Three different shows, all about different forms of espionage…
Hostages…This show finally, finally ended over on CBS, and I’m thrilled that I don’t have to watch it anymore. The season (and certain series) finale tied up most loose ends, but in the most over elaborate and suspense-less way possible. The biggest problem with a show like this is the complete and utter lack of true tension bubbling beneath each scene, hell, even the actors look bored with the material given. I think Dylan McDermott acquitted himself best, but Toni Collete just looked exhausted, and with this kind of show (where a character is “dead” and brought back five times) I don’t blame her. Grade for series: C…Grade for series finale: C-
Intelligence…A thoroughly generic clunker where a spy gets a computer in his head (basically Chuck played straight). I liked that the pilot featured Chinese spies as the bad-guys—-since most shows are too scared to feature China in that way—-but the biggest problem may be that this is a fairly ridiculous show without a real sense of humor. The dialogue is flat and the chemistry between Josh Holloway and Megan Ory isn’t quit there yet. That being said, Lost’s Josh Holloway is terrific, and I’m glad to see Hollywood realize that he’s got the chops to carry a show of his own. Grade: C
Assets…Man, this show (about the real-life hunt for CIA mole Aldrich Ames, who leaked the identities of CIA assets to KGB agents in the 80’s) sucks. It’s like the poor man’s version of FX’s The Americans, and the female hero is played by an actress who seems straight out of a Canadian public access soap opera. Yet, I’ll admit that the guy playing the subtly creepy Ames is pretty good, and I’ll still probably watch it just for the realistic spy dynamics. [But I might hate myself every step of the way.] Grade: C-