Welcome to the last post in this fall’s our TV Preview series! I’ve had a great time chatting with you over the course of the last couple of months about the shows we highlighted in our TV Preview: New Friends post. I hope you’ve found a new show to love or like, and sorry if nothing really did it for you this premiere season.We’ll be back in the new year to chat about midseason shows. But first …
Warning! Possible spoilers ahead.
Premiered: Oct. 27 on ABC (Watch online.)
Twitter Pitch
See both sides of the crime … and a lot of sex, drugs, and rock and roll. #the80s
Familiar Faces
Ed Westwick as Kent Galloway
Taissa Farmiga as Karen McClaren
Jeremy Sisto as Jack Roth
Gabriel Luna as Paco Contreras
Kirk Baltz as Artie Bukowski
Erika Christensen as Betty Beaumontaine
Karolina Wydra as Dianne Gibbons
Evan Ross as Diver Hawkes
Jaime Ray Newman as Allison Roth
Faces That Might Become Familiar (If You Keep Watching)
Olivia Moss as Mary
Anne Winters as Vicki Roth
Redeeming Qualities
It’s rare that a crime procedural shows the perspective of the killer; typically, they only show the perspective of the people trying to find said killer. I think seeing the crimes through Kent’s (and Betty’s, one can assume) eyes is an interesting shake-up of a pretty formulaic trope. The show also promises to have an awesome 80s soundtrack.
It's Not Me, It's You
That said, I did not find Kent in any way charming, nor did I feel like he and Betty had any sort of chemistry. For a killer character to be compelling, rather than creepy and frightening, something about them needs to be slightly appealing. I didn’t find the cops very interesting, either. Jack’s a total dick.
Also, Evan Ross, please shave that sorry excuse for a mustache off RIGHT NOW.
Let's Do This Again
For me to want to keep watching a show, something or someone needs to catch my attention from the very start. Nothing and no one in Wicked Games did that for me, so I don’t think I’ll be tuning in again. Plus, I get plenty of humanity’s worst in my weekly Criminal Minds watch.
Did you watch this pilot? What did you think? What shows are you looking forward to for midseason? Voice your thoughts in the comments! And thanks for joining me the past couple of months.