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March 22, 2007: Meet Juan Doe
I’m a huge fan of snarky, sarcastic, dry humor, and this show seems to have it in spades. Jeff Goldblum is highly enjoyable in this role; the taunting, the teasing, the inappropriate humor — I might be in heaven.
For anyone who missed last week’s pilot episode the first minute or so did a great job bringing you up to speed. Raines sees and talks to dead people, but they aren’t ghosts and they don’t know anything he doesn’t know. They are more of a sounding board. He talks to them to work out the details of his case. Did I mention they’re dead? He doesn’t do too well with the living. And I think once he’s solved the case the victim’s don’t perform their vanishing acts until he’s helped their families in some way. Last week Raines helped Sandy’s mom get the money her daughter had been saving for her, and this week he helped Aurelio meet his daughter-in-law and grandchild.
I have to say I was very excited to see A. Martinez back on television. After being introduced to him on Santa Barbara and seeing him many years later on General Hospital, I thought he might be relegated to daytime television. Don’t get me wrong, I love soaps, but it was nice to see him in prime time. I enjoyed that the writers put a new twist on what could have been a run-of-the-mill illegal-immigration story. By focusing on all the people who profit from smuggling people into the country — the coyotes, lawyers, brokers, gangs — a new aspect of this story was told. The fact that our Juan Doe, or Julio Santiago to those who knew and loved him, only wanted to take his wife and child to Disneyland and meet his father before returning to Mexico was a fresh and interesting twist.
I was also quite pleased to see Madeleine Stowe as Dr. Samantha Kohl. She is a great character to pair with someone like Raines, who doesn’t believe in psychiatry even though he’s admitted he’s crazy. Raines needs someone to call him on his bull, and she did that nicely after he told her the fake story of his brother’s drowning, nicely borrowed from Ordinary People. That was pretty low, but I think it gave us great insight into Raines. He’s got to be extremely screwed up to try something like that. But we kind of already knew that considering he got his ex-partner killed (or so he seems to think). I’m impressed with the other supporting characters as well. Nicole Sullivan’s Carolyn is sassy, with great comic timing. I’m glad she graduated from guest stints on Scrubs, Boston Legal and The King of Queens. Dov Davidoff’s Remi is a great foil for Raines, and tonight he showed us he has some fire in his veins. I might also be a bit reluctant to have someone who talks to themselves carry a gun.
Only one thing disappointed me and it wasn’t that bad: I figured out Aurelio was Julio’s father before the reveal. Did you figure that out early, too?
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Mar 23, 2007 4:29 AM
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I initially turned on "Raines" to see A Martinez as well (boy do I remember how hot he was on "Santa Barbara") but I was pleasantly surprised by the show and Goldblum. His character might be nuts but he's aware of the fact--and I found the conversations between Raines and his victim (and his dead partner) usually funny too. I also really enjoy Matt Craven as his boss.
Oh, and once Aurelio mentioned he'd left his girlfriend back in Mexico, I knew she was pregnant too.
I'm not sure how I'll feel in the long term--I think the gimmick could get old rather quickly--but I plan on tuning in again.
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Mar 23, 2007 8:43 AM
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I watched most of the pilot and all of this episode and find that I'm very impressed. I thought it might be too "Ghost Whisperer" for me, but the fact that the "ghosts" were really just figments of his imagination is really a much better premise. It's a wonderful way to delve in and learn about a character who is reluctant to share. When he found out that Julio didn't speak English and Julio said "Que?" to him, was great. I also particularly like how the victim changes appearance, style, look, depending on how Raines is viewing the case. The ads for the next episode particularly play on that with Laurie Metcalf guest starring and I can't wait to see it.
Goldblum is spot-on perfect in the role. I've loved him in just about everything I've ever seen him in and I particularly love the way he uses his dialog and his expressions in this show. It's almost flawless acting.
I also am very impressed with Nicole Sullivan. I really liked her before, but seeing her taking on a role that is not the obvious comedy role that she does so well we really get to see her shine. I like that she can be serious with perfect comedic timing without pushing for laughs.
I give the show an A so far and I hope it continues to live up to the first two episodes.
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Mar 23, 2007 10:46 AM
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I, too, have fallen in love with this show. I'll admit, it wasn't the premise that hooked me... it was Jeff Goldblum. I don't know what it is about that guy, but I'd tune in to watch him read a tax manual! I was disappointed not to see a blog for this new show last week, so I am pleasantly surprised and thankful for Kara's recap.
