215 replies to this topic

[jbd1263]

This show got really good reviews this week [url="http://<a%20href="http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/review/ABC-missing-tv-review-298168"%20target="_blank">http://www.hollywood...view-298168</a>"] HERE [/url] and [url="http://<a%20href="http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2012/03/12/DD1A1NJ00E.DTL"%20target="_blank">http://www.sfgate.co...A1NJ00E.DTL</a>"] HERE [/url] which is a surprise considering the trend that has been happening this season with dramas. Am anticipating seeing Ashley Judd, who actually got rave reviews for this part, move to the small screen. Show premieres Thursday ABC 7C/8E. I understand Judd's character takes a bit of getting use to but all is well by the third episode.

[reggiejax]

I love Ashley, so I am looking forward to this, but I have to say I find it a bit discomforting the way she pronounces the word "anything" in all the promos. It sounds like "I will do EHNNEE-thing to get my son back". We get it Ashley, the whole show is about you getting your son back and how you are a badass CIA operative. No need to oversell it. It's a given that you will stick an icepick in the balls of anyone with even the tiniest hint of information about your boy. In any case, I enjoyed the film "Taken", so I am sure I will enjoy this.

[teddysmom]

I can't imagine ABC thinks that much of it, putting it on Thursday night. NBC's comedies, American Idol, and CBS' line up, it doesn't have a chance.

[jbd1263]

I can't imagine ABC thinks that much of it, putting it on Thursday night. NBC's comedies, American Idol, and CBS' line up, it doesn't have a chance.

Maybe the show does have a chance . At least it does in my book. I for one welcome something to actually watch on the Networks during the Thursday 7C/8E time slot, since I hate situation comedies and have NEVER watch a single episode of American Idol. ABC appears to be putting this show in that time slot to appeal to an audience that doesn't find teeny bopper AI performers or brainless situation comedies interesting or compelling viewing.

Edited by jbd1263, Mar 15, 2012 @ 9:28 AM.

[Rickster]

It's up against the Idol results show, which is probably better than being on against the performance show.

I'll watch the premiere, but I'm already having problems buying a slightly built Ashley Judd beating up guys the way it's shown in the commercials.

NY Times Review

[heirloomtomata]

At 7pm (Central), I'll give it a looksee. They were smart not to put it on at 8 -- CBS's Person of Interest is already a powerhouse and is obliquely similar (but vastly different) in its premise.

Missing does seem a little dark for 7pm, though. I mean the most "dramatic" procedural-type show I can think of that comes on at 7 is NCIS on Tuesdays. But there's so much levity in NCIS it almost doesn't count. Maybe this will be mostly action without a lot of mayhem; but that's not how they're selling it. And boy do I agree with you, reggiejax: that "EHNNEE-thing" got my attention the very first time I saw/heard it, and not in a good way. The replaying of that promo 3-4 times a night hasn't helped. Apparently it's meant to foreshadow a Jack Bauer-type mentalilty and tactics...but "24" was on a 8pm. I don't know, I thought there was some sort of family-friendly rule about the 7pm timeslot. Jack Bauer Lite is kind of an oxymoron.

I guess we'll find out tonight!

[dubbel zout]

This is basically every avenging-mom movie Judd has ever done made into a series, no? Sorry, Ashley, but TVD and 30 Rock are my priorities on a Thursday night.

[morrigan2575]

This is basically every avenging-mom movie Judd has ever done made into a series, no? Sorry, Ashley, but TVD and 30 Rock are my priorities on a Thursday night.

Cross that with Taken and you've pretty much nailed it. I'm only tuned in for Sean Bean and Cliff Curtis were in it.

[Danie84]

Yeah, it felt like the female version of Taken. However, nothing gets me going like a badass woman out for blood. I'm in!

[Nightmare Logic]

Yeah, it felt like the female version of Taken. However, nothing gets me going like a badass woman out for blood. I'm in!

