down supernatural creatures
that threaten mankind. Creatures that resemble fairy-tale beasts and characters.
Positives: The principal cast (especially Giuntoli and Russell Hornsby, who plays his partner) appear to
enjoy this material, and early on at least, the show has been putting a unique
spin on the overly familiar "police procedural" concept in a way that no series
outside of ABC's "Castle"
can do. In tone, it's reminiscent of the earlier, better seasons of the CW's "Supernatural."
Negatives: If they're really pilfering from the Brothers
Grimm and other fairy tales, they run the risk of running dry, material-wise.
Also, like the early seasons of "Supernatural," there's a tendency for episodes
to devolve into monster-of-the-week silliness. More troubling is the tendency
for the show to take itself too seriously, to go for a horror-thriller vibe
rather than a fantasy-horror one.
Verdict: Fail. At least for now. There's some potential here
(anytime you try to subvert a concept as clichéd as cop drama, it's a good
thing). But so far both the premise and the characters are just not being
explored in ways that convince us there's more than a season -- or less
-- in this. The central mythology needs to be developed more strongly,
too.
(NBC)
