Tonight was the premiere, it's taking the place of the now defunct "Smith."
I'm not sure what to think of it. On the surface, it's just like any other medical drama really, with the possible exception of the fancy graphics that map the neurological system.
But, I love Stanley Tucci, and Mark Feurstein. Both are great actors. And even if it's just a run of the mill medical drama, it's still good. You've got your stereotypical touchy feely doctor, and your stereotypical jerk doctor, and conniving doctor who is trying to steal patients, and quirky neurologist who remains unconventional. And Tucci's character has some sort of problem they've already introduced but we aren't quite sure what it is. Is it a tumor of his own?
The show is all about brain surgery, specifically. Kind of like what Everwood I think would have been had they focused on the occupaton of Andy Brown and not his life (he'd be a great addition to the show, Treat Williams rocks).
But there's something at least a little special about the show, beyond what I saw as great acting, and good writing (I'll get to the dialogue in a minute). There's a fantastic visual component about it. The show is about people who do surgery on other people's brains, but it's also about those other people, and their problems. Their afflictions manifest themselves in some VERY odd ways, and the way they choose to show that on the screen is odd, but very cool. They've certainly earned a couple more watchings by me, and with LOST gone, I'm not exactly missing anything.
Also, and this I love, it at least APPEARS, for the moment anyway, that the sexual tension between the characters will take a backseat to the subject, to brain surgery, to how they deal with it, to how they interact with patients and each other. The medical shows that are about doctors either repressing or acting out their sexual frustrations are a dime a dozen, it's basically desparate housewives only in a hospital. But I'm giving this one a little more faith, for now.
Anyway, about the dialogue. Some of it is a little cheesy, in the sense that, you start to think to yourself "who talks like that?" But really, how many brain surgeons do you know? Stanley Tucci's character even calls him on one thing, when Mark's character says "I'd remove pollops for the rest of my life than not know the details of my patient's life." And Tucci says in reply "Did you just come up with that, or did you have it ready? Really, it's dramatic."
It was sarcastic, but it was fun. I need to see more from them before I can tell whether it'll work over the long haul, but so far it seems real, the character quirks don't seem phony, and of all the medical dramas (the dozens of them), that I've seen crop up in the last couple years, this is the only one I've seen and immediately wanted to know what happens next.
Lyrhawn Recommends!
Edit to add: If you missed it, you can catch it on the CBS website any time you want. One of the things I love about tv these days: access. I recommend to all.
[ December 07, 2006, 12:27 AM: Message edited by: Lyrhawn ]
Posted by quidscribis (Member # 5124) on :
quote:But really, how many brain surgeons do you know?
Um, a few. *shrugs*
Yeah, I know - someone had to be the dissenter, and today, it's me.
I'll have to see if we can watch an episode or two, but meanwhile, I'm curious to hear what others have to say. Posted by Lyrhawn (Member # 7039) on :
Cheeky.
Posted by quidscribis (Member # 5124) on :
Yeah, can't help it.
I think it's the pain. That, and nearly passing out. Posted by Lyrhawn (Member # 7039) on :
Pain? What happened to you?
Posted by quidscribis (Member # 5124) on :
Nothing out of the ordinary. Just the usual stuff. Seriously. Joint pain. Headache. Cramps in abdomen. Nausea. Lightheadedness. The usual. I'm just being whiny.
Posted by Lyrhawn (Member # 7039) on :
I fell down the stairs at my house today and nearly snapped my left foot off. Luckily I saved the laptop I was carrying, at the expense of my right forearm.
I whined in Livejournal though Posted by Lyrhawn (Member # 7039) on :
Haven't posted since last week, but it was another really good episode this past week.
The interpretive work they do on trying to visualize the inner workings of the brain is...jarring, but really cool too.
I still really recommend this to everyone.
Posted by Lyrhawn (Member # 7039) on :
Cancelled. Being filled with CSI reruns.
Five episodes are already filmed but will not be aired.
You know, I hate the way they do TV now, and it makes me not want to watch ANY new show in it's first season. I don't trust TV to make a commitment, so why should I have to make one?
[/betrayed]
Posted by striplingrz (Member # 9770) on :
I'm with your Lyrhawn, this happens way too much on broadcast tv now.
Smith The Nine 3 lbs
Just to name a few from this year!
Posted by FlyingCow (Member # 2150) on :
![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif)
![[Razz]](tongue.gif)
![[Smile]](smile.gif)
![[Grumble]](graemlins/grumble.gif)