The Lyon's Den (TV Series) Pilot (2003) User Reviews

Disappointing

[MattMan79 · 21 February 2004]

I had been looking forward to this show quite a lot when I saw it previewed during the summer as a new fall offering. I watched the first few episodes, and was continually saddened to see such a boring show. Next week's episode always seemed like it was going to be exciting and dramatic, but every "next week" turned out to be as bland and blah as the last one. I was disappointed because I liked Rob Lowe on The West Wing (apparently he left over contract and money disputes), and I am a fan of legal thrillers, and this one seemed promising. It might have been a case of the show needing some more time to find its rhythm and build momentum and a fan base, but it was yanked from the network lineup fairly quickly. It was taken off during November sweeps, then brought back, then officially canceled. Overall, I think it was a show with a lot of potential and could have been a good one, but in the end, it just didn't hold my attention. And evidently didn't hold the attention of a lot of people.

Lyon's Den good enough to deserve attention!

[ecri · 9/10 · 3 November 2003]

This show has been given short shrift in a TV season rife with unoriginality. I've seen every episode of this show so far, and I can say it gets better and better each week. The mystery that hangs over the show becomes more and more intriguing with each barest tidbit of a clue we are given.

Rob Lowe's performance is riveting. His character is obviously the hero of the show, but just as obviously is far from perfect. He struggles to maintain his own ideals as he accepts the position vacated when his mentor and friend apparently kills himself. Yet, what looks to be an open and shut case of suicide turns into a mystery with more intriguing clues than anything on television. In a TV season riddled with CSI wannabes and bad sitcoms...as if they make good ones anymore...The Lyon's Den delivers believable, human characters and compelling storytelling.

Awesome

[sherriberri · 10/10 · 3 October 2003]

I thought the show was awesome. The ensemble cast, fantastic. A pilot is what it is and that is to sell the show. Now that the pilot is out of the way I am looking forward to more character discovery and the intrigue that we were promised. I'm betting that each new episode will be better then the last one.

good & bad

[callea · 5/10 · 30 November 2003]

It's too bad this show is so cheesy and focuses so much on Rob Lowe's character. The episode that rips off the story of the Cubs fan who caught the foul ball was just irritating, but it was nice to see Andy Richter on the show.

Kyle Chandler and Robert Picardo are the only reasons to watch this because they're both great actors. Unfortunately, they don't get much air time.

Great plot line.

[jnlembke · 9/10 · 22 January 2004]

The plot line has been exciting so far and I want to know what happens next. Kyle Chandler is playing a good villain. It is a joy to see him starring again in anything. The biggest problem with the show, so far, has been the bizarre scheduling. Maybe NBC will now move the show and further confuse viewers.

Getting better all the time

[Angela-35 · 9/10 · 27 October 2003]

If anyone hasn't seen this show, or stopped watching after the pilot, I strongly suggest you give it a shot. I agree the pilot left things to be desired, but with each episode the actors seem to get more comfortable in their roles, the stories get better, and we're presented with more questions that just add to the intrigue. I think there's a top notch cast here, and the background story lines keep this from being just another typical legal drama. Be warned, though. You might want to get some copies of previous episodes to get up to speed. Also, never look at any prop or offhand remark as meaningless. It usually has some significance that is gradually revealed later on.

Last week's episode gave Grant (Kyle Chandler) some welcome dimensions, but still some leeway for his snakelike nature to return this week. In this week's episode, we found some very intriguing history about Jack (Rob Lowe).

Outstanding drama

[pmrdgwll · 29 August 2004]

Having now seen 9 episodes of Lyon's Den I can only say that I feel sorry for US fans who had it taken away from them. After a bumpy start the show has improved every week and is now a brilliant TV drama. Press write-ups are very good, ratings are good and the buzz in the UK has grown each week. maybe Fox will release it on DVD. I hope so as it deserves to be seen. Rob Lowe heads an outstanding ensemble cast. Rip Torn is particularly entertaining. The plot is riveting and as the show was cancelled in the US we are ion the unusual position of seeing a show that the writers know is ending. They are not drawing the story out or building the plot week by week and the result is an amazingly compelling story that is being told at a breathtaking pace. Cross your fingers for a DVD release soon!

This is just sad

[rscampb · 30 October 2003]

This show is more suited to being a daytime soap opera than a prime time drama. The writing is unoriginal and frankly quite bland. Overall it is a totally unimpressive show and not really worth the cost of the electricity to keep the TV on.

Rob Lowe's sorry acting killed it!

[mojo2004 · 30 July 2004]

This show had a fine, no exceptional cast of actors who were giving

some good performances.Not only was Lowe's wooden acting style

awful to watch but since he was an executive producer he can also

be blamed for bringing it down.How about the promos that only showed

Lowe's face.I'm a big Kyle Chandler fan and I knew he was going to

be on only from going on an Early Edition website so a lot of his

fans and I'm sure the fans of the other actors probably didn't know

to look at the show.As for the murder plot, when it didn't hook folks

all they had to do was wrap it up quick,tell us who the killer was

and move on but what did they do.D-R-A-G-G-E-D it out even longer

and then did stunt casting with Jewel! Yeah Jewel,I'll bet people

were running to the TV to catch a Jewel acting performance!Kudos

to two others besides Kyle, Frances Fisher(great) and the guy who

was Lowe's buddy at the Legal Aid office.Very good.Shame.

Boring & Predictable

[jfms99 · 28 September 2003]

Just finished watching "The Lyon's Den" with Rob Lowe. Well we have another show about the "Idealistic" do-gooder trying to save man from himself. This show has a great deal in common with another one, namely, "Mr. Sterling", that failed miserably last spring, and yes it was on NBC too. When will these Hollywood writers ever write something meaty and interesting instead of the usual "crap"? Once again we have a young, idealistic lawyer trying to save the world, or his little corner of it. The naivete of this character, Jack Turner, is unbelievable. We are supposed to swallow the fact that this guy is the purest of the pure, then we find out his Father is a very powerful U.S. Senator. Even more amazing, the Managing Partner of one of the most powerful law firms in Washington D.C., either committed suicide or was murdered and they are going to turn to this so called naive pro bono, trust fund baby who has no real experience and make him the Managing Partner. Please! The absolute suspension of disbelief is too much in this show and I can see all we will be served here is the usual Left-Wing philosophical drivel we have seen before. I predict this show want last long. If it did not have the lead in of Law & Order: Criminal Intent it would not last two episodes. So I will give maybe four before it is canceled. Terrible show and too much sugar coated idealistic claptrap!!!!!!!!!!

Not giving up yet

[junkk28 · 29 September 2003]

I agree this looks like just another way of telling an old story. But I loved Rob Lowe in The West Wing (I think he got shafted by them big time, but that's another story) and will continue to watch for a while. The show has promise, but they better do some things differently than other shows. The same 'ol "good guy vs. the world" story is old. We'll have to hope and see.