PILOT REVIEW: Crossing Lines

CROSSING LINES

Starring: William Fichtner, Marc Lavoine, Gabriella Pession, Tom Wlaschiha, Moon Dailly, Richard Flood, with Genevieve O'Reilly, and Donald Sutherland

Created by Edward Allen Bernero
Written by Edward Allen Bernero, Directed by Daniel Percival

Crossing Lines is a new European drama being broadcast on NBC this summer. It centers on a special crime unit from the International Criminal Court as they attempt to solve murders that involve multiple countries. At the head of the unit is Major Louis Daniel (Marc Lavoine), with the backing of veteran Michel Dorn (Donald Sutherland). Daniel recruits a team of crime solvers including a drug-addicted but brilliant ex-NYPD officer Carl Hickman (William Fichtner). In the two hour series premiere, they attempt to find a man who is murdering women in different countries and essentially erasing their identities.

THE GOOD: The thing that sets this show apart from being a by-the-numbers crime procedural is the international setting. The European setting gives it a feel of escapism and freshness that would probably otherwise not be there. The cast is solid and it's great they were able to get Donald Sutherland. Although playing basically the same type of character Kevin Bacon played in The Following, William Fichtner is solid as the tortured hero. The case in the pilot was interesting and it didn't feel like two hours. A twist at the end was daring for a procedural.

THE BAD: Even with the international feel, there were plenty of crime procedural cliches. The entire team filling in the details of Hickman's life and the way they all described the case felt a lot like the worst parts of Criminal Minds. They also did another very Criminal Minds-like interrogation of a witness where he was placed back in the crime scene. They never work on Minds that well and it didn't work here. It's easy to see that these shows were by the same creator. I like both shows but the flaws of Minds were present here too.

BOTTOM LINE: This is a solid summer entry by NBC and actually probably could have been a good option during the season. The international setting is really what makes this show but the characters and acting are good too. I actually may watch more episodes which is rare for me for a summer show.