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Jeff Goldblum, Frank Darabont and Graham Yost!! Do They Shower Fine Entertainment Or Is NBC’s RAINES All Wet??
SPOILER ALERT !!
I am – Hercules!!
What a combo! “Boomtown” creator Graham Yost scripting, “Shawshank Redemption”-“Green Mile” helmer Frank Darabont directing and the ubergreat Jeff Goldblum (“The Big Chill,” “The Fly,” “The Life Aquatic”) in his first series since Steve Cannell’s inspired “Tenspeed and Brown Shoe” (which, coincidentally, bears a passing resemblance to “Andy Barker, P.I.,” also premiering tonight).
“Raines” is a procedural about a traumatized Los Angeles homicide detective who starts seeing and talking to the murder victims he’s investigating.
If Yost, Darabont and Goldblum do not prove inducement enough, note that “Star Trek: Enterprise’s” superhot Linda Park is a regular, parading around in a tight LAPD uniform, and Alexa Davalos (the gorgeous lightning lass Gwen Raiden from “Angel”) plays lead victim in the pilot.
I quite unprofessionally waited till the last minute to watch “Raines,” only to discover the DVD NBC sent over doesn’t work properly in any of my computers or DVD players. So let’s see what the critics say.
TV Guide give it a 6 (out of 10) and says:
… aggressively quirky twist on L.A. noir. …
Entertainment Weekly give it a “C-minus” and says:
… a toothless twist in a post-noir procedural … that makes Los Angeles look as dreary and sluggish as Goldblum’s performance …
USA Today gives it three (out of four) stars and says:
… Intriguing and involving, if sometimes odd for oddness' sake alone … where Boomtown was an ensemble, Raines has to be carried by Goldblum — and carry it he does. It would have been easy to make this sarcastic, skittish detective seem larger than life, but instead, Goldblum reins him in. It's a tightly controlled, tightly wound performance that holds your attention with a kind of intense nervous energy. …
The New York Times says:
… Watching the premiere is a little like seeing a child lose his nerve before a Halloween contest: Red horns and a tail aren’t scary enough, so he throws on a rubber Frankenstein mask and insect wings. And that is not very complimentary to Mr. Goldblum, an odd and remarkable actor who almost never disappoints. … Mr. Goldblum somehow manages to make his way through this muddle of a debut with considerable grace and skill. He has always been a natural in roles that call for glibness and slithery sarcasm, but he is also remarkably moving in those moments when he drops the tough facade, his eyes mist over and he shows compassion — scenes that would make a lesser actor look ridiculous.
The Los Angeles Times says:
… although Jeff Goldblum is in practically every scene of "Raines," the Jeff Goldblum aura feels like background. "Raines," on the one hand, is a fine TV series, smart and decent; even the conceit of Raines talking to dead people comes off without airs. The show, with arguable logic, tries to marry a neo-noir texture with Goldblum's ego-bound, always-in-his-head personality — it's a match.com of what's working for the networks (the aforementioned puzzle shows) and that discursive brand of sarcasm — and lecherousness — that Goldblum made most lovable in "The Big Chill." But in so doing, the show also doesn't seem to be aiming for anything higher than a comfortable middle ground, bypassing a chance to watch Goldblum send up our preconceived idea of Goldblum. …
The Chicago Tribune says:
… Goldblum’s thoughtful, enjoyable presence is — rather than the one saving grace of an otherwise tiresome procedural — the centerpiece of a generally well-crafted drama… …
The Washington Post says:
… Goldblum seems a trifle embarrassed by the obviousness of the gimmick -- Raines tells a colleague that "it's just my 'hook' " -- but he skillfully manages to make it palatable if never quite plausible. … In some of his roles, Goldblum has come across as antsy and mannered. But for television, a close-up and intimate medium, Goldblum has toned down the tics and tricks. He gives the character of Raines a solid and gratifying humanity, enough to lift "just another" cop opera into a considerably more rarefied realm.
