A high-tech intelligence operative, enhanced with a super-computer microchip in his brain, aids an elite government cyber-security agency in special missions. The best I can give it, is that it's just OK. I only tuned in because of Josh Holloway from Lost, so there's that. I think he's a talented charismatic actor and really wanted to see him on the screen again. <br/><br/>Unfortunately, there's some bad writing and plot holes. A lot things don't make sense with the chip and the way it works. The whole cyber security thing with Gabriel having the chip, but also being the "special opts" guy so-to-speak isn't very believable. It might work if it were a bit campy, or in the fantasy/sci-fi genre. But it's not, and takes itself way too seriously. I don't mind a show taking itself seriously if it were done well. But it's not here. <br/><br/>The only characters I like are Gabriel(Josh Holloway), although he's a little too "Mr Perfect" for my tastes as I love flawed characters. I wish he'd go "Han Solo" with the character. A lovable rogue is always fun. They better be careful because Gabriel is just one or two steps away from being "Mr Boring." I also like Marg Helegenberger as the tough as nails Lillian whom has a compassionate caring side. They are also the best actors on the show. The other characters have really awful dialogue, unfunny one-liners, dull interactions, and bore me to tears. <br/><br/>We're suppose to like Riley(Meghan Ory), I guess, but I just don't. I hate the whole babysitter premise and the obvious contrived "lets put these two together all the time," idea. I'm not feeling them as warm and charming to watch together. It feels very forced. It's not enjoyable. The camera often zeroes in on Riley's face to get her reaction to something that has just affected Gabriel. Problem is that there's not much of a reaction. Wooden.<br/><br/>I hate the opening monologue. The whole exposition of what the show is about is awful. I realize they want to explain for new viewers, but I wish they could come up with a more artsy hipper way of doing it. <br/><br/>All of this being said, I'm used to suspending my belief for TV shows and movies, and can sort of go with it. There is some pretty good action, and good fight scenes. It makes for an alright hour of escapism. I'm going to try and stick with it for the rest of the season and see how it goes. I really wanted to like this better. There's massive room for improvement and hopefully they will do just that. 5/10<br/><br/>*Edit May 10 2014, - I heard it was cancelled today. I never did stick it out. It became incredibly dull to me and I skipped the last few episodes. I hope Josh Holloway gets another lead in a series, or lead in the big screen. I'd love to see him in something grittier like 'Strike Back' or 'True Detective.' He has the chops. I hope he chooses wisely next time. The show starts well, and then gradually falls apart.<br/><br/>There is nothing wrong with the technical aspects of this show. It might be because of this that i tolerated the first ten episodes. Now, fifteen minutes into the eleventh I can feel that I've had enough.<br/><br/>As I said, technically it's competently made. The shooting, the sound, the lighting, the costumes, the cg; everything is top notch. If this is all you need from a show, this is the show for you. Also, you're weird.<br/><br/>I'm not going to gripe about the acting much. There is quite a bit of melodrama which I'm absolutely fine with.<br/><br/>No, my gripes is with the writing. The characters are devolving as the show goes on, and the plot is just getting dumber and dumber.<br/><br/>The characters start full of praise, somewhat complex giving them the possibility of evolving, but with enough unknowns that they can be explored as well. By the tenth episode it's clear that there will be no character growth. In fact I'd say that the opposite has happened. It's like the writers considered small oddities and personal traits outside the clear cut character archetypes as flaws and polished them away. Celebrations, now the hero is finally competent in all fields and a complete sociopaths treating unnamed characters as so much scaffolding.<br/><br/>But the characters are also a minor gripe. Archetypes are archetypes for a reason, and I can tolerate quite a bit of use of these. But the plots. Oh, the horrible plots.<br/><br/>The military and intelligence personnel routinely make decisions so tactically unsound my five year old would ask me why they were so stupid. This is especially evident in the actions of the protagonist since we see so much of him in the show.<br/><br/>Also, for a science fiction show, the writers obviously don't know anything about any form of science. There is so much bad science in the show, and so much of it is completely unnecessary. It's just lazy hack writing made by ignorant authors who don't care about what they're doing.<br/><br/>So, at 10,3 episodes I call it quits. Adios Intelligence. The first few episodes was worth the view.
Vladjan replied
363 weeks ago