Last year, NBC came at the fall with “The Blacklist,” a series smartly leveraging certain narrative trends (quasi-criminal genius seeking redemption) to showcase the talents of popular television star James Spader. The result? Bull’s-eye.
This year, NBC opens on Wednesday with “The Mysteries of Laura,” a series that also leans into a trend (the blurring of drama and comedy) with the hope of re-purposing the talents of popular television star Debra Messing. The result?
Well, how many points do you get for grazing the white part around the edge of the target?
TV Preview: Fall 2014
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TV Preview: Fall 2014
Dramas, thrillers, comedies — this fall TV season features programs for all. Take a look through the gallery to familiarize yourself with shows you can expect to see in the upcoming weeks.
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The Roosevelts’ | Sept. 14 | PBS
Getty Images / PBS
Ken Burns’s seven-part documentary weaves the stories of Theodore, Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt, three members of one of the most prominent and influential families in American politics. The 14-hour series marks the first time their individual stories have been woven into a single narrative.
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‘The Mysteries of Laura’ | Sept. 17 | NBC
KC Bailey / AP
Debra Messing, center, with Charlie Reina, left, and Vincent Reina, right, in a scene from “The Mysteries of Laura.”
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‘Red Band Society’ | Sept. 17 | FOX
Alex Martinez / FOX
Octavia Spencer in a scene from “Red Band Society.”
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‘Madam Secretary’ | Sept. 21 | CBS
Craig Blankenhorn / CBS
Tea Leoni in a scene from “Madam Secretary.”
Adapted from the Spanish television series “Los Misterios de Laura,” it has a sound enough premise. Laura Diamond (Messing) is an NYPD homicide detective trying to balance work with home, home being her almost-ex-husband and fellow detective Jake (Josh Lucas, criminally underutilized in the premiere) and their two exceptionally under-parented twin boys. She is aided in her efforts by her partner Billy (Laz Alonso) and the department’s fabulous assistant Max (Max Jenkins), who may deserve a show of his own.
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NBC picks up ‘Constantine,’ ‘The Mysteries of Laura’ and ‘A to Z’
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Unfortunately, Messing, though talented in many ways, is absolutely and completely unbelievable as a homicide detective. Even this stretched-to-ditziness-but-still-tough-enough-to-get-the-job-done version.
It certainly doesn’t help that the show opens with her in hot pursuit of some gun-wielding thug as he races through a very crowded Battery Park. Wearing a raincoat that she will then cling to throughout the episode as if it had been bequeathed to her by Mr. Peter Falk, she mutters “humorous” asides like “why are all these people in the park? Don’t they have jobs?” before pulling a gun and aiming it at said thug, who grabs a hostage. Then she fires Right At Their Heads.