'Alcatraz' is off to a promising start
(Read article summary)'Alcatraz' will have to maintain a balance between case-of-the-week storytelling and enough backstory to keep viewers involved.
The Plot: From executive producer J.J. Abrams comes ALCATRAZ, a thrilling new series that follows Detective Rebecca Madsen (Sarah Jones), Dr. Diego Soto (Jorge Garcia) and Emerson Hauser (Sam Neill) as they attempt to investigate the mystifying reappearance of 302 of Alcatraz’s most notorious prisoners and guards, 50 years after they vanished.
The First Impression: Do you really have to ask? After all, where J.J. Abrams leads (See: ALIAS, LOST, FRINGE, among others) this TV Addict follows. A decision that quite frankly has been made all the easier thanks to ALCATRAZ’s ridiculously enticing concept, immensely likeable ensemble and two-hour series premiere filled with just about the requisite number of plot twists one might expect from a series that’s being billed as “From Executive Producer J.J. Abrams.” Also adding to our overall enthusiasm for this addictive new series is the escapee-of-the-week premise that should, if handled correctly, allow for viewers suffering from mythology-fatigue (See: FLASHFORWARD, THE EVENT, among others) to easily follow what’s going on in stark contrast to some of Abrams previous offerings. That said…
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