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Review : A telepath learns why his gift cannot be denied in The Listener
Is it a gift or a curse? No, not the ability the main character has to read minds on NBC's new paranormal series The Listener. Rather, is this new series itself a gift or a curse when it comes to our summer viewing? That's the real question.
The Canadian/NBC production from creator Michael Amo makes its American premiere tonight, June 4, with back-to-back episodes at 9 p.m. ET/PT, before taking up its regular spot on Thursdays at 10 p.m.
The pilot episode, "I'm an Adult Now," introduces us to the world of Toby Logan [Craig Olejnik], a telepathic paramedic who for the most part has shut down his gift to the outside world. That suddenly changes when he's driving to work with his partner, Oz [Ennis Esmer], and a cry for help shatters his carefully crafted shield which has allowed him to control his ability. Toby and Oz spot a car that's flipped over and the men rush to the aid of the woman trapped inside. They are able to get her out, but Toby gets a glimpse into her mind and discovers her son has been kidnapped.
When the woman refuses to talk to police at the hospital, Toby finds himself drawn into a mystery in which the life of a child is at stake. For the first time in his life, the young telepath can't turn away despite the risk of having his talent exposed.
So back to the question. Is The Listener a gift or a curse to viewers? Well, much like Toby's gift, it's a little of both. Craig Olejnik is likeable as Toby and we root for him to succeed. As for Ennis Esmer as his partner Oz, Mylène Dinh-Robic as his doctor girlfriend Olivia, and Lisa Marcos as Detective Charlie Marks, they are bright young actors. They do a good job with their individual roles, but Olejnik's best chemistry is with Colm Feore, who plays Dr. Ray Mercer, the one person who knows about his gift and who helped him survive his childhood. No doubt the characters will mesh better once they more screen time and get past being the jovial partner, the annoyed girlfriend, and the hard-ass cop.
As for the story, "I'm an Adult Now" offers some really nice moments despite the procedural feel of the series. No, there aren't a lot of surprises about where we end up. But scenes including Toby using his abilities to help or empower others, the young mother buying a gun, and the flashes into Toby's past, give us a look at the potential The Listener has.
So gift or curse? Let's go with gift and see where the summer takes us.
By Lila2004 at 6:15 AM ON 06/05/09
I found both episodes to be slow and the writing was bad. There were a few good spots, such as the article points out, but for the most part, this was a slow, boring start to a show I had such high hopes for. There were so many moments when I expected Toby to use his gift and he didn't. If he can turn it on and off at will, then I would imagine that he would turn it on a lot more often than he apparently does. I saw a commercial for the show that seems to have Toby telling his partner about being telepathic, but that didn't happen in these first 2 eps. I hope it does soon; that, at least, would liven up the plots. And the writing... in the second ep, the "not a meth-head anymore" guy who had "supplies" in his apartment which exploded when the timer went off in the radiator tells Toby, "My insurance is going to pay off." I'm sorry, what?! What insurance company do you know of that is going to say, "Sure, you have combustible, probably illegal, chemicals in your apartment that exploded and blew up not just your place, but several other apartments as well, causing thousands of dollars in damage, and the most you have is renter's insurance, but let's go cut you a huge check." Yeah. That's going to happen. Let's hope the next ep is better written, with a tighter plot and more telepathy (and not precognition, which is something completely different!). Why couldn't they have turned "Thoughtcrimes" into a series? Now *that* was a great movie about a telepath!
By FarscapeFan at 2:12 AM ON 06/08/09
have yet to see the show myself.. Lita.
But yes I must agree with you on the thoughtcrimes bit.. Not that has potential wrriten all over it!!!! Navi Rawat was excellent castiing and it nice to see her outside of Numbers
By weepingangel at 11:20 AM ON 06/08/09
Really, his super-visions seem more like precognizance or prescience, rather than telepathy. ANYhow, he’s just going along, minding his own business, when POW! He’s struck by a mind-blowing vision that he just HAS to look into! With big dreamy blue eyes! And thoughtful, faraway expressions! Olejnik is a decent actor, and I don’t hold his looks against him. But a series cannot be carrie by dreamy eyes and brooding expressions.
Furthermore, Toby’s powers suffer from a common ailment among doors on the U.S.S. Enterprise: dramatic convenience-itis. They only work when it is dramatically convenient to do so.
And Toby only sees however much is necessary to move along the plot, and not enough to get to the bottom of the matter right away.
I cannot get attached to these characters. They do not catch my interest. The introduction of a foster brother for Olejnik’s character in episode 2 is sadly underused, for instance. There is no real spark there. And Lisa Marcos’s Detective Charlie Banks is unfortunately underwritten. It’s like sitting on a riverbank, picking petals from a daisy: “She suspects him, she suspects him not. She suspects him…”
As for the villains… Do the writers have something against underpayed civil servants? I dearly hope that future episodes provide more compelling Bad Guys, because neither of these guys are given anywhere near adequate motives for their actions other than that they’re looney tunes.
Hopefully it’ll improve. I like dreamy blue eyes.
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weepingangel:
Really, his super-visions seem more like precognizance or prescience, rather than telepathy. ANYhow, he’s just goin...More »