The Nine and a few other things . . .

The Nine

What happens when nine ordinary strangers get trapped inside a bank during an armed robbery? Perhaps the question should be, "What happened when nine strangers got trapped inside a bank during an armed robbery?" That seems to be the premise that will be the guiding force behind The Nine.

Will each week be yet another takeoff on the story development model of Lost? You tune in, the writers give you another piece of the puzzle that seems to fill in the missing pieces so the story gets a little clearer. But wait!!! Another 20 pieces that have no apparent relevance suddenly gets thrown into the mix. You have no choice but to tune in next week so everything can get cleared up?

The pilot was a little confusing at first. Almost so much that it had me wondering what in the world was going on. We get a very rapid introduction to each of the characters and their reason for being at the bank. In an almost dreamy, flashback type of cinematic approach the robbery occurs and then it's over in an instant. The hostages are taken away. Some go to with the police; some to the hospital. Of the two bad guys, one dies and the other goes to jail.

The characters are a diverse group of individuals. Lourdes Benedicto plays Eva Rios. She's a cute bank teller who managed to help her sister get a job at the bank. Unfortunately, her sister doesn't make it out of the bank alive. Lizzie Miller ( Jessica Collins ) plays either a social worker or psychologist who apparently has a relationship with Jeremy Kates ( Scott Wolf ). She had planned on telling Jeremy that she was pregnant when they were on their way into the bank. As of the end of the pilot she still hasn't told him. Will she ever? Will it matter? I ask because he's sucking face with Eva at Eva's sister's after-funeral mixer on the bed. Chi McBride plays a very calm, resolute bank manager who goes by the name, Malcolm Jones. After first trying to calm the mother of an Assistant District Attorney ( Kim Raver as Kathryn Hale ), his attention is next directed to a customer ( John Billingsley as Egan Foote ) attempting to get a loan for a boat. Egan then goes into the bathroom where we find that he has also brought a gun with him. Later we find that he planned on comitting suicide. However, he hides the gun in the toilet after he is startled by the bank manager's daughter, Felicia Jones ( Dana Davis ).

Lastly, there is the questionable Nick Cavanaugh ( Tim Daly ). We know early on that he is a cop who not only has a past, but who's future is a bit fuzzy. Of the two bank robbers, the only one remaining after the 56 hour standoff is Owain Yeoman ( Lucas Dalton ). At the end of the first episode we see Felicia going to the jail to visit him. Without a doubt we are left wondering why she is there. We also know that Kathryn has a peculiar interest in Nick. She seems to take every opportunity to converse with him. At one point, she is in the bathroom on her cellphone with her husband wondering who she's on the phone with.

The cast, in my opinion, is an excellent ensemble of talent that does a fine job portraying each of the characters. My favorite, so far, is the socially-inept, Egan Foote. The fact that he lived and emerged a hero ( after taking down one of the bank robbers who was about to shoot someone ) of the entire incident has transformed him. We see him discarding his old clothing, attempting to break out of his shell, and become a new man. In the process he finds that a few of his old habits die harder than others and this makes for a few comical moments. The Nine is certainly borrowing from the same model that quite a few new series ( Lost, Six Degrees, Heroes, Kidnapped ) seem to be.

 While I am still at a loss of my own term to apply, it would seem that I could best characterize it as Tune in to Find out the Rest. "A never-ending puzzle of storylines intertwined to provide for an endless array of plots and storylines by virtue of the fact that we never really know the whole story" appears to be the common thread of any new series. This isn't really a criticism. I do find it entertaining. However, it does beg the question, "Which one(s) will be the best of the rest?" The only thing that will get me to tune in next week is the hope that I may find out why Felicia went to see Owain at the jail and what momentary lapse of social etiquette has left Egan wanting an effort to redo.

Kidnapped

Just a quick note here. I received an email that Kidnapped is going to be cancelled via a Brilliant But Cancelled newsletter. I admit, I haven't been compelled to watch it lately. It just isn't doing it for me. Later, I found out that the rumor is not true.

Lost

Without providing too many spoilers I can safely say, I tuned in to Lost Wednesday night. I have to admit, I was disappointed. Sure, it's nice to find out answers to some of the questions, but what about the rest of the characters? Ok, so Sawyer, Jack, and Kate are alive and we are able to find out more about Jack and his past with his father. But there were plenty of other questions that have left the viewers wondering. I can only hope that next week will provide answers.

Ugly Betty

In case your curious about why I'm not even remotely interested in Ugly Betty, well, here's why. First off, I doubt I will really be able to relate to the show. I'm confident that I wasn't really in the demographic that they planned on watching the show, so probably no broken hearts there. But, I'm also not interested because, at least from the previews I've seen, this show seems to be ( at the surface ) yet another excuse to poke fun, degrade, and insult. In one preview I've seen, the main character is walking down the street and some construction workers wolf whistle at her. She stops, turns to the men, and asks, "Who Me?" They respond, "Yes." Her spirits are lifted and she responds, "Thank You!" Get real. Betty is also portrayed as a bumbling, fumbling, less than demonstrating every cliche stereotype that the writers can pull out of their hat. Good TV? I can't say that I'm even remotely interested.