The San Francisco Chronicle says:
… You might imagine that the real trouble began when creator Graham Yost (who previously created the infinitely better "Boomtown" cop drama) decided to go with the dead-people dramatic device after it had already been used -- wait for it -- to death. … "Raines" is one of those shows that are enjoyable time wasters if you don't know what else is available. In the two episodes that NBC sent out, "Raines" establishes itself as solidly mediocre, which, as savvy viewers already know, is just unacceptable in the current TV environment. There's an excess of good dramas on TV. There's even a rising number of great dramas. A been-there-done-that cop drama about a quirky detective must sit itself down with "Monk" and be happy with the company. Oh, to aim higher. Goldblum is probably the best element of "Raines" (though the opening credits are pretty cool, and Yost always seems to hire people who create a crisp, darkly saturated visual style for his shows). …
The Kansas City Star says:
… To be honest, I wanted to hate this show the minute I saw a sneak peek of it last spring. Jeff Goldblum plays a wise-cracking detective who talks to dead people. Just what the planet needed: an unholy amalgam of “House” and “The Ghost Whisperer.” Now that I’ve seen two episodes, it’s not that bad. In fact, it’s about what I’d expect from a show that’s ripping off both one of my favorite and least favorite TV dramas: something in between. As with many shows of this ilk, I asked myself if “Raines” would be any good without the gimmick. I had to admit that Goldblum has a commanding presence that may overcome the ho-hum storylines and overdone talking-ghost motif. …
The Orlando Sentinel says:
… Raines is an average, unoriginal series. Another reason for disappointment: Even with Frank Darabont of The Shawshank Redemption directing the pilot, the results are ho-hum. …
The Hollywood Reporter says:
… Detective Michael Raines sees dead people, which, you're probably thinking, isn't that much of a gimmick on TV these days. Dead people have been ratting out criminals to Allison Dubois on "Medium" for a few years, and Melinda Gordon of "Ghost Whisperer" also has weekly conversations with spooks. Raines' visions are different and, to my way of thinking, a lot more credible. The dead people he sees are not ghosts. They are figments of his imagination. They are murder victims as he pictures them in life. The more he learns about them, the more they change to conform to the new information. Because they are only figments, they can't tell Raines anything he doesn't already know. They can, however, get him to look at the facts from a different perspective. Couple that modus operandi with Jeff Goldblum's savvy and sarcastic performance, and you get a detective series that is charismatic and compelling.…
Variety says:
A crime procedural tweaked with the slimmest of gimmicks, "Raines" largely boils down to one's appreciation of star Jeff Goldblum. … this is a series for people with a reasonably high TV IQ, but not a particularly challenging formula. The main allure is seeing Goldblum in action, his eyes darting hither and yon …
10 p.m. Thursday. NBC.
Furiously Winging Toward You!!
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Wait.
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They're breeding!!
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That's what this is. It does look cool though, but I wish it was on FX or some other cable channel.
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and another.
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If there are raptors.
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I'm glad to see that last description that clarifies that these people aren't really ghosts. We didn't really need 2 psychics solving crimes on the same network. Gotta say, I love Medium - the unique ways they present the cases, Allison's bizarre reactions, the husband character and their relationship, their use of music. Ghost Whisperer is a whole other thing - it's not about solving crimes, but about helping people 'move on' with a nice fantasy about the afterlife, mostly treacle, occasionally emotional, but total fantasy, whereas I can see some of the stuff in Medium actually happening. Though between JLove and Patricia Arquette, there's a definite cleavage battle happening, even though Alison's a mother and tends to cover up most of the time, but that Valentine's day episode where she's 'possessed' by a dead woman and dresses differently. Wow.
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I think it is cool that he is schizo and talks to the dead peps. That's probably why I will watch it. He seems like Robert Gorn from Law and Order:CI if he finally went over the edge.
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Reminds me of Slings and Arrows, but cop genre.
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None of the American shows can capture the emotion of Afterlife.
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so of course, i'm tuning in tonight. anyone who didn't watch boomtown can suck a big juicy one because it was easily one of the best cop shows ever. csi can burn in hell it's a steaming pile of shit next to boomtown.
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see imdb.com for that one.
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The guy's my favorite actor of all time but barely shows up in any movies these days. The idea that I can get a whole new hour of erratic sentance pacing and precise hand gestures from Jeff every week makes my pants tight.
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They screwed up season 2. One was awesome though.
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Has he given up his well earned title as King of Sci-fi movies? For a while there he was in every major sci-fi film that came out.
Maybe he can channel his character from Silverado and get a bit of action in. -
What the hell does that even mean, when describing a TV show? Its got no "teeth" as in its gutless? Or is it like an old guy who mutters to himself, who happens to have no teeth? Am I supposd to picture one of those caricature gold rush toothless propecter types? WTF?
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Is the title, I wonder, an homage to The Invisible Man?
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Quirky guys solving crimes. And their perception of the crimes changes throughout the episode as they learn more stuff. Sounds like Raines has tried to incorporate some of the better elements of CSI, without being a total ripoff. If it takes off, we could see the Goldblum vs. Grissom ratings battle.
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Didn't they say that he wasn't psychic, but he was just imaginging what the people might say if they were there to watch?
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Didn't they say that he wasn't psychic, but he was just imaginging what the people might say if they were there to watch?
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...for his eccentricity. "Monk," anyone?
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Now there's a show I would watch
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who's been tossing around words like "professional" around you, Herc? I don't see Tom Shales posting entries filled with Amazon links.
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I'll give the show a chance. I want to see where they go with it. There are so many damn crime dramas out there it's hard to find something "fresh". They better make the actual crimes interesting. I'm also waiting for the movie "Sweet! Earth Girls are Still Easy!"
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But I would agree that it needs more edge and darkness. He is having a mental breakdown for jebus sake!
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and I like Goldblum, so I wish this show well... BTW, if you want to see a quirky, EVIL Goldblum.. rent "Mr. Frost".
