TNT continues to roll out it’s summer dramas and I have to admit this is the week I was waiting for. Like quite a few other people I loved Leverage last summer and I couldn’t wait till this season (check out our Leverage Season Two Preview). Some people might not have even given a second look to the new show Dark Blue that TNT is rolling out after Leverage. TNT was nice enough to give The TV Legion a screener of the first two episodes of Dark Blue. Those hoping for the next Leverage will be disappointed but I have to say that the series intrigues me.
For those of you unfamiliar with Dark Blue it follows a secret police organization that goes deep undercover in order to flush out the worst criminals in Los Angeles. The group is led by Carter Shaw (Dylan McDermott). Other members include: Ty Curtis (Omari Hardwick) a newlywed who has trouble juggling his marriage and job, Dean Bendis (Logan Marshall-Green) who has no trouble being on both sides of the law, and Jaimie Allen (Nicki Aycox) the new team member with a mysterious past.
After two episodes of Dark Blue I still don’t know what to really think about the series. If I based my review off the premiere I would have to admit that Dark Blue was an average drama at best. Then the second episode came around and I have to admit that my first impressions of the show might have been a little off. The second episode wasn’t phenomenal but I liked that it brought more facets to the show.
The first episode was a pure drama. No humor whatsoever. I would describe it as a dark, dreary, cop drama. Tone and pacing couldn’t be any more different than Leverage. If you don’t like grittier, dark dramas you probably won’t like Dark Blue. The second episode kept most of the same vibe but I was glad to see some effort to put some humor into the episode. The episode was far from laugh out loud, but the humor that was added did a pretty good job breaking up some of the tension and fit well into the episode’s storyline.
As far as the characters are concerned I wouldn’t say that they are bad but they could use some work since I felt most of the characters were kind of lacking a personality. It’s very different from Leverage in that way since Leverage has some of the most unique and entertaining characters on television. Dark Blue’s characters definitely have room for improvement but I was a little disappointed by the first two episodes as far as the characters were concerned.
After only two episodes I really can’t pass a definite judgment on the series. If the series turns out more like the pilot I think the show will be average at best. If the second episode is a better representative though I think the series will be at worst an above average drama with the possibility to be a good series. My guess is that the series will end up more like the pilot even though I am holding out hope that the series is more like the second episode.
While Dark Blue is no Leverage (not by a long shot), Dark Blue is worth a shot for anyone who enjoys cop dramas. Dark Blue premieres this Wednesday on TNT at 10/9 C.
