away. Sigh.
Hopes dashed. Most recent episode was a train wreck. Where are the writers getting their dialogue? It's AWFUL. And a kid whose parents had the forethought to train him in hand to hand combat being overwrought about taking a life to save his own? And Ashley Judd just keeps kicking a** after a** after a** (sometimes big beefy Russian bodyguards 3 times her size!)?!? This just isn't a believable show.
So why do I keep watching? Good bloody question. I tell myself it's because I keep hoping Bean will be given a chance to really sink his teeth into a role that seems to have a great deal of potential, but who am I kidding? This is uptight American network television, which I generally don't watch, and - oh yeah - now I remember why.
I say get rid of Ashley Judd, Cliff Curtis and the really uppity woman playing his supervisor, throw a cliffhanger at the end of this season where Sean Bean is revealed to be an Interpol or British secret service agent (so he can PLEASE ditch the sad attempt at an American accent), and move him and the Italian guy into the lead roles. And for god's sake somebody give Michael some backbone, or put him and insipid Russian girl out of my misery. Reducing rating from 5 stars 3.
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5/13/12 - with spoilers
Just saw the official news that ABC is canceling the show. With such predictable plot 'twists' and dreadful dialogue, I'm not surprised. It didn't help that it was up against The Big Bang Theory and 30 Rock.
I have to admit I'm a little disappointed. I think the show had potential - especially now that Dax has shown some backbone, and Paul has enough screen time for second billing. The last 2 episodes had me rolling my eyes in many spots, but they were better than some of the previous ones. Too little too late, but I'm upping my rating to a 5. Still not a big fan, but it's the first time in years I've made time to watch every episode of a series on regular network television, so it must be better than most. Or else it was Sean Bean. Probably the latter.
Sad to see it getting the axe, in spite of my ranting. Bean is a marvelous actor in the right part, and his part in Missing could have been one of them. There are also much worse programs on TV that have been wasting air time for YEARS. Oh well. I guess it's back to the movie channels for me.
......................................................
Not a fan of Ashley Judd. Never have been, likely never will be (though I'll grudgingly confess to liking "Kiss the Girls," but only because of Morgan Freeman and Cary Elwes). I started watching because I heard Sean Bean was attached to it. The first episode was horrible. Jarring, nausea-inducing shots, really far-fetched action scenes where a flower shop owner kicks every butt in sight, and some pretty bad lines. The other two episodes I've seen haven't been much better, and if it wasn't for the fact that Bean's character is supposed to resurface, I wouldn't have bothered watching past the first.
The show is insipid, vapid, contrived, and kind of ridiculous. It's also in the same time slot as 'Big Bang Theory' and '30 Rock.' Hmm. Its producers must have a death wish.
Pretty locations? Sure, but I can go stare at a tree if that's all I care about. At the time I'm writing this, IMDb actor info has Bean in 5 episodes (in flashbacks), but the only way I see them making sense is if the husband isn't dead after all. Hurry up and bring him back already. There's only so much of this offal I'm willing to watch before I look elsewhere for satisfaction. Game of Thrones, anyone?
4 stars only out of hope that Sean Bean will return as a soft-spoken super villain (which he does REALLY well). 2 stars as is.
4/5/12 addendum WITH MORE SPOILERS: The husband has resurfaced. Though there are still some pretty dumb things (the CIA folks check only 1 room of a mansion, and announce that it's 'clear?!?') and the dialogue in Judd's scenes is so predictable I can almost always guess what will be said before it is, the story in general has just become much more interesting. I now care about seeing where it's going. Increasing rating from 4 to 5 stars.
4/20/12 addendum 2 WITH MORE SPOILERS: Still trying to decide whether to forgive the rotten dialogue that heartily embraces every tired stereotype, but the action is definitely moving along at a better pace. Definitely not HBO, but hey it's network TV so there only so much you can get away with. That said, I'm now hooked (Thank you, Sean Bean), and committed to seeing it through to the end. Not upping the rating because I don't like Ashley Judd's character, and I'm starting to think Cliff Curtis' character is a complete idiot. As well, I still maintain the first few episodes were simply painful to watch. If you like seeing Bean play action hero baddies, this is a good series to do it. Definitely not Game of Thrones (and I'm just not a fan of Bean's 'American' accent), but it's highly preferable to afternoon soaps.
Cautiously feeling optimistic that this is actually worth seeing to conclusion. 4 episodes left this season. They have a lot to tie up. I'll be watching.
..................Latest Rant Starts Here..................
4/27/12 update (WITH SPOILERS): I'm recanting the 'hooked' statement. I think it's now more accurate to say I'm staying in a bad relationship merely because I've invested too much to just walk away. Sigh.
Hopes dashed. Most recent episode was a train wreck. Where are the writers getting their dialogue? It's AWFUL. And a kid whose parents had the forethought to train him in hand to hand combat being overwrought about taking a life to save his own? And Ashley Judd just keeps kicking a** after a** after a** (sometimes big beefy Russian bodyguards 3 times her size!)?!? This just isn't a believable show.
So why do I keep watching? Good bloody question. I tell myself it's because I keep hoping Bean will be given a chance to really sink his teeth into a role that seems to have a great deal of potential, but who am I kidding? This is uptight American network television, which I generally don't watch, and - oh yeah - now I remember why.
I say get rid of Ashley Judd, Cliff Curtis and the really uppity woman playing his supervisor, throw a cliffhanger at the end of this season where Sean Bean is revealed to be an Interpol or British secret service agent (so he can PLEASE ditch the sad attempt at an American accent), and move him and the Italian guy into the lead roles. And for god's sake somebody give Michael some backbone, or put him and insipid Russian girl out of my misery. Reducing rating from 5 stars 3.
***********************
5/13/12 - with spoilers
Just saw the official news that ABC is canceling the show. With such predictable plot 'twists' and dreadful dialogue, I'm not surprised. It didn't help that it was up against The Big Bang Theory and 30 Rock.
I have to admit I'm a little disappointed. I think the show had potential - especially now that Dax has shown some backbone, and Paul has enough screen time for second billing. The last 2 episodes had me rolling my eyes in many spots, but they were better than some of the previous ones. Too little too late, but I'm upping my rating to a 5. Still not a big fan, but it's the first time in years I've made time to watch every episode of a series on regular network television, so it must be better than most. Or else it was Sean Bean. Probably the latter.
Sad to see it getting the axe, in spite of my ranting. Bean is a marvelous actor in the right part, and his part in Missing could have been one of them. There are also much worse programs on TV that have been wasting air time for YEARS. Oh well. I guess it's back to the movie channels for me.