The Handler

It never fails; as soon as I glom on to a prime-time diversion with a scintilla of character and originality, it gets nixed by the powers-that-be. "Big Apple", "Lucky", "Vengeance Unlimited", "The Agency"; and now, "The Handler". A perfect showcase for Joe Pantoliano's acting chops falls to the headsman's axe because it's a touch too gritty, with a plot that DEMANDS you pay attention with more than one's usual reptile-brain awareness. This whole situation reminds me of the comment that the Zucker brothers(creators of the "Airplane!" spoofs) made about why their series "Police Squad" was cancelled: "The executives complained that the viewers would have to pay attention to enjoy it." Trust me: if the star of the way-above-average "Joan of Arcadia" wasn't so hot-looking, Friday nights would be nothing but more reality shows. I guess I can count my blessings and be thankful--right?