CHARLIE'S ANGELS
SEPTEMBER 22, 2011-NOVEMBER 10, 2011
Let me get this out of the way immediately: I am a huge fan of the original Charlie's Angels 1976 version and I have never seen any of the movies starring Drew Barrymore, Cameron Diaz and Lucy Lui. The show was a part of my youth and when production companies try to reinvent an old show that I loved, a feeling of protection washes over me. I feel the production companies are lazy and just want to cash in on an old paycheck. The basic concept is the same, only the names have been changed to protect the innocent.
The newest Angels are Kate Prince (Annie Iionzeh), Eve French (Minka Kelly) and Rachael Taylor (Abby Sampson), each with their own identity and past that Charlie sprung them from. John Bosley (Ramon Rodriguez) plays the same role as the original: he takes care of the angels while accessing all the information they require to complete their mission. Charlie Townsend’s (Victor Garber) voice is more the style from Mission Impossible than the Angel’s boss. But since we here at RUSTYSCAGE.COM love and respect the work Garber has done, we will see him through the first season and get back to you on his ability to win us over.
The only thing about the original I would have liked to change is an added mystery to their assignments. It was rare that the guilty were not revealed until one of the last acts. Sometimes the killer was revealed half way through the one hour episodes and the audience just had to watch and see how the ladies trapped the guilty party. The reboot has kept this concept so the writing is less than challenging.
David Doyle (John Bosley), Jaclyn Smith (Kelly Garrett) and John Forsythe (Charles Townsend) were the only members of the cast to stay with the original show from day one to the final episode. If this show lasts for more seasons, which actor/actress can stay true to the show? Cheryl Ladd (Kris Monroe) was cast in season 2 and stayed until the end of its run, she was a consummate pro.
They did very little tweaking from the original show except to update all the gadgets now available in the new millennium. Cell phones are an added bonus, keeping the girls in touch with each other, Bosley, and Charlie. Charlie rarely had one-on-one conversations with his angels; this may not change in this revamped version.
How much of a role the internet will play in each investigation is yet to be determined but it will give the angels another outlet for catching the criminal. The lack of episode titles and the fact it is a reworked show means that the stars will be limited. Continue to follow the weekly blogs as sometimes the initial show does not exploit the full picture.
RUSTY
9/22/11