Did anyone see James Woods's show "Shark" last night?

[derringdo.livejournal.com]

I enjoyed it well enough, though for all the "House" comparisons people have been drawing I didn't think the dialogue was quite shrewd enough to live up to that analogy, and Shark himself doesn't really have House's "woobie"/underdog quality: he's a man of more flaws and fewer weaknesses than House, which I respect but which won't win him as many fans. To me, Woods is by away and by far the best thing about it, and in that it reminded me of the old and terminally cheesy Master Ninja series with Lee Van Cleef I recently developed an embarrassing attachment to, though at a technical level Shark is about ten zillion times better made. In both cases, you have this edgy, larger than life kind of movie actor whom the series doesn't quite seem to know what to do with, and a supporting/guest cast that ends up kind of seeming rather flat by comparison. In Shark's case, only Jeri Ryan from Star Trek and the chick from Sky High who plays his daughter come anywhere near registering in scenes with Woods.

What did you think?

Comments

[fearlessfirefly.livejournal.com]

I missed it, and reading your review, I totally regret skipping to watch Law and Order: CI reruns. ;_;

[derringdo.livejournal.com]

You have my sympathy :(

[otisgal737.livejournal.com]

I definately saw it! I absolutely adore James Woods in anything, but he was definately the best part about this show. His staff was full of just really terrible actors, or maybe he just made them see that way, but I definately agree with you that Jeri Ryan and the girl that played his daughter were the best supporting cast. (although I think that his assistant has a lot of potential too).

He wasn't as snarky as i thought he would be, but maybe that was just because this was the first episode and they had to spend time developing relationships?

[derringdo.livejournal.com]

I honestly think the problem was more the writing overall than the relationship stuff-he got off some amusing bits while talking to his daughter ("You have your mom, you have your shrink...I don't need to know.")

The personal assistant's got potential, and the actress isn't bad, and I would say that the two most prominent of the supporting law team (the evil blonde and the African-American chick) aren't bad. I'm told that dude who was Skaara in Stargate is buried somewhere in this show, I didn't notice him.

I kinda hope they don't go for a romantic relationship between him and Jeri, cuz it just didn't play that way: more of a like-hate buddy friendship, where, because she's a hot woman and he's a sleazy lawyer, he feels obliged to comment on her hotness as a matter of principle.

[otisgal737.livejournal.com]

I read somewhere that they're definately gonna try to have some sort of tension between them, but that they're gonna drag it out for as long as they possibly can. But i'm with you, i really don't see that working out... or being that believable.....