THE CAPE

THE CAPE

This mid-season series is the best comic book turned television super-hero drama.  The opening 2-hour pilot episode lays down all the foundation that can open the writers up to build on.

 The premise is that Vince Faraday has been set up as having killed the police chief of the fictitious town of Palm City.  The cape is taken in by Max Malini, the leader of a traveling circus re-channeled into a robbery gang.  Malini begins schooling Faraday with a black cape that has unique powers.  He is convinced by Malini and his crew to keep all he has learned secret to protect his family. 

Faraday begins fighting crime and atrocities while he attempts to find a way to clear himself of the killing.  Palm City has a dark determined new hero that Faraday brands “The Cape” in honor of his son’s comic book hero.

The Cape is amassed with incredible actors that come to the table with credits packed full.  David Lyons (Faraday) is an Australian actor best known in America for his time spent on ER as Dr. Simon Brenner.  He has spent the last five years building his resume between Australian and American work in television and film.  Lyons is the perfect choice to play the cape.  He engulfs the multi-level character with passion and compassion that every comic book hero needs to have. 

Keith David (Max Malini) has a resume chalk full of movie action roles that has given him the greatest training ground for this role as ring leader.  Even though his past has a list full of crime, he displays morals as he guides Faraday through a labyrinth of games perpetuated by Peter Fleming/Chess.

Martin Klebba (Rollo), a little person who plays a strong man in the circus-turned-bank robbery-gang.  If written correctly, he will be the glue that often holds Faraday and Malini together.  

James Frain (Fleming/Chess) comes to the cape fresh off his amazing work in season three of “True Blood.”  Playing another evil character with no conscience, Frain brings his bad guy persona to a new high and does not hold back.  Fleming gets his nickname, Chess, from his obsession with the game.  He treats the people around him as if they were just pieces of the game: disposable and replaceable. 

Summer Glau (Orwell) was cast as river tam in the short-lived series Firefly created by Joss Whedon of Buffy The Vampire Slayer and Angel.  The character was a stepping stone to playing a terminator who John Connor sent back from the future to protect himself from those who looked to kill him.  Glau was relentless in mimicking humans in a robotic sense.  She can dead pan with the likes of Bob Newhart, who is the best.  Orwell investigates crime throughout Palm City and uses the internet to wage war on those who commit crime and corruption.  She befriends Faraday and together they squash wrongdoing while searching for the real killer of the city’s police chief.  A hint at the end of episode 3 called “Kozmo” shows Orwell practicing on the trapeze and Chess beholding a ballerina dancing while music plays on a jewelry box.  Could this be a daughter that he treated as a pawn on a chessboard? 

Jennifer Ferin (Dana Thompson-Faraday) became seasoned actress while portraying Jennifer Munson on “As The World Turns.”  This role earned her two Daytime Emmy nominations for Outstanding Young Actress.  She was amazing as Rose Tyler on the short-lived series “Life On Mars.”  She was able to break away from her soap opera days and warmed the screen with a great character.  Dana is suspicious of her husband’s death and will fight to find the truth.  She may find many dead ends as well, as some people do not want her to investigate for fear she will find more than they would prefer her to know. 

Dorian Missick (Marty Voyt) has been in the biz doing small parts building his portfolio of versatile characters.  This is his third main character role with “Winters” never making it to pilot season.  He should stand out in the role of Marty, being able to play the man who played a major role in the demise of Faraday.  The guilt may give Missick a dual emotional character with so much potential that he can only get better.

Ryan Wynott (Trip Faraday) was Dylan on Flash Forward, a one-season series that allowed him to get his feet wet as a young actor.  The role of Trip on the cape will need a youth actor that can give large performances consistently.  From the first two episodes it is believed that Wynott will fill the role with effective presentation. 

If NBC does not pull another “Conan”, this show will be a hit among the fabulous Monday night line-up.  This show will strike a chord with the kid in all of us. 

RUSTY