Current mood:	zen
Current music:	the birds - 'imaginary girl'
Entry tags:	tv: life

Embrace Life!
Premiere week has been a little underwhelming for me. Wasn't too fond of Chuck, and though I keep hearing about this Pushing Dasies show I have no idea when it's on or which channel so whatever. Looks a little annoying, too, what with the lovers who can't touch, etc. Blah. Bionic Woman... sigh. Just bad.

But...

Life, people! Life!

Reason #1: Damian Lewis

Gorgeous, funny, and ginger! He plays detective Charlie Crews. Crews spent 12 years in jail for a crime he didn't commit, until new physical evidence exonerated him. Being a cop in jail he didn't get very good treatment from the other inmates, but made it through prison by reading a book on Zen. He was released in 2007 and was given a really hefty settlement (something like 50 million dollars) and went back to the force. He remains very zen, and is quirky and funny, but it was subtly hinted at that he's so into zen because it helps him deal with his pent up rage.

At the end of the episode it was also revealed that he's working his own case, believing that he was framed for the crime. Now he's out to find the people responsible for taking 12 years of his life. Dun dun dun!

I actually found the character very refreshing and likable, but what I like most about Charlie is his complexity. He's funny and quirky on the outside, but there were moments when you could see all that rage he has inside. A lot of people have compared him to House, and even call this show House With A Badge, but I see very little similarities. I assume a lot of that has to do with the fact that Damian Lewis is British. Nevertheless, Crews has a heart, and all the zen stuff has actually helped him achieve some peace, but he's also filled with rage and fear. There's a scene where they have to go to the penitentiary where he was incarcerated and it was wonderful to see him in there, looking around and Not Panicking But Kinda. Very subtle and sad.

Undoubtedly this character is going to go on a roller coaster ride of emotions as the series progresses, but I'm sure Damian Lewis will play that beautifully (you may remember him from his leading role in Band of Brothers). I really can't wait to see how his character continues to deal with being framed and having spent 12 years getting beaten up in jail, and if he'll be able to find the people who framed him.

Of course, having spent the last 12 years in jail, Crews doesn't know much about technology and this provides for a lot of comic relief. He also has an unnatural obsession with fresh fruit that I found endearing. Understandable, too. Imagine spending 12 years of your life eating canned peaches and suddenly be able to eat fresh fruit again.

Reason #2: Sarah Shahi

She's gorgeous, she's petite, and she won't take your crap. Sarah plays detective Dani Reese, Crews's new partner. It was revealed that Charlie was assigned to Reese because she's at the absolute bottom of the detective totem pole. Reese used to work undercover for narco, but got so involved in that whole world that she became addicted to drugs. She went to rehab and has been clean for 21 months, but the other detectives still don't trust her. Her personal life is a bit of a mess. In the pilot we saw her go home with a strange man, had sex with him and left in the morning without even asking him his name. She also appears to be a bit of a drinker (but maybe not, it's unclear at this point).

When the show began I was a little weary about this character, but not so much anymore. Characters like Dani tend to be too much, too emo (I'm looking at you, Samantha Spade), but Sarah Shahi is playing Dani with a lot of dignity, and that's important. Dani doesn't complain or even talks about her problems, only deals with them the best way she knows how (though her best way isn't the healthiest way). She isn't emo, is very reserved and quiet. Dani is pretty, but she isn't pretty. She doesn't act like a pretty girl, dresses like a pretty girl, etc. She doesn't even wear make up, and that's something I really love. Her hair is also always in a bun. She's very rough and very serious.

Dani doesn't seem to get along with her father, either. Why? We don't know. According to NBC her father, a cop himself, didn't want Dani to follow in his footsteps. No doubt the girl has issues coming out the wazoo. It'll be tough seeing her deal with her personal life, but so far it's been handled well, and Sarah did an amazing job peeling away Dani's layers without overdoing it. Like Charlie, she's incredibly complex and compelling to watch because her issues are not in your face. Dani seems to go through great lengths to keep it all hidden away which is good, because we hate drama queens.

