CBS' 'Flashpoint': At Least Its Scripted
Since we’re still wallowing in the fallout from last fall’s writers’ strike, there’s reason to celebrate, rather than bemoan, the arrival of Flashpoint, which begins a summer run tonight at 10 p.m. ET on CBS.
Yes, it’s a Canadian drama series imported only because CBS was stockpiling anything it could think of to fill time slots – but hey, at least it’s scripted. That alone makes it a relatively welcome dog-days TV event.
It’s also got Enrico Colantoni, the beloved dad on Veronica Mars, exuding even more easy confidence and huggable affability in his role here as leader of a SWAT-type police unit. The city in which Flashpoint is set isn’t identified – but because of a strange-sounding vowel pronunciation or two, the use of the word “constable,” and the way no one reacts when two rugged cops break into an impromptu verse of Gilbert & Sullivan, you can pretty much rule out Detroit.
The opener, actually, isn’t bad. It’s reminiscent of the 2006 Fox series Standoff, which starred Ron Livingston as a big-city hostage negotiator, except that these officers are a lot more sensitive. One of them, played by Hugh Dillon, vomits after the tension of being the primary sniper. Another, played by Amy Jo Johnson, tries to fit in as one of the guys, but it isn’t easy… not even for a woman who, on a previous series, played the Pink Ranger on Mighty Morphin Power Rangers…
john commented:
Why can't they just come out and say that is is Toronto? I mean come on already!! Aren't we over this by now?
God 2.0 commented:
"The city in which Flashpoint is set isn’t identified"
This is why Blogs need to be thinned from the herd. Just look at the License Plates... News Vans... Toronto skyline... oh wait, Bianculli, Geography isn't your strength. I guess the large Canadian flags... EVERYWHERE... wouldn't tip that off, or on the SWAT Truck "City of Toronto"
Good LORD don't quit your dayjob.
james commented:
Jim, the insignia is close but it is not true TPS - but yes it is supposed to be Toronto - and I'm astounded that not more articles note that the first ep was based on that real-life drama. Oh, well. Yanks, eh?
Jim commented:
The show is filmed in Toronto, and the officers are wearing Toronto Police insignia - as well as the odd Canadian flag. The series opener is based on a real life situation that happened in front of Toronto; when a sniper from the Toronto emergency task force killed a hostage taker in front of hundreds of onlookers and hundreds of thousands who saw it on TV. That episode inspired the writers who based the show on that emergency task force. Should be a good show if it gets a chance to develop.