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...so I will watch it
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...from the 80's & 90's work for TV these days? I'm not saying that it's a bad thing.
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Theyre not ghosts, theyre halucinations. And it has the GUZMANNNNN in it. Could shape up nicely.
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Yep. I can't see anyone else as Daniel Dreiberg/aka The Nite Owl.
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to boomtown's second season's defense, nbc really fucked up on it and as i recall it was only six episodes. nbc should have had the balls to pick the show up for at least half a year, or not even bother renewing it. none of that in-between bullshit.
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shame that the show seems like a dud.
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Linda Park's in this one, too. Largely why I'll give it a try tonight.
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Kudos, Herc. You should have checked this one out before tonight.
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AND LINDA PARK FITS THE BILL!!! YUM!!
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but I caught the first few minutes, and I'm a sucker for noir. I was interested enough to watch the whole thing, and I thought it was quite good. Goldblum does a great job, and it was a clever enough plot. Wish it wasn't so much of a procedural though. Arcs are the way to go.
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I'm in.
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i liked the pilot for the most part. funny, neat, and a pretty sweet ending. but, they've already filmed the episodes that will comprise the season, and unless there's a fucking miracle, we probably won't even see those. fingers crossed!
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This makes me miss Boomtown all the more.
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based on the ads but it was very well done. Had a very cool noir vibe at time, especially the scene in the PI's office. Good bit at the end. Great show in great time, should do well in the ratings. Even if it doesn't I'll still tune in to watch every episode NBC decides to air (I still don't trust them after what they did to Kidnapped). As for Boomtown, whenever I lend Season 1 to anyone I refer to it as "the best show you have never seen". And it's true. I don't remember much of anything of Season 2 except the last scene of the first (or maybe second) episode. McNorris in rehab making a speech to his group, basically taking over the session. It was a great moment. Too bad we'll probably never see it again since I doubt Season 2 will ever be released.
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It was kind of dull. But when it meshed it meshed very well.
I hope it perks up parts of the dialogue were tedious and dead. I think they hoped to accomplish more with the graphics than they really did.
Best part was the line about the dead eating brains and the feasting will begin after dark -
It was good in parts, and Goldblum performed capably. The end twist seemed a bit too "Sixth Sense" but with imaginary people instead of dead ones. The crime solving part was ho hum and rather standard as the genre goes. The writing could be better. I expected more from Darabont's directorial skills. And the editor needs to take a learning annex course in attention spans. Several scenes just seemed to drop the ball either being too jumbled, too short, too rushed or all three at once. In other words, the pacing stunk.
I don't know yet whether I'll watch another episode. The concept holds promise, but this would work better in my mind if the whole thing took itself less seriously in order to maximize the effectiveness of it.
Pilots are dodgy and not always indicative of how good a show really is, so I'm willing to give it one or two more chances to pick up the pace. -
somewhat formulaic, generally the success/failure of a show depends upon the characters - Law & Order, CSI, et al... I think this show will find it's legs and motor along quite contendedly. I do think the series premier should have been a 2-hr movie though. This felt as though they were trying to cram too much 'supporting character establishing' plot into 1 hour. I do agree that it needs to have a darker tone. My local affiliate broadcast the show at 10pm, and except for the hooker-cheerleader-with-a-heart-of-gold I didn't see anything that wouldn't fly on Saturday in a kids line-up.
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The NY Times reviewer was right: Goldblum's Raines could be as singular a character as Hugh Laurie's House or James Spader's Allan Shore, because like them he's a terrific, compelling actor. Whether or not the show built around him will sustain his character is another matter. I love Goldblum; in this role he's like a somewhat weary, tamped-down version of every other role he's ever played, but even as a shadow of his former selves he's about ten times better than most other TV actors. I'll keep watching and hope the show itself improves.
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smooth direction and, as always, an amazing Goldblum, just love that guy.
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I like Jeff Goldblum, so I thought I'd give this a chance. Glad I did. Started slow and improved a lot the last half hour. Figured out the "twist" way early, but somehow, it still worked. I think what worked best was that Raines came off like a REAL person with some heavy duty baggage still trying to do his job when he has good reason to take a walk or eat his gun. Definitely going to watch again.
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but the show itself was a little bland. The resolution was more or less, stupid. And for a show trying really hard to cop a "noir" vibe, the resolution should have been much more downbeat. That said, I'll watch again for Goldblum and will have hope that the writing will step up and match his performance.
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Goldblum seems to almost take whatever he's in and add his quirkiness to it. He should have been The Scarecrow in Batman Begins. Nice to see Nicole Sullivan still alive after King Of Queens and Mad TV.
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This show uses the dead to tell the story of the victim. That is actually a lot more interesting than how the glass ended up in her hand as it were, despite the fact that mr. Petersen is a great actor in CSI. This is the antithetical companion to CSI: lv in method not in content - therefore a companion piece for said show, for the thinking man.
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