"Smith" Pilot (2006)

User Rating:

6.3/10   

Director:

Christopher Chulack

Writer:

John Wells (writer)

TV Series:

"Smith" (2006)

Original Air Date:

19 September 2006 (Season 1, Episode 1)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

Plot:

A criminal plot is told from the crooks point of view.

Plot Keywords:

TV Series Pilot | Robbery | Interracial Relationship | Television Flop | Short Lived

Cast

Ray Liotta	...	Bobby Stevens
Virginia Madsen	...	Hope Stevens
Simon Baker	...	Jeff Breen
Jonny Lee Miller	...	Tom
Franky G	...	Joe Garcia
Amy Smart	...	Annie
Mike Doyle	...	Shawn
Chris Bauer	...	Agent Dodd
Michelle Hurd	...	Agent Lowry
Shohreh Aghdashloo	...	Charlie
Steven Eckholdt	...	Steve
Shaun Toub	...	Jerry
Michael Hyatt	...	Officer Lauper
Valarie Rae Miller	...	Macy
Valerie Azlynn	...	Cindy

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Filming Locations:

Glendale, California, USA

Company:

John Wells Productions

Trivia:

Cancelled by CBS after three episodes. Several months later, all three episodes were made available for viewing on-line at the official CBS website, along with four more episodes that were shot but never aired. In addition, a series of detailed synopses for the following five episodes was included for viewing.

Soundtrack:

Hide and Seek

"Smith", a common name for a very common show

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

When the creators of this show chose the title, they knew exactly what they had on their hands. Smith, being the most common surname, is appropriate for a show that is common through and through. Nothing original, nothing exciting, nothing even remotely interesting. Just common TV junk trying to pass itself off as something stylish and edgy. It fails on both counts.

Smith starts off, appropriately enough, with a heist. These are criminals we're talking about, so the show would dare not want to start off with anything but a little criminal activity. The heist is lame, conceived possibly by a 2-year old. The guards are nothing short of inept, which begs the question as to how talented these criminals really are, or do they in fact just perform heists that junior high kids could pull off.

The characters then break off into their own separate lives and this doesn't improve anything.

Simon Baker tries to pull off the 'cold and casual killer' attitude by whistling idly as he follows up a quick surf with some target practice on two Hawaiian 'locals' who tell him flat out, "You don't belong here." Ooh, plot thickens...Not really. The only redeeming part of this scene is the fact that Simon Baker clearly does his own surfing. Seriously, that's all that this scene had to offer. He makes a better surfer than he does a killer. He just doesn't make you believe it.

Amy Smart is a showgirl??? I know, I know, makes no sense to me either. Backstage she makes an exchange with a fellow showgirl. Money for stolen credit card numbers. But not just any credit card numbers, "high roller" credit card numbers. After Smart's cringing drug reference to the girl (it's so predictable and uninspiring, I dare not repeat it here), the girl whines about not being paid the promised price. Smart counters with a comment about the past stolen credit card numbers maxing out at only $10000 and if the girl doesn't like what she's making, she can take her business somewhere else. Oh, you go girl!...Once again, not really.

Smith, played by the always frightening looking Ray Liotta, wakes up next to the beautiful Virginia Madsen, and we learn that he is an average American family man. Virginia senses something is off with her husband, adultery perhaps...Nay, something far more sinister and disappointing, a double life, spent in crime where he heads an elite (hahaha) group of criminals. But, with Liotta's strapping good looks, she can't seem to resist.

If this series survives, I suspect Virginia Madsen might have some explaining to do. They portrayed her character with too many "serious" shots not to have her be more than meets the eye.

There's another criminal, Franky G. I just don't care enough to keep talking about him or his cohorts.

Oh yeah, Johnny Lee Miller is released from the joint and we learn that he is also with the group.

There's more, but in this case, less is more. You don't want to know anything else.

Liotta is still scary looking...Smart and Lee Miller join the mile high club...Baker just bores me...Franky who?

I don't know folks, just avoid it. I know I will.

On a lighter note, during the first 20 minutes of the show, the results of the Massachusetts primary elections were announced. Go Deval Patrick!