Reason #3: Adam Arkin

Who doesn't love Adam Arkin? He plays Ted Earley, Charlie's financial adviser. He was sent to jail for insider's trading and as he told the cameras, Charlie saved his life in there, so now he manages Charlie's finances. He also lives in a little apartment above Charlie's garage.

If Charlie is House, think of Ted as Wilson. He's kinda geeky and nerdy and a little awkward (it seems). He also provides a lot of the comic relief, and we saw that him and Charlie are very close. Adam Arkin is an amazing actor, so I really can't wait to see him tackle this role. Ted offers some comic relief, but being an ex-CEO and having gone to jail, there's gotta be more there than meets the eye.

Reason #4: Conspiracy Theories!

So was Charlie really framed? If so, by whom? Why? What is he going to do when he finds them? Is he going to just arrest them and send them to jail, or take revenge? The possibilities for this storyline are many, and it gives the writers a lot of time to play with it. They could have this first season dedicated to Charlie finding out if he was framed or not, and then next season he could figure out by whom, etc, etc. I'm very intrigued by it, because Charlie seems to have quite a list of suspects on the wall, including cops and detectives, most notably Lt. Davis, a woman who has sort of taken Reese under her wing. She, of course, seems to be aware of the fact that Charlie came back to the force to seek revenge, and is kinda using Reese as a puppet to get some information on Charlie without Reese being aware of it. So I think she's kind of a badie. But maybe not. We'll have to wait and see.

Reason #5: Partners!

I'm a sucker for partners, I really am. And I don't mean in a shipper capacity, just partners in general. I find all partnerships compelling and enjoyable. Crews and Reese have only just met, but they had chemistry right off the bat, which is important. We also learned right away that Reese didn't want to get paired up with Crews. She found him crass and unconventional. He was too quirky and Reese is all about being serious. But as the episode progressed and she saw some of his true colors, she warmed up to him and at one point almost found him amusing. I find it so hilarious that she absolutely refuses to laugh or even smile at his jokes. I really love that little detail.

My favorite scene without a doubt, of course, was the shower scene. While confronting a suspect a bag of cocaine blew up in Reese's face. For someone who's recently been through rehab, this has to be a nightmare come to life. She panicked and ran to the bathroom, Crews chased after her and helped her get off her shirt and scrub the coke off. The scene was absolutely heartbreaking to watch. Sarah Shahi did an amazing job in it. When she begged Crews, "God, help me!" my hear broke into a million pieces. What a horrible thing to go through. I also love how he picked her up and put her in the tub and kinda helped her shower. Aw. Of course, as soon as she realizes she's okay, he reaches for her and she pushes him away. The way she went from absolutely desperate and scared to tough and cold was really sad.

I imagine Crews knows why she overreacted. Later in the episode, when she says she needs a drink, he tells her he knows something better, takes her to the outskirts of the city and offers her fruit. Heh. Of course, she didn't eat it, but I appreciated that he knew letting her go to a bar and get hammered wasn't a good option, but wasn't all pushy or condescending about it. I imagine his "zennitude" will eventually rub off on her and help her with her addictions.

There's also a bit of conflict between them that they're both unaware of: Reese's own mentor, Lt. Davis, is one of the people Crews suspects framed him. It'll be interesting to see their reactions when Reese finds out Davis might've been involved in Crews's incarceration and Crews that Davis has been conning Reese for information on him. I love conflict.

All in all, a great show, with a good storyline, good actors and good characters. It also beat CSI: NY in the 18-49 demographics, so I'm hopeful it won't get canned. Damian Lewis is an amazing actor and a strong (but subtle) lead, and all the supporting actors are great. I hope it continues to gather an audience and that the writing doesn't deteriorate. Usually pilots are weak compared to the rest of the season. If that's the case here, then we're looking into an amazing year!