Jake 2.0 was a fab series and I just wish the network had given it more of a chance.
It was an entertaining show with great characterisation, a good mix of light-heartedness and seriousness and some great storylines. It was also nice for once to see a "normal guy" as the lead, as the hero - a guy with insecurities and issues like the rest of us! Chris Gorham was fantastic as Jake, bringing just the right touch of appealing naivete to the role.
I admit there were moments in the first few episodes where Jake's propensity to stumble into disaster was a bit annoying but this was all part of the character's growth - and boy has he (and the show!) grown over the course of the series.
This show suffered from appalling scheduling (up against Angel - a 5 year established show with a huge fan base) and not enough promotion/advertising and sadly was cancelled just as it was really getting into it's stride and showing us what it could do. Recent episodes have allowed Jake's character to develop in leaps and bounds and touched on a lot of the more serious issues to do with Jake's new abilities - and the related intrigue within the NSA. The show was developing it's own mythology and more of a continuing thread of storyline within the stand-alone episodes and was heading into a slightly darker, very interesting direction.
The first of the last four episodes made (not yet seen in the US) aired in the UK this week and was worthy of The X-Files in it's prime. The plot was absorbing and clever and is leading into all sorts of interesting places - this episode also was the series' first 2-parter, leaving things open for an hell of a conclusion next week! Jake's character has matured seriously in recent weeks and, although the friendly geek is still there, as an agent Jake has developed into a strong, confident man, not afraid to use fists or a gun - and pretty much someone you do NOT want to mess with if he's mad at you! Chris Gorham's portrayal of Jake continues to be excellent.
There are 3 more episodes to be aired and then that's it for this excellent series. It had a lot of potential and a growing fan base but sadly didn't get the support it needed from the network. Can anyone say "Firefly"?
Word of where the series creator was planning to take the show leaves me in no doubt that this series had the potential to be a serious contender in genre TV. A real shame it never got the chance...
Ali
