FlyingTriumph Reviews

Lie to Me (2009–2011)

So far, so good...

[9/10 · 22 January 2009]

Last night I watched the premiere of Lie to Me on Fox. I'd seen the previews for months, and when I saw that Tim Roth was coming to television, him being one of my favorite actors, I was both excited and dubious at the same time. Another of my favorite actors, Christian Slater, had made an awesome TV debut on My Own Worst Enemy. But the show had been canceled, and I honestly didn't want to see the same thing happen to as great an actor as Tim Roth.

But last night's pilot delivered many great performances, not only from Roth, but the supporting guest cast as well. The episode itself had a pleasant mixture of drama, comedy, and sharp dialog.

Despite what some may think, it is possible to tell from a show's pilot whether or not the show will succeed. From what I saw last night, I can see this show going a long, long way. The formula that the show's staff have come up with is, yes, still in its conceptual stages. But they're definitely on to something, and I hope to see a rising popularity in America for Dr. Lightman and his team.

Star Trek Phase II: To Serve All My Days (2006) Season 1, Episode 2

Good job at reinventing Trek

[10/10 · 8 January 2009]

When I first caught the pilot of New Voyages, needless to say it got my attention. It had many of the same qualities as the original series. But there was some want for better dialog and plot flow. The first episode, "In Harm's Way" brought a bit more of this to light, and even included a cameo by William Windom.

But it wasn't until I saw "To Serve All My Days" that I realized James Cawley and his cronies were really on to something. I had absolutely no disappointments in this episode. The plot was great, the acting was better, and Walter Koenig gracing the screen with his presence was an absolutely crowning touch.

The only true problem I saw was the death of Chekov, and then him mysteriously resurrected for the following episode, "World Enough and Time," without any explanation whatsoever. It's something that's semi-expected out of a trek series, but not very commonly placed.

All in all however, I feel like Cow Creek is bringing new life to the franchise, even though it's non-canonical. I hope to see many more from them in the coming months.