PILOT REVIEW: Rosewood

ROSEWOOD

Starring: Morris Chestnut, Jaina Lee Ortiz, Gabrielle Dennis, Anna Konkle, with Lorraine Toussaint

Created by Todd Harthan
Written by Todd Harthan, Directed by Richard Shepard

THE SYNOPSIS
In the most standard procedural entry of the new fall season, Dr. Beaumont Rosewood Jr. (Morris Chestnut) is a brilliant pathologist running his own consulting service in Miami. He frequently teams up with law enforcement and finds himself paired with a recently relocated Detective Annalise Villa (Jaina Lee Ortiz) from NYC. At his practice, Rosewood works with sister Pippy (Gabrielle Dennis) and her fiancee Tara (Anna Konkle). Rounding out the main cast is Rosewood and Pippy's mother, Donna (Lorraine Toussaint).

THE REVIEW
This show is without a doubt the least original I have seen so far this fall season. But that doesn't mean it's the worst. In fact, I enjoyed the pilot in part because it knew exactly what it wanted to be and didn't try to do too much. Some procedural dramas with overarching storylines don't really know how to handle a pilot episode so the exposition gets confusing and the "case of the week" gets rushed. That was not the case here. This show acted more like a season premiere than a series premiere as a great deal of time was devoted to the case of the week even as we met the characters. I think that is the way to do a pilot like this. The strength of its episodes will rise and fall based on how intriguing or good the cases are and they gave enough time in the pilot to develop this one.

The cast is good. Morris Chestnut is charismatic in the lead role and the arrogance in the role works for the character. Jaina Lee Ortiz is strong as well and there's palpable chemistry between Chestnut and Ortiz, which is essential. The rest of the cast didn't make much of an impression as is often the case early on with shows like this. Even with generic writing, Chestnut and Ortiz seem to have the skills necessary to elevate the show.

I read that people compared this to a USA show and it definitely has that feel. It's all very sunny and safe. There's nothing dark or gritty, nothing gutsy or courageous, nothing serialized about it at all. But as long as a show knows what it wants to be and does it well, it will be fine. I think that's the case here. There are many shows that swing and miss on trying to be much higher concept. I'm not saying this is going to be a great procedural drama. I'm just saying the elements are there to make it an enjoyable, low-pressure hour on TV.

WILL I WATCH IT AGAIN?
Probably, but I doubt every week. The nature of a show like this is it's pretty easy to watch when I have time and skip when I don't.