After watching the pilot:
I loved the original film and idea, Bradley Cooper nailed it (he has a cameo in the pilot as well). So I came to the TV pilot preying 'don't screw it up, don't screw it up....' and they didn't! Good start. It starts out as a 'who done it' and the main protagonist, Brian (Jake McDorman) has to work out A: How to get a supply of NZT? And B: Who killed his friend/supplier? Brian is similar to the original film character as in he has no future, is almost a bum and is going no where fast. Also similar is a chance encounter with an old friend with a little clear pill.
I liked it, although there seem to be some convenient 'allowances' on the part of the writers. But they're just lining up their ducks and laying the ground work for Brian's future with the FBI. There is an absolute avalanche of cop shows; and it doesn't look like there'll be any let up this Autumn. The amount of new cop shows cascading out of our TV sets in the next few weeks seems excessive. However I'm hoping that this one will be different? It has an original idea that could lead us to a thousand fascinating places - as long as it doesn't become 'just another cop show'.
Senator Eddie Morra (Bradley Cooper) will be back, he's said as much as he has plans for Brian. Brian will amaze and dazzle all of those around him, in fact he already has to some extent. As long as the writers can avoid the formula 'good guys vs bad guys and the good guys always win' which sucks and is far from true in the real world. Here's hoping Brian will be an insider in the FBI for Senator Eddie and spying/double cross and intrigue will prevail?
At the moment the probability of this taking off and giving us some original TV drama is 93% (yes, I have NZT) - But the moment that there is a single car chase/shoot out that prediction drops to 24%. If Brian falls for the female lead that drops to 12%; with her in peril and needing rescuing it becomes a paltry 2%.
Please don't do it, stick to the originality of the idea and do a cop show that's different. It's a big ask but I can't be the only one sick of 'the formula', can I?
After Episode 2;
A total change in 'tone' - far less serious, almost jocular, a little ridiculous and tongue in cheek (I howled at the 'gun and badge' joke).
Brian is a clown, naturally and is charming/disarming the highly trained, doubly serious FBI agents. He's amazed and bamboozled them in equal measure and has solved things in minutes that left them scratching their heads for years. All good. I was tempted to switch off at the start because of the total 180 it's done since the pilot (which was way more serious in tone). But I stuck with it, got used to the change in tempo and angle and was rewarded. I'm a little concerned by his new 'partner' FBI agent Rebecca (Jennifer Carpenter). She needs a good steak, or a good anything, I don't think she's eaten for a few months. Gotta pack away that protein if you're going to be chasing and wrestling bad guys, Reb'.
It probably is going to be 'just another cop show'; but it has redeeming features so I'm prepared to make allowances; like you would for your naughtiest but funniest kid (just don't tell your mother, Okay?!). The underlying plot of him working for Sen. Eddie Morra is still there, but it's a slow burner hidden away underneath weekly crime solving.
All in all this is light hearted relief with a sprinkling of drama so that's how I'm treating it. I was all stoked up for a serious thriller, maybe that will still come? Either way, I will continue to watch, and laugh, but this is down from 9/10 to 7.5/10.
After episode 3;
I was wrong, way wrong....... this is now a four, So I watch no more, Just find it a bore that makes me snore.........
Couldn't help that last bit. What happened Limitless Team??? How could you screw this up so badly???!!! Muppets, the lot of you.
I loved the original film and idea, Bradley Cooper nailed it (he has a cameo in the pilot as well). So I came to the TV pilot preying 'don't screw it up, don't screw it up....' and they didn't! Good start. It starts out as a 'who done it' and the main protagonist, Brian (Jake McDorman) has to work out A: How to get a supply of NZT? And B: Who killed his friend/supplier? Brian is similar to the original film character as in he has no future, is almost a bum and is going no where fast. Also similar is a chance encounter with an old friend with a little clear pill.
I liked it, although there seem to be some convenient 'allowances' on the part of the writers. But they're just lining up their ducks and laying the ground work for Brian's future with the FBI. There is an absolute avalanche of cop shows; and it doesn't look like there'll be any let up this Autumn. The amount of new cop shows cascading out of our TV sets in the next few weeks seems excessive. However I'm hoping that this one will be different? It has an original idea that could lead us to a thousand fascinating places - as long as it doesn't become 'just another cop show'.
Senator Eddie Morra (Bradley Cooper) will be back, he's said as much as he has plans for Brian. Brian will amaze and dazzle all of those around him, in fact he already has to some extent. As long as the writers can avoid the formula 'good guys vs bad guys and the good guys always win' which sucks and is far from true in the real world. Here's hoping Brian will be an insider in the FBI for Senator Eddie and spying/double cross and intrigue will prevail?
At the moment the probability of this taking off and giving us some original TV drama is 93% (yes, I have NZT) - But the moment that there is a single car chase/shoot out that prediction drops to 24%. If Brian falls for the female lead that drops to 12%; with her in peril and needing rescuing it becomes a paltry 2%.
Please don't do it, stick to the originality of the idea and do a cop show that's different. It's a big ask but I can't be the only one sick of 'the formula', can I?
After Episode 2;
A total change in 'tone' - far less serious, almost jocular, a little ridiculous and tongue in cheek (I howled at the 'gun and badge' joke).
Brian is a clown, naturally and is charming/disarming the highly trained, doubly serious FBI agents. He's amazed and bamboozled them in equal measure and has solved things in minutes that left them scratching their heads for years. All good. I was tempted to switch off at the start because of the total 180 it's done since the pilot (which was way more serious in tone). But I stuck with it, got used to the change in tempo and angle and was rewarded. I'm a little concerned by his new 'partner' FBI agent Rebecca (Jennifer Carpenter). She needs a good steak, or a good anything, I don't think she's eaten for a few months. Gotta pack away that protein if you're going to be chasing and wrestling bad guys, Reb'.
It probably is going to be 'just another cop show'; but it has redeeming features so I'm prepared to make allowances; like you would for your naughtiest but funniest kid (just don't tell your mother, Okay?!). The underlying plot of him working for Sen. Eddie Morra is still there, but it's a slow burner hidden away underneath weekly crime solving.
All in all this is light hearted relief with a sprinkling of drama so that's how I'm treating it. I was all stoked up for a serious thriller, maybe that will still come? Either way, I will continue to watch, and laugh, but this is down from 9/10 to 7.5/10.
After episode 3;
I was wrong, way wrong....... this is now a four, So I watch no more, Just find it a bore that makes me snore.........
Couldn't help that last bit. What happened Limitless Team??? How could you screw this up so badly???!!! Muppets, the lot of you.