PILOT REVIEW: Chase

CHASE

Starring: Kelli Giddish, Cole Hauser, Jesse Metcalfe, Amaury Nolasco, Rose Rollins
Created by Jennifer Johnson
Written by Jennifer Johnson, Directed by David Nutter

Chase is a new procedural from Jerry Bruckheimer who knows a thing or two about crime procedurals. This one follows US Marshals who are always in pursuit of fugitives. As Deputy Annie Frost (Kelli Giddish) says, "the police care about where he's been, we care about where he's going." It seems as though there are going to be many chase scenes, hence the title and while they were decent enough in the pilot, they'll have to make each one unique enough to keep it from being the same every week. Annie is the protagonist who works with friend and partner Jimmy Godfrey (Cole Hauser). They are given a "new guy" as well in Luke Watson (Jesse Metcalfe) that they are unsure about. Rounding out the team are Marco Martinez (Amauray Nolasco) and Daisy Ogbaa (Rose Rollins).

Chase has its moments as a procedural, but it's not one of the standouts. Part of the reason is that Giddish and Hauser come off very unlikable. It seems as though the writer and director wanted Giddish to be a "tough girl" which is fine but she just comes off annoyed. And in the few times they gave her sentimental moments, it came off fakey and forced. Hauser is also unlikable and seems to have one general disposition. Of course this is better than Metcalfe's character who seems to have no character traits at all besides being the new guy. How obvious was it that the "new guy" would make a big mistake when catching Week 1's fugitive? Very obvious in my book. Nolasco and Rollins were so inconsequential in the pilot, it's hard to even comment. The best character in episode one was the villain Mason Boyle (Travis Fimmel) who at least had some dimension to his character. However, for a show that boasts a strong female character, Boyle's girlfriend was a very cliche part.

From a cinematic standpoint, it is stronger than the average procedural and is well produced. The pace is fast, almost too fast. Boyle was committing crimes left and right and heading out again. While it's good to have twists and turns in a show like this, it was almost one or two too many as each new revelation couldn't really be developed. All in all, Chase was utterly average. Nothing that was laughably bad or mind blowingly incredible, just a run-of-the-mill procedural that happens to have a big chase scene. There are many other better shows like this to choose from, this one just doesn't quite make it.