‘Charlie’s Angels’ (2011) TV Show Season One: An Exciting ABC Re-Boot

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Based of the 70’s era show by the same name and produced by Aaron Spelling, there is one thing this show was in dire need of: a fresh perspective. Those of you who have seen the original know that it inspires eye-rolls, which is why when I learned producers re-booted the series for the 2011 TV season, I was thrilled to pieces. charlie’s angels (2011) TV show

Charlie’s Angels (2011) TV show: Season One ABC Review

A second chance is what the elusive Charles Townsend deals in. He runs one of Miami’s most successful detective agencies and each of his detectives have been in need of just this. Charlie’s criteria is very specific when it comes to his employees; all of them must be in need of redemption. The three women currently working for the Townsend Agency are his “angels,” each deserve another chance to reach their potential but more important, he wants to save them from themselves.

Wealthier than most 20-somethings Abby Sampson (Rachael Taylor) has anything she wants. She’s a spoiled Park Avenue princess bored with life. So she becomes a world class thief, until Charlie catches up with her. Then he finds Kate (Annie Ilonzeh). Kate’s a Miami detective who had it all including a wonderful fiancé until she became a detective on the take. Their third friend, Gloria, recently died leaving them without a partner, and more importantly, the loss of a friend. This is where Gloria’s childhood friend Eve (Minka Kelly) comes in.

Eve is a tough street-wise racer whose own muddied past follows through with Charlie’s cause. With the help of Bosley (Ramon Rodriquez), an associate, their mission together is to track down their friend’s killer.

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I am not going to lie, I had high expectations of this show. In the beginning, it’s mediocre. Don’t get me wrong, its premiere is darn entertaining but there isn’t that “spark” that convinces anyone it might get the go-ahead and a multi season renewal. (It didn’t, of course.) Where the pilot is more cautious, the series’ concluding episodes are an improvement not unlike so many other shows and by the end, the show is actually very good. Producers pull together a cast that has nice chemistry and the high-tech gadgets are cool. All three of the actresses are attractive without making it impossible to believe they would chose the life they did, but Minka doesn’t jive as a tough tomboy. Rachael fits a rich-kid persona, and Annie pulls off a believable stereotype in an ex-cop.

Neither one of the developers, Alfred Gough and Miler Millar, were well-known to television writing but they do have a number of credits for Smallville, which explains guest star Erica Durance in a memorable episode, “Angels in Chains.” (Star of the feature films, Drew Barrymore also produces this.) What’s so comical about the now-dated Aaron Spelling-produced show is how poor many of its production qualities are. Although to be fair, we only know this now because of advancements. In the beginning, one of my biggest concerns for this re-boot was that it’d be too flashy or tacky… too sexy, and just too… 21^st century! charlie’s angels (2011) tv show

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Though it does meet these tropes, there is a happy medium. By today’s standards, the show does a lot right, like dressing down the girl’s under the guise of proper gear. No longer do the girls always look runway-perfect – or to revise that, it isn’t as obvious, instead they are tough females who actually look the part of detective that can handle their weapons!

Though it cancelled after a slim eight episodes, the nods to its predecessor may have been partial reason why. The original creator (Ivan Goff) gets a leading credit while both the theme music and opening is much the same, albeit modern. The little petty issues I may have with this series are offset by the camaraderie and the fact that the action sequences aren’t bad. Back prior to its premiere, this is one of TVGuide’s top ten most anticipated shows, and with all of the promotion, I only wish it had done better (its premiere did have 8.6 million viewers, the most for the slot since 2009). charlie’s angels (2011) tv show

Unfortunately, there is a cliffhanger which had already been set up. But there’s stunning costuming, and I would love to see where Eve’s crush on Bosley would go; she’s just a bit more impressed with him than her co-workers, so I don’t think I’m reading into anything there. Unfortunately, though we have the option of buying this Charlie’s Angels (2011) TV show on MOD, the answers to these lingering questions will elude us. 

‘Charlie’s Angels,’ Season One: An Exciting ABC Re-Boot. A review of the Charlie's Angels (2011) TV show with Minka Kelly. #TVShows #Throwback #CharliesAngels #Adventure Share on X

Content: There is a good deal of immodesty. There’s suggestive innuendo, but profanity is rare. Certain characters are shot and/or threaten victims. There are several hand-to-hand combat scenes. The rating is TV14.

Photos: ABC