Change Your Image
peterawadsworth
Reviews
The Guardian (2001)
First season a 9; last season a 6.5
This show started out really strong. The episodes presented a series of stories about disadvantaged kids whose parents had dies, given them up or otherwise disqualified themselves. Nick Fallin, billed as a "hotshot" lawyer, is doing community service at a child services agency in Pittsburgh. On an emotional level this show is really strong. But in seasons two and three faults begin the make themselves evident and the final season became increasingly depressing as Nick fails to connects with Lulu who has decided to carry a foetus with Downs Syndrome to term and he agrees. One of the show's weaknesses is the "star" Simon Baker, the "hotshot lawyer", who shows only glimmers of intelligence. Very poor casting, IMHO. (I tried watching him in the Mentalist and had to turn it off; he is simply unable to convey intelligence.) And it turns out that the arc of the show was to show his unravelling as he is revealed over the span of 67 episodes to be a self-centered spoiled brat who is unable to get in touch with and communicate his feelings and, is ultimately, rejected by the woman he loves and the lawyers he works with. The final episode ends with a slight uptick, but not enough to justify the downer of a conclusion.
Bottom line: great writing. poor casting of the central character, depressing third season.
Knightfall (2017)
Gets worse
I thought I enjoyed the first season, but when I came back for season 2, I couldn't remember much about season 1. I found that some of the characters even looked silly in costume. I am now halfway through season 2, and it is a disaster - slow moving and hardly credible.
SPOILER ALERT
When Landry re-enters the knights templar as an initiate, he is required to be shaven - head and face. However, unlike the other initiates, he keeps his beard. Was the actor to vain to relinquish his beard? Or was the director afraid we wouldn't recognize him? Just one small example of the silliness in Season 2. All characters are required to be be one dimensional.
State of Affairs (2014)
Vanity piece
I was hooked at the beginning but gradually realized I was watching a vanity piece for Ms, Heigl, which was produced by her and her mother. After the opening scene and it's implications the plot very quickly became shallow and contrived. I just as quickly got tired of Heigl's permanent perkiness and endless wardrobe statements. Compared to Tea Leoni (Madam Secretary), Jessica Chastain (Zero Dark Thirty) or even Kerry Washington (Scandal) she simply doesn't convey the gravitas the role demands. The one thing the pilot episode has going for it is pacing. Perhaps the producers can build in some character development around her in the coming episodes, (Shonda Rhimes where are you?), but given the two Heigl's involvement, I'm not optimistic. Catherine is a beautiful woman, and I hope she eventually finds a role that suits her, but this is definitely not it.