Ditto. And it wasn't bad for a a premier. Ashley Judd was all kinds of kickass fun and the CIA agent who is "chasing" her was kinda cute....so I'm in. Not sure how they are going to keep it going for more then one season, unless finding her son is only the beginning of the adventure....There is always revenge.

But for now I had a nice time watching Ashley Judd beat up dudes twice her size.

[Ima Pilgrim]

Loved it, she's awesome. I've always been a fan of Ashley's and in light of the recent Naomi/Wynonna trainwreck, even more impressed that she survived that. She said in an interview that she did almost all her own scenes, all the hand to hand, and it showed. Now if only I could stop wanting to shout "behind you!"

[Dilandau]

Was there any dialogue in it besides variations of "I'm a mother looking for her son!"? Because that's all she said in the ads and it got on my nerves. I get it, the point of the show is a woman looking for her son. Enough already. It kind of reminded me of how all Michael on LOST would only say "they took my booooy" except even more obnoxious.

[exzim]

I like the concept and Ashley looks good in the role, but I wish they would get over this idea that a CIA agent can go to a foreign country and totally ignore the law enforcement, the legal system and her own handlers. A better story would show hoops she jumped through to find her son.

Fact is that whatever European police force was local would have her ass in jail in a moment if she tried half of this stuff, and at best she'd be on a plane home soonest.

The concept that American law enforcement of whatever type can freely operate outside the USA is so much bulls..t that I'm amazed the reality has never made it home to scriptwriters. But then its easy scriptwriting for an audience who will believe it anyway.

[NeenerNeener]

if Sean Bean is actually alive and a Russian double agent, then they've crossed Taken
with Alias.

[spankydoll]

Trying to like this show as I adore Ashley. But mild mannered florist morphs into international badass??? More plot and less asskicking would be a plus.

I did find her rant about her childhood "My Mother was an addict, never did the right thing for me, etc." interesting. I'll bet she had a mental image of ol Naiomi front and center for that performance.

[bluefish]

if Sean Bean is actually alive and a Russian double agent, then they've crossed Taken
with Alias

Or

Where in the World is Carmen San Diego's Son. My bad. Ready to duck now.

[juneboy44]

I liked it. I felt like I was watching one of the Jason Bourne movies! Need more hot men though.

[Cardie]

There's no way her husband isn't still alive. You don't hire Sean Bean and then blow him up after five minutes. If Sean starts showing up and Cliff Curtis continues to be featured I'll have my hot men quota while the guys drool over Ashley kicking butt.

[HalfDutch]

if Sean Bean is actually alive and a Russian double agent, then they've crossed Taken
with Alias.

Or Goldeneye!

You don't hire Sean Bean and then blow him up after five minutes.

Nah, they usually wait a season. He has made a career out of getting killed off, hasn't he? I missed him entirely, by the way as I tuned in late. I assume he'll be recurring in flashbacks.

And love how Ashley gets shot but is up and kicking more ass by next episode, apparently.

I felt like I was watching one of the Jason Bourne movies! Need more hot men though.

Now I'm imagining Joan Allen in the lead instead. She'd just glare at any perps and they'd fold.

[whiteshirtrocks]

Well, it didn't rock my world, but I'll give it a couple of episodes to pick up steam.

[chattycathyLA]

I love these female CIA/secret agent action dramas. Like "Covert Affairs" only with the added twist of the mother/son angle.

I agree with everyone else that Sean Bean is very well alive and part of this whole thing.. No way he sent his son out of the car to get the ball and then just happens to get blown up. NO WAY!

This entire kidnapping, IMHO, was staged in order to get the kid and the mom both in Europe -- but why?

The question is ... if he turns out to be the *bad guy*, why didn't he try and get ahold of his son sooner?

