The Good Guys Review: Series Premiere
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The Good Guys received the same special premiere slot given to Glee last year, debuting on the same night as American Idol before settling into its regularly-scheduled spot on Monday nights on June 7.
We doubt the same buzz and ratings will surround this show as has taken over Glee - but, based on the series premiere, The Good Guys has a chance to be a quality guilty pleasure.
It's campy and cheesy and hokey, but all on purpose. Its leads sell their roles well: Colin Hanks as the straight man, the arrogant, young detective with dreams of solving major crimes.
And TV Fanatic favorite Bradley Whitford, who drinks, hates technology and sports a mustache so incredibly absurd that it's almost distracting.
The mustache is symbolic of the series as a whole, really. It doesn't aim to be taken seriously, which is fine - except when it wants to be taken seriously, such as the scene between the pair where Jack confronted Dan about his former partner, the mentally unhinged Frank Savage.
It takes time for any dramedy to find balance its serious side and its humorous side. House, for example, can easily transition from silly banter between Wilson and House to intense character development and even issues such as religion. But it took awhile to strike that balance.
The Good Guys is clearly aiming for a consistently light-hearted tone, but it should simply embrace that side in that case. Don't even try for emotional moments. Or pull back on the hijinks and make these characters more human, as Dan is simply cartoonish in the pilot.
But he's also entertaining at times, as is the attention paid to the criminals throughout the opening episode.
Will this be a typical storytelling device on the show? The premiere jumped around in time a bit and gave us unusual, funny looks at the criminals Dan and Jack were chasing.Again, this removes all shreds of realism and makes it clear that all characters are in on the joke... and that's fine. I'm just curious to watch The Good Guys as a finished product and see what kind of tone its writers settle down with.
Overall, a solid enough pilot that assures I'll tune in again on June 7. With so many serious procedurals, reality programs and documentary-style comedies out there, it's refreshing to at least see something different on TV, anchored by a pair of well-cast leads.
What did you think of the episode?
Matt Richenthal is the Editor in Chief of TV Fanatic. Follow him on Twitter and on Google+.