TV tonight: ‘Person of Interest,’ ‘Charlie’s Angels,’ ‘Prime Suspect’ – Orlando Sentinel (blog)
Jim Caviezel, left, cleans up real well in ‘Person of Interest’ with help from Michael Emerson. Photo credit: CBS
A been-there, done-that feeling pervades most series debuting tonight, but not “Person of Interest.”
This CBS drama, debuting at 9 in the old “CSI” slot, gives Jim Caviezel quite a workout as a former CIA agent who, haunted by the past, has become a hard-drinking bum riding the New York subway. The good news is that the agent hasn’t lost his martial-arts prowess and that Caviezel cleans up real well.
He becomes an efficient crime-fighting weapon when he teams with an enigmatic billionaire (Michael Emerson of “Lost”). Their unlikely mission: Stop mayhem before it happens. Emerson gives another wonderfully creepy performance; his billionaire reminded me a bit of Dustin Hoffman in “Midnight Cowboy.” Oscar nominee Taraji P. Henson is along for the ride as a baffled police detective. Caviezel takes a licking, but keeps on ticking and kicking. This violent, flashy drama looks addictive.
And I can’t say that about the other newcomers tonight. If you’re a longtime TV viewer, you could be in for a lot of disappointment.
“Charlie’s Angels,” at 8 on ABC, is a glossy and pointless reworking of the ABC series that ran from 1976 to 1981. The earlier show became a hit because the stars (Kate Jackson, Farrah Fawcett-Majors, Jaclyn Smith) had such personalities. No such luck with the new Angels, who include the lovely Minka Kelly of “Friday Night Lights.” Miami is the gorgeous backdrop, but this “Charlie’s Angels” is too bombastic and trite for its own good. Bad, bad Angels.
“Prime Suspect,” at 10 on NBC, is an American version of the British classic with Helen Mirren. If you don’t know the original, perhaps you will be impressed, because Maria Bello gives it her all as a New York police detective fighting sexism in the department. Yet this new TV show struck me as a tired throwback, something from the “Cagney & Lacey” era. Still, the supporting cast is very good: Peter Gerety, Aidan Quinn, Brian O’Byrne.
This is the season of promising sitcoms with female characters: “2 Broke Girls,” “New Girl” and ABC’s upcoming “Suburgatory. ”Whitney,” at 9:30 p.m. on NBC,comes up short in that group. Whitney Cummings plays a caustic gal who amuses her boyfriend but baffles others. She did amuse me when she played dressup as a nurse. If only she had been a nurse the whole show.
There are some big returns tonight. I’m most looking forward to “The Mentalist,” at 10 on CBS, which picks up after Patrick Jane’s shocking killing of a man who said he was Red John. ”The Big Bang Theory,” at 8 on CBS, starts with back-to-back episodes and a guest appearance by Christine Baranski (“The Good Wife”). “Grey’s Anatomy,” at 9 on ABC, delivers two hours of drama and the latest tribulations of Meredith (Ellen Pompeo).
James Spader joins “The Office” at 9 p.m. on NBC, and John Goodman visits “Community” at 8 on NBC. I think it’s a good bet you’ll laugh at “Parks and Recreation,” at 8:30 on NBC. The Amy Poehler comedy draws bawdy inspiration from the Anthony Weiner scandal.
If you didn’t get enough of Simon Cowell last night, he’s back with two more hours of “The X Factor” at 8 on Fox.