A snoozy supernatural anthology about a swanky Manhattan apartment building that seems to owned and operated by Mr. & Mrs. Satan, “666 Park Avenue” comes to us from writer-producer David Wilcox, whose credits include “Law & Order,” “Fringe” and the American “Life On Mars.”
The cast is teeming with actors from recently departed ABC series, among them Terry O’Quinn (“Lost”), Vanessa Williams (“Desperate Housewives’), Dave Annable (“Brothers & Sisters”) and Rachael Taylor (“Charlie’s Angels”).
Will it last longer than ABC’s equally sad failed supernatural dramas “Eastwick” and “The River”? My guess would be nope.
… the premiere, at least, hasn’t found a way to make this odd mix of high-end real estate and B-movie occultism compelling enough that you’re eager for more. …
... a mainstream answer to FX's "American Horror Story." Which should not be taken as a pejorative! …
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette says:
... It's just kind of meh and a TV show with a devil at the center should be more fun than that. …
The San Francisco Chronicle says:
... The genius of the show is that while bad things happen, the victims aren't entirely blameless. …
... It’s worth waiting for another few episodes to see if the story clicks. If “666 Park Avenue” makes it that far, then expect it to get a whole lot more convoluted. Maybe the Dorans aren’t demons at all, right? Maybe they’re holding off a larger, Manhattan-swallowing evil by sacrificing their tenants one by one? Or something like that?
… hard to take seriously. … This property should be condemned.
... you have what should be the makings of suspense and horror. Except nothing much happens. …
... if it ends up being more "bore" than "boo," it fails. Which means, while you may enjoy some of the flourishes and be fond of some of the performers, 666 is a failure. …
... I wish I could say 666 scared or even spooked me, but the set-up is awfully obvious to an outsider weaned on the genre, and it feels more like a stationary Love Boat anthology geared toward predictably unhappy endings. …
... the formula could become awfully repetitive if the primary characters' story is augmented each week by a "B" plot regarding another resident, which is what transpires in the pilot, and doesn't prove particularly compelling. …
... The problem with 666 is there's not much mystery to it. If there are greater mysteries -- and there are hints a few exist -- then they're probably not bigger than the one we already know: The devil runs this apartment, and if you make a deal with him, it will end badly. … Perhaps the worst offense by 666 is that it's not even an ounce scary. …
10 p.m. Sunday. ABC.
