(Fox; Wed at 9 pm)
(***/5)
I didn’t expect much from this new TV version of “The Human Target.” I remember the comic character being a second fiddle to Superman and Batman in Action Comics and The Brave and the Bold, respectively. The titular target (nee Christopher Chance) always struck me a little funny because he didn’t have a costume – just bell bottoms and a gun.
Apparently, there was a 1992 live action adaptation featuring Rick Springfield, but let’s even forget that that shit even happened. For this 2009 iteration, Fox has passed the Target torch to Fringe’s Mark Valley who plays Chance. Rounding out the cast is Chi McBride (one of my favorite actors who’s always typecast as the grumpy straight guy) and Jackie Earle Haley (the new Freddy Kruger).
The thing I like about sci-fi fantasy television is how the aesthetic affects the overall quality of the show. For example, “Buffy” and “Angel’s” moody set pieces added much more to the mythology of Joss Whedon’s universe, almost becoming another character in its own right.
McG could’ve done that with “The Human Target,” a relatively unknown and obscure DC/Vertigo character. Instead, he pretty much makes Jason Bourne for the small screen (something that “Burn Notice” already does, but much better).
Still, it’s hard to ignore Mark Valley’s tough guy with a secret and McBride’s straight man/business partner. I wish they had more time together in “Pilot” because they play off each other pretty well, not unlike McBride and Lee Pace in the sadly missed “Pushing Daisies.”
I’m somewhat interested in how the rest of the show will pan out, but for the most part, this is a show that I’ll end up watching AFTER I’ve had my fill of “Chuck” and “Burn Notice” for the week.
--- Ryan Pangilinan
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