As the world contended with COVID-19 the past nearly two years, I lost interest in current TV, not wanting to get involved with shows only to be left hanging by COVID-related delays. With vaccination ramping up, my interest has returned, yet I find the new shows I’m interested in are reboots of classics.
I hear you saying Hollywood should be more original, but I appreciate that nostalgic concepts challenge writers to meet some audience expectations, subvert others, and prove the concept can be made relevant today.
The CW’s WALKER (Thursdays, 8PM), starring Jared Padalecki, capitalizes on his SUPERNATURAL popularity as the original did Chuck Norris’ fame. The new show, however, is not a thinly-veiled martial arts action throwback. Walker’s character is deepened by the loss of a wife and the obligation to raise two teenagers (Kale Culley and Violent Brinson). At work, he’s supported his former partner-turned-boss Captain Larry James (BURN NOTICE’s Coby Bell) and new partner Micki Ramirez (Lindsey Morgan).
CBS’s THE EQUALIZER (Sundays, 8PM) is based on the 1985-89 Edward Woodward TV show that inspired two theatrical movies starring Denzel Washington. This version from CASTLE creators Andrew Marlowe and Terri Edda Miller stars Queen Latifah as Robyn McCall, CIA operative turned freelance avenger.
Latifah brings something of Washington’s larger-than-life presence, supported by familiar TV faces as Chris Noth, playing William Bishop, McCall’s former boss, now in private security but still with some of his old connections; Liza Lapira as Melody Bayani, former military sniper; and Adam Goldberg as computer hacker Harry. Meanwhile at home, McCall is trying to be more present in her teenage daughter’s life.
The CW’s SUPERMAN & LOIS (Tuesdays, 9PM) spins off Tyler Hoechlin and Elizabeth Tulloch, expanding their roles from previous Arrowverse crossover episodes. The new series sees Clark Kent and Lois Lane leaving Metropolis and The Daily Planet to raise twin teenage sons Jonathan (Jordan Elsass) and Jordan (Alexander Garfin) in a Smallville, Kansas saddled with today’s economic woes. It’s a later part of the couple’s life that hasn’t been explored in depth before. I think giving Superman a family is a great way to make him vulnerable.
In development decades before the pandemic, the theatrical movie adaptation of Tom Clancy’s 1993 novel WITHOUT REMORSE was sold by Paramount to Amazon and will premiere on Prime Video April 30. BLACK PANTHER’s Michael B. Jordan stars as Navy SEAL John Kelly, recruited by the CIA after trying to avenge his wife’s murder. Despite some contemporary changes, the movie’s plot seems close to the novel’s.
And finally, NCIS: NEW ORLEANS will end with this season, after 155 episodes. While it is the first NCIS to end, that gives the season’s episodes more emotional weight, and gives the series overall a memorable place beside the seemingly endless classic NCIS and twelve-year-old NCIS: LOS ANGELES. If somehow,you can’t get enough, NCIS: HAWAII is in the works.
Until next time, stay safe and stay tuned.
