CHARLIE’S ANGELS, PERSON OF INTEREST, PRIME SUSPECT Reviews: Fall TV 2011 [Worth Watching?]

Can you say more drama for your mama? Due to a recording conflict at my BFF’s house (I spent the night there before heading to upstate New York for a wedding in a field), I wasn’t able to see  NBC’s much-hyped sitcom, WHITNEY. But all the new fall dramas that popped off yesterday, including CHARLIE’S ANGELS, PERSON OF INTEREST, and PRIME SUSPECT? Oh yeah, those totally got watched.

Overview

CHARLIE’S ANGELS: After the third Angel gets knocked off, the remaining two Angels, Kate and Abby, team up with her best friend Eve (Minka Kelly from FRIDAY NIGHT LIGHTS) to find her killer. Shocker: Eve totally ends up becoming the third angel.

PERSON OF INTEREST: A former CIA operative (Jim Caviezel) teams up with a mysterious billionaire (Michael Emerson) to prevent crimes before they happen. A police officer (Taraji P. Henson) tries to figure out what the h-e-double-hockey-sticks is going on.

PRIME SUSPECT: A reimagining of the British series, which made Helen Mirren famous. This time it’s an NYPD homicide detective played by Maria Bello, who’s punching out the glass ceiling of a New York homicide squad.

What I Liked

CHARLIE’S ANGELS: The fashion was great. And I’m a big fan of women kicking ass, while working as a team. Also, it was nice that they aged down Bosley, and replaced him with bit of eye candy. It felt like equal opportunity ageism, and took away the weird “daddy” vibe of the original series and movie revamps. For once, it felt like these were professionals doing their job — as opposed to a cult of Charlie. Plus, I have a weird celebrity crush on Minka Kelly.

PERSON OF INTEREST: This one pretty much grabs you from go. It’s a procedural in the end, but with enough of a unique concept to keep you hooked. Plus, I have a weird celebrity crush on Jim Caviezel.

PRIME SUSPECT: It was so GREAT to see what felt like a realistic portrayal of trying to break a glass ceiling. Maria Bello, is very human in this role, tough in the workplace, but somewhat emotional at home — it really is a joy to watch her act in this role, because she’s just so good in it and it’s written really well. For example, she makes a pretty ballsy career move, but then she second-guesses whether she did the right thing. The pilot really captured all the gray areas that come with striving for equality. Plus, I have a weird celebrity crush on Aidan Quinn, who stars as her boss.

What I Didn’t Like

CHARLIE’S ANGELS: The dialogue and the acting were not the best. Almost everything said out loud was weirdly on-the-nose. Sample dialogue: Gloria was our family. We MUST find her killer. Plus, getting Minka Kelly in place as Gloria’s best friend took one of the most convoluted, unbelievable stories I’ve heard in quite a while (Minka’s white, but was living in a South American orphanage with Gloria when they narrowly escaped getting kidnapped by a sex-trafficking operation). Oh, and they had to kill off a Latina actress to get her in there. Also, Victor Garber (the voice of Charlie) is no John Forsythe, I’ll tell you that.

PERSON OF INTEREST: Though this isn’t necessarily my favorite new drama of the season, I don’t really have any quibbles with it. We’ll see.

PRIME SUSPECT: Maria Bello is surrounded by men to a ridiculous extent.  The only woman she encounters in the pilot is her boyfriend’s manipulative and overbearing ex-wife. I always find it weird when tough women don’t have any fellow female friends or relatives in the picture. It insinuates that in order to be a straight butch, you can’t have any women whatsoever in your life, because they have de-toughening cooties.

How many PoC in the main cast?

CHARLIE’S ANGEL: 2 — One of the Angels is black, and Bosley is played by a Latino actor — but I’m not sure he’s supposed to be Latino in the series. Did I mention how bummed out I was about the Latina Angel’s death — especially since she was played by Nadine Velazquez (Catalina from MY NAME IS EARL) [pictured].

PERSON OF INTEREST: 1 But in all fairness, it’s pretty much a three-person show and Taraji P. Henson is helluva cast.

PRIME SUSPECT: 1 One of the cops on the homicide squad is that one Latino agent from FRINGE. But there’s lots of PoC guest stars and supporting cops.

Final Grades

CHARLIE’S ANGEL’S: Show/C+ Diversity/B+

PERSON OF INTEREST: Show/A– Diversity/A-

PRIME SUSPECT: Show/B+ Diversity/B-

Worth Watching Again?

CHARLIE’S ANGELS: Sure, why not. It’s a lot of fun, if not the best-acted or well-written show on TV.

PERSON OF INTEREST: Most definitely. It’s so nice to watch a procedural with the fresh premise of preventing as opposed to solving a big crime — and this being TV, by “fresh” I mean only derivative of a few shows (QUANTUM LEAP, EARLY EDITION, at least one episode of every sci-fi series ever).

PRIME SUSPECT: This is the first straight procedural to get a golden ticket from me. But if it can’t manage to write any female characters other than Maria Bello’s well over the next couple of episodes, it might also become my first cancelled recording of the season.