he doesn't actually have anything to do with the show.) It's a shame really, because if this show existed in a vacuum where no other superhero-type shows had ever aired, I think I would have thoroughly enjoyed it.As is, I liked it well enough, but it just seemed a little too familiar to really grab me and hold on tight. The show centers around of group of superhumans, called Alphas, who come together to solve peculiar, impossible, or near preternatural problems. Again, on paper, in and of itself, I'm very intrigued. In reality, this would-be original concept is extremely common and although Alphas succeeds better than most, it just didn't pack the punch that a truly unique program can have.
The aspect of the show that held the most appeal and which makes it more divergent than similar shows is the nature of the abilities of its main characters. Rather than outlandish, over-the-top, supremely typical superpowers like flying or shooting laser beams out their eyes, the Alphas have powers that aren't so far removed from what may actually be possible. For example, one character has the ability to manipulate people by suggesting things to them, kind of like Professor X. The difference here is that she can only succeed in so much as the mind she's working with has sufficient plasticity. She has to be looking right at them to make the suggestion and it only goes so far. In the real world, some people are incredibly good at manipulating others, she's goes a couple of steps further. Another character has supernatural aim and an amazing sense of space, so much so that he made an impossible shot to kill someone and can throw coins into a vending machine. Again, some people have superior abilities in shooting and throwing, this show takes it a couple of steps further. Just like some people have perfect pitch, others can do complex math in their minds, and some have more muscle mass than nearly anyone else, this show looks at superpowers that could actually exist, if only we take natural abilities a little bit further. I'm not sure it will lead to the most thrilling series in the
world, but it does manage to ground the show. The whole "ordinary people with extraordinary abilities" theme is well-worn and I'm not sure dialing it back will necessarily lead to success. That said, going even further over the top certainly hasn't been working well on TV lately, so this has a better chance than most.The cast is likable and engaging for the most part, but I think the show would have resonated more if they had taken more chances and stepped outside the formula in a bolder, more unexpected way. As is, we have a beautiful, sexy woman with an edge, a mousy woman without any confidence, an arrogant strong-man, a socially inept, near autistic young guy, and the badass, sexy rebel who's new to the team. Sigh. Once again, these are all character designs that I could get behind, but I sure wish I hadn't already gotten behind them 87 times before. When you take this concept out of the superhero genre, the familiarity is even more apparent is certain respects. Half the procedurals out there involve some rag-tag group of different people coming together to solve fantastic crimes. It makes it incredibly difficult to view this show with new eyes, just as it's impossible to see a cop show, legal drama, or medical series and not groan at the conventions. On rare occasion, a show can take a tired genre and reinvent it in unexpected and captivating ways (e.g. The Good Wife, Nurse Jackie, The Wire), but with Alphas, they seem a bit too comfortable holding onto the tropes of their predecessors.
When looking at this show with as unbiased an eye as I can, it's actually quite well done. Many of the plot twists and turns could be seen a mile away even without super-sight, but the pilot was well-composed for the most part and made for a reasonably cohesive and engaging program. The most compelling aspect was the ongoing mythology that they began to establish with the pilot. The fact that the enemy group/organization is called Red Flag didn't exactly help with things, but the concept behind them was intriguing. As with any genre show, the success hinges on bringing something new to the table. Alphas might not have brought something
completely new, but they at least rearranged the dinnerware in a way that caught my attention.The best divergence from the norm was with the visual style and direction. The special effects employed to illustrate the Alphas' powers was extremely effective, particularly when the strong-man turns on his muscle and the mousy girl puts her synesthesia to good use. Above all though, the pilot opens with super-aim guy (I can't remember any of these people's names... I think his last name was Hicks) is triggered to go kill someone, having been made into a sleeper assassin of sorts. The people around him start telling him it's time to kill, but the art direction makes it really hit home. It's hard to know if he's having a psychotic break, is brain-washed, or is dreaming. In a weirdly obvious and yet concurrently subliminal way, the people and things around him say it's time for him to kill and when everything and everything seems to be in agreement, what else is there to do?
As with so many shows for me, deciding whether or not I'm going to love a show largely comes to down to whether or not it's procedural or serial. While in general, the "band of really talented people solving crime" motif falls into procedural
territory, I usually wish it wouldn't. With Alphas, it's a tough call regarding the ongoing format of the show. I can see where there will likely be some procedural elements, but the pilot made a point of focusing on the characters themselves as well. By making it clear early on that these are not invincible superheroes and that with each of their gifts comes a downside, it gives the show room to explore the subtler aspects of these characters. It gives the show room to breathe rather than cramming as much plot-exposition-of-the-week down viewers' throats. I'm hopeful they'll stick to that and really make these characters unique and engaging. For me to really care about a show, especially a procedural, I need to truly invest in the people. So far, I'm moderately intrigued...David Strathairn is always wonderful and turns in a very nice performance as the leader of this band of Alphas, blending an intelligence with an undeniable warmth and caring. His team is a little hit or miss at this point. As mentioned, they fall a little too closely into familiar stock for me to really sit up and take notice, but they all seem to have potential. The only real
problem I had was that the vaguely autistic kid is played by Mr. Nigel-Murray from Bones. I adored his sweet, trivia-lovin' Englishman on Bones, so to see him here as a socially inept American was a bit jarring. His accent was spot on, but his speech patterns felt a little forced in a "I'm not quite sure just how autistic I'm supposed to be" kind of way. As with any role, I'm sure he'll settle into it over the next few episodes and craft a character with traits that are more consistent. As of the pilot, he seemed to vacillate between Rain Man and Temperance Brennan.All in all, if I had never seen a superhero show before or had never experienced the rush of a team of strangers coming together to use their special skills, blah, blah, blah, I think I'd be rather enamored. But, I have experienced both those things, separately and combined. Alphas certainly isn't the freshest idea or residing in the least common genre by any stretch, but they do a respectable job. They have established a foundation that could turn into something amazing, even if not something wholly original. I'll definitely be giving the show a few more weeks to make this concept its own.
Pilot Grade: B-
1 comment:
BUFFY!!!!!
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