Backstrom
Season 1 Episode 2: “Bella”
Directed by Alex Chappa
Written by Joe Hortua and Leif G.W. Persson (author)
Created by Hart Hanson
Starring Rainn Wilson, Beatrice Rosen, Page Kennedy, Genevieve Angelson, Dennis Haysbert, and Kristoffer Polaha
FOX
Air Date: Thursday, January 29, 2015, 9:00pm
Last week on Backstrom 1.1 “Dragon Slayer” (possible spoilers – beware!): We met Everett Backstrom (Rainn Wilson): cranky, overweight, pessimistic, negative, unhealthy……did I mention cranky? We’re also introduced to his band of much merrier men and women. And we met their first case and Backstrom’s unorthodox methods for solving crimes, or even seeing crimes when everyone else doesn’t see one. A senator’s son was murdered and while the whodunnit was interesting, it got a little overshadowed by the exposition. In pilots, that is sometimes to be expected. However……
Backstrom 1.2 “Bella” review: Good news! The second episode was better than the first! Not saying the first was bad, but we had to wade through backstory, without having a connection to the characters yet. The opening scene is visually striking — it’s a closeup of a sneering Backstrom puffing on a cigar, with a smoking, burnt shell of a mansion smoking behind him. There’s an arsonist and a thief running amok, and Backstrom has to find them, while reliving his days as a bullied child by his now-adult very manly firefighter nemeses, the D’Agostino brothers. The biggest crime they committed was stealing “Bella” from a 12-year-old Backstrom. He also reveals how they “tripped me, beat me, squirreled me, shaved me, burned me, tied me up, and took my most valuable possession.”
Someone who is shaping up to be a favorite character (and who I hope sticks around) is Valentine (Thomas Dekker,Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles). He is a flamboyant fence who rooms with Backstrom, and it is strongly hinted that Valentine is his son. Whether or not that is true, the relationship is very complex, with much of what can be passed as affection from Backstrom is towards this young man. It was also quite fun to see the banter between Valentine and Niedermayer (Kristopher Polaha), when Valentine hits on him.
Intrigued by Backstrom and need to know more? Here’s the official website, Facebook, and Twitter info:
Official website: fox.com/backstrom/
Official Facebook Page: fox.tv/Backstrom_FB
Official Twitter Page: twitter.com/BackstromFOX
Backstrom 1.2 “Bella” promos:
Rainn Wilson questions Hart Hanson:
Glad to see someone’s not bashing this like everybody else. I disagree that he’s another house because he’s not in charge, and his interactions with other people are varied and unpredictable. It’s a good alternative to Bones since I cannot stand Booth and his constant complaining and passive aggressive insults. I miss Brennan but this has a great cast, especially Dennis Haysbert who deserves more than insurance commercials.
Comment by Freakazoid / Eek the Cat — January 29, 2015 @ 9:26 pm
This show deserves a chance for an audience to find it. House got very repetitive very early. “Let’s try this, didn’t work, get out the paddles, clear.” *ELECTRIC JOLT* Every episode. House also had Hugh Laurie who, ya gotta admit is a better actor than Rain. Still, I’m curious as to what’ll happen next. Hope we get to see all 13 episodes.
Comment by Otto66 — January 31, 2015 @ 10:24 am