A few months ago, around the time of Comic-Con, I posted my first review of the pilot episode of The Human Target, the new FOX series premiering next week. In it, I had some concerns – that the TV series didn’t much resemble the DC Comic it was based on, wondering if lead character Christopher Chance was crazy or just goofy, and that sort of thing. I seemed confident that the show was a lot of fun and could develop into a neat program, and having seen the show’s second episode, “Rewind” (airing on January 20) I can say with confidence that it doesn’t take long to find its footing.
But first, here’s the official synopsis for Human Target courtesy of FOX:
It takes a brave, selflessman to make himself a “human target” in order to save the lives of those in danger. Based on the popular DC Comics graphic novel, HUMAN TARGET is a full-throttle action drama centered on CHRISTOPHER CHANCE (Mark Valley, FRINGE), a unique private contractor/security guard hired to protect. Call him what you like, because for Chance, it’s about one thing only: saving his clients’ lives. When there is an unusual or imminent threat that can’t be solved through “normal” means of protection, Chance is hired to completely integrate himself into his clients’ lives – to become the human target. If you’re a corporate manager whose disgruntled employee has gone violently off the deep end, Chance is your new auditor. If you’re the president of a bank who’s been tipped off to a potential heist, Chance is your unassuming bank teller. During each job, Chance, assisted by his business partner WINSTON (Chi McBride, “Pushing Daisies”) and hired gun GUERRERO (Jackie Earle Haley, “Watchmen”), puts himself directly in the line of fire as he races against time to save his client, while unraveling the truth behind the mission. With every new danger, Chance’s dark history will also unravel. Does anyone know who Christopher Chance really is, or what secrets lay buried in his past? What would make a man willingly become a HUMAN TARGET?
And that’s the basic premise. Chance helps clients, gets assistance from Winston and Guerrero, inevitably runs into some big-name guest stars who need his “protection,” and that’s that. It’s nothing overly complicated – and while I was initially disappointed to not have a “different face every week with Chance in disguise” as it had been in the comics and even the Rick Springfield <em>Human Target</em> TV series of the 1990’s – I’ve started to understand it. TV audiences might need and want a hero they can root for every week, and in Human Target Mark Valley plays that hero very well.
Although the second episode to air, “Rewind,” was not the second episode shot of the series, I can see why FOX would want this bumped up – it’s a fantastic episode and a good “first taste” for those who might miss the Sunday preview. Fortunately, Human Target isn’t an overly continuity-reliant series (yet), so moving things around a bit really doesn’t hurt it – quite the contrary. “Rewind” is an exciting episode with very interesting guest stars and danger for the lead. Winston even becomes a reluctant part of the action. By this time, also, some of my concerns about the banter between Winston and Chance also seem taken care of. One reviewer described their relationship as very “Thomas Magnum and Higgins”; I have to agree. And that’s a big compliment from me. There’s still not enough Jackie Earle Haley in the show for my tastes but hopefully that will change as the season goes on. The set design for where Chance & co. set up their home base is impressive, and it adds to the familiarity I think we’ll get from these three lead characters.
The narrative in the second Human Target jumps around a bit but if you stick with it for the entire hour it’ll definitely all make sense… the “jumping around” does succeed in building the tensions.
The second episode features Chance tasked with protecting a computer hacker named “Casper.” Courtney Ford guests as a stewardess-erm, flight attendant, and most of the episode takes place in the air. As Sunday’s pilot episode takes place on a train, I wonder if the next danger Christopher Chance faces will be on a boat. Also making an appearance in the second episode is Alessandro Juliani of Batttlestar Galactica and Smallville fame. It is there that my inner-fan-geek kind of takes over, wishing that all DC Comics-related series were interconnected in such a way that a character like Dr. Hamilton could appear in both series, but that is not to be. Obviously Human Target is a lot more “grounded” than Smallville as far as reality goes, but it’s a shame the not-so-supernatural elements couldn’t cross over, despite being on different networks. (Really. Who wouldn’t want to see Chloe Sullivan sparring with Guerrero?)
As much as I liked “Rewind” itself, the review screeners that were sent out (and I assume the aired episodes as well) have a major treat – opening titles. I can’t remember the last time a new TV series had an opening title sequence, but this looks fantastic – a mix between something war or spy related from the 1960s merged with a cinematic opening title technology of today. No cheesy pop song, either. This opening sequence got me really pumped to watch, and I hope more series follow in its footsteps. (Producers of NBC’s new Rockford Files revival especially take note.) I yearn for the times when I’d hear a familiar piece of music that would draw me to the TV to watch a show I liked. But enough of that – that’ll be a blog post for another day, surely.
Another throwback to earlier times that I touched upon earlier is that Human Target seems poised to be a series that won’t trip over its continuing storylines. I grew up watching TV where characters like Michael Knight, Robert McCall, or the A-Team all would have a new case and solve it within an hour. I think that’ll happen here for the most part. Which is not to say Human Target is bad in any way; quite the opposite. I think it’ll repeat well and it’s the kind of episodic television that has been lacking from the TV landscape for a while – self-contained stories that are actually good.
The first episode of Human Target will air on Sunday, January 17 at 8PM (ET) right before the two-hour season premiere of 24. Episode #2, “Rewind,” airs on Wednesday after a little show called American Idol. It’s definitely worth checking out, and if you like it, of course visit the KryptonSite Network’s Human Target fan portal – Target419 – and talk about the show on our forum. There currently isn’t a full subforum for Human Target but if there’s enough demand there will be one.
See some images from The Human Target here.