I was expecting another procedural-with-a-supernatural-twist or an "I see dead people" show. This is so much more than that and it's the off-center, kooky detective that will keep me coming back each week.
Can someone give A Martinez his own show, for goodness sake!? I drooled over him as Cruz Castillo in Santa Barbara when I was a young teen. And he's still as handsome as ever to me now that I'm in my 30's! He'd be a GREAT replacement for the new detective on L&O (I've not met one person who cares for her character)....
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Mar 23, 2007 1:07 PM
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I've loved Jeff Goldblum since 'Tenspeed and Brown Shoe' (well, except for The Fly - that one can still give me nightmares). I also feared this would be too Ghost Whisperer, but its so much better. I hope it catches on. And I love all the witty dialogue.
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Mar 23, 2007 1:12 PM
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I was kind of worried after the first ep because it seemed that the gimmick was a bit forced. But this ep was great! I'll be tuning in to see Jeff and the rest of the amazing cast. Can't wait for him to REALLY start talking to the psyciatrist. *rubs hands together*
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Mar 23, 2007 2:21 PM
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Only one thing disappointed me and it wasn’t tha bad: I figured out Aurelio was Julio’s father before the reveal. Did you figure that out early, too?
We figured it out when Julio, who brought his wife and child along, was looking for an Hispanic councilman. Also figured the "gun" was a picture of his dad. But, like you said, it wasn't that bad.
Love this show! Any show that drags my husband and his buddy away from March Madness (and uses the word "sanguine" in the dialogue) has got great potential.
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Mar 23, 2007 2:22 PM
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Thank you, thank you, thank you! I'm so glad there's a blog for this show. I agree, there's something about Jeff Goldblum that makes me want to watch/listen to him do just about anything. It was good seeing A and Madeline again, too. Even though I figured out most of what happened before the reveal for both episodes, I still enjoyed the show. Excellent blog. Keep up the good work!
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Mar 23, 2007 2:29 PM
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Thank you for writing the blog.
I did not see last night episode because I was busy packing for my trip.
I am glad that I was not alone enjoying this show. I hope it will catch on and come back next season!
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Mar 23, 2007 2:59 PM
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I enjoyed this show a lot. I hate that they are moving it to Fridays. Why? It works just fine on Thursdays.
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Mar 23, 2007 3:18 PM
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I cried like a baby watching the ending. Sad show,this one at least, but I'm hooked. Hard to get involved with the networks track record for cancelling shows without a real chance.
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Mar 23, 2007 3:34 PM
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I love this show--of course anything with Jeff Goldblum is great--HOWEVER, I plan to tape every single show because no matter what, any show I really like is always a goner.
NBC's total reality show night on Sundays is total Miss TV as far as I'm concerned.
Love the coverage!!
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Mar 23, 2007 8:00 PM
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Goldblum is spot-on perfect in the role.
Agreed! Love this clever and intelligent show. I wish they would make it more clear in the promos that Raines is not talking to "ghosts" - I think that kept some people from tuning in. He is not Detective Ghost Whisperer!
Hate to see the show already being moved to Friday, but maybe it will thrive there.
Here's hoping it finds a place on next falls schedule!
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Mar 23, 2007 11:28 PM
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I have enjoyed the first 2 eps. Jeff Goldblum is very good. The way he says things are just perfect. It is funny how brutal he is to some people. The guy is lacking the social skills.
The costars are great. Carolyn Sullivan has the same sarcasm as Raines and he enjoys that. Linda Park is very good as a cop. You can tell that Raines respects both of those women. Poor Dov Davidoff. Raines treats him like dirt. I looked at imdb for the cast on this show. It said Luis Guzman was in the first few eps. I didn't see him. Maybe he was supposed to be his dead partner and they recast the role.
I wonder how this show will do on Fridays. I am already afraid that the network has given up on the show after 2 eps.
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Mar 24, 2007 12:55 PM
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I've always enjoyed watching Jeff Goldblum and this show is another example of what a quality actor he is.
My favorite part of this show though is how the victims in Raines' imagination evolve as he learns new (and sometimes false) information about them, last week the "hooker" and Friday the "assassin".
I hope this show sticks around for a while.
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Mar 24, 2007 1:20 PM
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