‘CRISIS’ PILOT: SEASON ONE (2014)

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Though my television watching is on DVD (because who has time for commercials?), now and again, I’ll tune in to watch the premiere of a new series. This past weekend that separation happened to fall to NBC’s latest attempt to up their ratings. crisis pilot

Crisis Pilot: Season One (2014) TV Show Review  

It’s just a normal, bright, beautiful morning in DC that starts as any other for several of the high school students who attend an elite school – including the President’s son (Adam Scott Miller) whose presence guarantees a Secret Service detail follow the school bus carting the kids to their field trip. One of those agents is Marcus Finley (Lance Gross) whose first day on the job is about to get dangerous. Eager to do well, Marcus along with his partner (David Andrews) is willing to take a bullet for his protective only something goes array. A group of masked kidnappers stop the bus and march the kids onto a trailer, Marcus is shot but before the kidnappers can get away with everyone, he manages to escape with one of the kids – Anton (Joshua Erenberg).  

As the kids of wealthy businessmen or politicians, the parents immediately clamor for the attention of the FBI. Though she argues against being the assignment – because it’s a conflict of interest – Agent Susie Dunn (Rachael Taylor) comes face-to-face with her past when she has to work with her sister, Meg (Gillian Anderson). One of the victims is, Amber (Halston Sage), Susie’s niece.

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Shows that write up a plot involving a kidnapping aren’t something that can enjoy any kind of long-term success. ABC tried it with Missing and I guess even CBS recently had a series about a group of hostages. Each time it doesn’t last beyond a brief run. Much as Crisis thrills, I don’t know how it will work if it gets a season renewal. Critics don’t seem to like this pilot – or are split at best. (I did see one good review, one not-so-good.) I thought it was a really diverting way to spend the last hour of my Sunday night block of entertainment. 

Not only is the cast impressive (British talent to one of the new Charlie’s Angels), the plot works has a great boiling point. There’s unexpected alliances, familial ties and the typical “mean” (or popular) girl character rising to surpass her expectations. Tampering that are shades of concern that crop up in very serious and dangerous issues today. This includes an inappropriate relationship. But to counter this, the bigger picture script that goes beyond just ransom demands. Circling back to the cast, also to mention (in addition to newbies) is Dermot Mulroney and Max Martini. 

Though the creator will likely serve viewers best (from a creative story perspective) to end as more miniseries than show, Crisis shows a lot of potential. Some of the filmmaking borders on amateur, though once things began to flow, the whole program impresses. Without drifting into the horror-esque feel of terror, there’s a realistic story of a parent’s worst nightmare. Because of that, the story has some emotionally thought-provoking moments.

What about you, readers – did you watch or are you going to watch this Crisis Pilot?

Content: implications reveal that a teacher was flirting with if no involved with a student, another student is crushing on someone and one makes the crude comment that she’d even “do” the most popular girl in school. We learn someone has a child out-of-wedlock. Men threaten the kids with machine guns and there is a brief shout-out between an agent and kidnapper ending in a death – another man is shot and one person gets their finger cut off [not graphic]. There may be a minor profanity. The show is TV14.