Can a television series based on a popular movie from 2002 be adapted and become successful? Many television adaptions fail to create something KOOL and new based on the movie world. The movie, Minority Report, starred mega celebrity Tom Cruise. Cruise is not a part of the television series.
I binge watched all four episodes of Minority Report yesterday.
The Television series takes place ten years after the end of the Minority Report movie. The release of the three children, PreCogs, occurred right after the movie. Raised in hiding so others would not fear them or take advantage of them.
The Precrime police program ended after the events of the movie. Now the police have to work cases after the crime occurs. It is frustrating to some that the police can no longer stop a murder before it happens.
What I liked: (minor Spoilers)
I really like the character of Dash. Dash is the main character of the series and he is one of the three PreCog siblings. The ability to see part of a murder in vision form and with graphic detail prior to the murder. His twin brother, Arthur, receives the names and vital information of the victim and the killer. Their older sister, Agatha, picks up the overall picture. But Dash has to live with the graphic visions.
Dash is driven to stop murders before they occur. Because much of his childhood was stolen from him, he is socially awkward. He is a tortured soul seeing murder after murder in graphic details. Dash risks his own safety to work with Lara Vega, police officer for Metro PD.
All of the “good guys” are flawed and interesting characters. Vega is a police officer but is willing to break the law to work with Dash so she can stop murders before they happen. Dash’s brother, Arthur, has a made a fortune using his abilities to know names and vital information while looking like a respectable business man. Dash’s sister, Agatha, lives in a community where people hide from the government but she uses her powers to manipulate get what she wants and needs to protect herself and her siblings. Will Blake (Wilmer Valderrama- Fez from That 70s Show), is Vega’s former partner and currently her boss. He wronged Vega in some method (took credit for something she did).
I love that each of the Precogs can predict small things like chess moves and who is at the door. They can see much more than just the murders.
The special effects are excellent in this series. Minority Report set in the year 2065. Thy have advanced technology but not to the impossible level.
There is a bigger story than just each episode. There is something big about to happen to the Precogs. They can see part of it coming. It binds the episodes together and gives something curiously consider.
What I Did Not Like:
A couple of the supporting characters are predictable and stiff. Wally the Caretaker is the former guy who took care of the Precogs. He is suspicious but a brilliant technological genius. Akeela, a crime scene technician, and is the stereotypical genius technician back in the office. Both of these characters may be flushed out later and I hope they are. I want a reason to like both of them more than I do.
The crime of each episode is pretty standard. It is a crime drama and feels like a regular crime drama.
Review:
I went in to this series with low expectation. Yet I found a fun science fiction series with some intrigue. It is not a perfect series but I am having fun watching it. I cannot be the only person really enjoying this show, can I?
If I had only seen the pilot and not all four episodes, I would not have liked this series as well. Many of the reviews for this show are based solely on the pilot episode. If you watched the pilot and haven’t went back, check out another episode before it is gone.
If given a chance to grow, I think this series could eventually bring in a lot more viewers and a ton of passionate fans but it isn’t likely to get that opportunity. Unfortunately, Fox has already hit this series with a fatal injury. On Friday, Fox announced they have lowered the amount of episodes from thirteen to ten for the order. It is not a death-blow but extremely close. I am so disappointed.
RATINGS:
IMDB: 6.0 out of 10 Stars
Rotten Tomatoes- Critics: 29%
Rotten Tomatoes- Audience: 45%
MY Grade: B+