[MDKNIGHT]

Don't know if Dad is good or bad but I agree, alive. Either he realized they were going to blow him up and he told the kid to get the ball so he'd be safe and then went on the lamb OR he rigged the bomb himself in order to go on the lamb.

thought the fight scenes were well choreo'd and like the European locals. I got a giggle out of how Ashley's character lapsed into mom mode for a moment telling Francesca she shouldn't smoke because she's a beautiful girl with so many years ahead of her (sadly untrue).

[chattycathyLA]

I got a giggle out of how Ashley's character lapsed into mom mode for a moment telling Francesca she shouldn't smoke because she's a beautiful girl with so many years ahead of her (sadly untrue).

My favorite line of the night! She's a shit kicker ... wait ... she's really "just a mom" ...

[Higgie]

Love it! So few good dramas anymore- hope it lasts!

[Big Bad Wolf]

I enjoyed it, mostly - and I'll definitely keep watching. But a couple of things (or maybe more) were really on the nose. I particularly disliked that she had some terrible past, with parents who were addicts and so she grew up in foster care - just save me. I also didn't like the old lover having to undress her and help her have a bath. That stuff just felt forced and unnecessary. It's also those kind of heavy handed elements that seem to separate quality cable shows from network - in that the former tend to have more subtlety and respect the audience more. If they could have just trusted the audience to 'get it' without the anvils, I would have much preferred it.

That said, I enjoy competent female characters actually being competent, so I enjoyed that. And I've always liked Ashley. I also appreciated that they'd done location shooting, so it didn't look cheap. I definitely hope it does well, and we get at least one season with a well wrapped up storyline. I read somewhere this first season is just a mini season of 10 episodes, which would work for me, and, I'm going to assume, the story.

ETA: 'Missing' Producers on 'Bourne' Inspiration, Biggest Challenges and Future of Series (Q&A). NB A bit spoilerish, particularly regarding Sean Bean's character.

Edited by Big Bad Wolf, Mar 16, 2012 @ 8:31 AM.

[djsunyc]

I felt that whole bathing scene in the middle of the show really came out of nowhere, considering she's going crazy looking for her kid. So far, eh...we'll see if the next few weeks if it's dvr worthy...

[Rickster]

I didn’t realize Sean Bean was the husband since he was gone so quickly. The thought did cross my mind halfway through the show that he was not dead.

I am a sucker for action movies set in Europe, especially things like the Bourne movies, but I am definitely not in this show’s demographic. The constant hammering of the “mom-ness” of the character was heavy handed and really got to me. I thought the scene with Francesca was groan worthy. The worst was the scene with the deputy CIA chief where she snaps “you’ve told me all I need to know. You’re not a parent” while he stands there slackjawed. You would have thought she had just caught him selling secrets to the Russians.

I could have done without the bath scene with the mood music in the background too.

I’ll tune in next week, but I might be out if this doesn’t get a bit more subtle

[mookiestarz]

I got a giggle out of how Ashley's character lapsed into mom mode for a moment telling Francesca she shouldn't smoke because she's a beautiful girl with so many years ahead of her (sadly untrue).

That was a very "Chekhov's gun" moment. As soon as Ashley said she had many years ahead of her, the audience instantly knew she'd be dead before the end of the episode.

Ashley's character was really into not letting her son know she was undercover CIA. She pretended that she didn't know what he was saying when he said he was "studying hard" or similar in Italian. Later we see her speak both French and Italian. That was probably the most subtle thing in the show.

I thought there were too many fight scenes but perhaps I'm not the intended audience.

So, I missed when the son went to go get the ball, did he take his backpack with him? For some reason I thought he had left it in the car that got blown up but when he got back to the US, he had the unscathed backpack with him.

[tricknasty]

Definitely reminded me of the Bourne movies as well as The Long Kiss Goodnight. Two of my favorites.

[skizzo]

Premieres to a whopping 10.5m viewers, but unfortunately it only got a 2.0 rating in the 18/49 demo, which puts it below the Charlie's Angels premiere...