Fall TV Preview

SYNOPSIS

Starring Enrico Colantoni (Veronica Mars), Hugh Dillon (Durham County), Amy Jo Johnson(Felicity) and David Paetkau (Whistler), Flashpoint is an emotional journey into the tough, risk-filled lives of a group of cops in the Strategic Response Unit (inspired by Toronto’s Emergency Task Force). They’re unique cops that can do what ordinary police officers can’t: rescue hostages, bust gangs, defuse bombs, climb the sides of buildings and talk down suicidal teens. Members of a highly-skilled tactical team, they’re also trained in negotiating, profiling and getting inside the suspect’s head at the very emotional breaking point (the “flashpoint”) that triggered the crisis. They’ll do whatever it takes to diffuse the situation to try to save lives – all in a day’s work. Cast: Enrico Colantoni as Sgt. Gregory Parker; Hugh Dillon as Ed Lane; Amy Jo Johnson as Julianne “Jules” Callaghan; David Paetkau as Sam Braddock; Gabriel Hogan (Rent-AGoalie, Robson Arms) as Roland Cray; Ona Grauer (Intelligence) as Kate Travers.
Credits: EP: Bill Mustos (Degrassi: TNG, Robson Arms), EP: Anne Marie La Traverse(Luna: Spirit of the Whale).

Production Company: Pink Sky Entertainment and Avamar Entertainment in association with CTV and CBS Paramount Network Television.

REVIEWS

Please note that these reviews may contain spoilers.

Gordon McDougall's Take
Flashpoint follows the lives of an elite police team that deals with hostage standoffs and other crisis situations. They get inside the heads of their subjects and try to push them to their "flashpoint" without pushing them over the edge. The first episode deals with a man who has killed his estranged wife and has taken another woman hostage outside a downtown office building. We see him at the flashpoint, and then rewind to see what got him there. We also see the lives of the police officers who would collide with him by day's end; in particular, Ed Lane, who struggles between his job and his family. His life, and the life of the hostage-taker reach a simultaneous turning point (or should I say..."flashpoint"?). This show nicely sets up a bunch of relatable characters. Hugh Dillon, who plays Ed Lane, has a bit of a Bruce Willis quality about him (without the smirk). As a big Veronica Mars fan, it's great to see Enrico Colantoni (her dad) again. He's just right as the leader of the SWAT-like team. The tone of this show is reminiscent of The Unit, in that it shows some very capable experts in their field, as well as the complications of their lives at home. It's less like the seemingly more obvious comparison, 2006's Standoff (Fox), mostly because it doesn't have leads who are doing the cutesy flirtation thing. There's a nice, big cast, which could mean each week would focus on the life of a different member of the squad. If that's the case, that could be fun. Two things about this show cause me concern. First, it's airing in the summertime. I know the networks are making attempts at a year-round schedule, but I'll believe they are committed to the concept when I see one of these summer shows survive into a second or third season. The other thing is that the show doesn't seem to be set in any particular city. Other than Hill Street Blues, I can't think of another cop show that succeeded by being set in Anytown, U.S.A. (even though it's filmed in Toronto). Perhaps I'm quibbling, but I think they are valid concerns. TV Gord's VERDICT: I was engaged throughout the first episode, and I would return for more. What more can you ask? Hopefully, viewers who are starved for scripted entertainment this summer will give the show a shot. About TV Gord: TVGord is a radio host at 580 CFRA in Ottawa. He does a weekly segment about TV every friday which you can hear in MP3 in the '580 CFRA Interviews' section of their website, www.cfra.com TVGord is also an active contributor of our discussion forums.
About Gordon McDougall TVGord is a radio host at 580 CFRA in Ottawa. He does a weekly segment about TV every friday which you can hear in MP3 in the '580 CFRA Interviews' section of their website, www.cfra.com