Tim Minear

Inside The Inside I was wary of Tim Minear’s new show, The Inside, because I’m not a fan of procedural or crime shows. I’ve enjoyed the occasional Law & Order and Without a Trace, but have never seen, or had any interest in seeing, any episodes of CSI. Or NYPD Blue, or Homicide, or The Shield, for that matter.

That said, The Inside is great. No, it’s better than great: compelling, well-written, sharp, even occasionally funny. The pilot: freakin’ fantastic. I haven’t been this excited by a pilot episode in a while, and never for a crime drama. The second episode is a little less fantastic, but that’s more because it follows an amazing premiere more than because it’s weak, and will probably play better if you watch when it airs, with a week distancing it from the awesome pilot. The third episode has the best plot (in my opinion) and the best resolve at the end, while having the added benefit of more Katie Finneran and Adam Baldwin (and note to the show/network/whomever: More Katie! More Adam! Please.)

The basic premise of The Inside: it takes place within the Violent Crimes Unit of the FBI, and the rookie is the main character, Rebecca Locke, a mid-twenties babe who suffered a violent crime when she was abducted at age 10 and held for 18 months. She’s brought into the unit because she has an insight into profiling - not suspects, but victims. Part of what makes the show work so well is that while it’s got strong procedural elements and deals with violent crimes, it’s remarkably character-driven. So here’s my opinion of the pilot episode:

EPISODE 1: “NEW GIRL IN TOWN”

The teaser: Already gets props for having the guts to exclude the requisite blonde babe main character from the teaser, as we set up the story. It looks dark (physically, lighting-wise, as well as mood-wise), and potentially graphic in its depiction of the violent crimes. Katie Finneran with red hair looks hot, even if her character isn’t supposed to be (Fox primetime show = hottie must be the blondie). You’d almost never believe Katie’s actually a blonde.

That Jay Harrington (as agent Paul Ryan) looks familiar. He’s Steve from the American version of Coupling! It doesn’t look like he gets to be very funny in this show, unless you find serial face-rippers and hand-carvers funny. Which, you know, your mileage may vary. But if you’ve actually seen the American version of Coupling (which I have), i.e., the Crappy Version, you’ll be glad to note that the roles of comic relief thankfully have gone to Katie Finneran from Wonderfalls (as agent Melody Sims) and Adam Baldwin (as agent Danny Love) from Angel and Firefly. Wow, Adam looks pretty hot too, all dolled up like his Marcus Hamilton role in the last season of the former but with the brutish, bulldog boneheadedness (a.k.a. charm) of Jayne from the latter.

Ah, and Peter Coyote, as Virgil Webster, is apparently in the role of the all-knowing, somewhat cryptic, not-completely-trustworthy boss-man guy, only, If I May Be So Bold, I’m going to go so far as to say this guy has the potential to out-Arvin-Sloane Arvin Sloane himself. Well, maybe Arvin Sloane of the third and fourth seasons of Alias, because he was pretty badass in the first season, but the last two suckworthy years have tainted my former love of that show. Back on topic: His casting is ironic only if you, like me, recognize the guy not from his long respectable list of credits but as Mandy Moore’s preacher dad in A Walk To Remember, which I’m almost ashamed to admit is how I recognized him.

(By the end of teaser: Hm. Looks like this is going to be interesting. Not your standard serial-killer story. By the end of the first act: Wow! This is definitely not your standard serial-killer story. Tingles.)

Now, Rachel Nichols (as Rebecca "Not Becky!" Locke) reminds me of that girl from Point Pleasant. Hopefully she proves to be a better actress. Time will tell? I like that her backstory, while providing the catalyst for this show (as in, the reason she joined this team and therefore the show) isn’t completely revealed, and isn’t even hinted upon until about halfway through the episode. You mean, there IS a way to reveal things about people without showing all your cards at once but still proving satisfactory to the viewers and not insulting their intelligence? (Yes, that was a pointed barb at you, Lost. I still want my season back.) Although, Ms. Nichols is going to have to watch her overconfident deliveries, because she’s veering dangerously into annoying know-it-all-y Ellen Pompeo (i.e., Meredith Grey of Grey’s Anatomy) territory. Step back from the ledge! You don’t want to go down that collagen-lipped path of self-righteousness!

The exposition, which is heavy due to it being a pilot episode, is surprisingly very snappy. Doesn’t feel awkward or forced at all.

HA! Looks like Adam Baldwin/Danny Love’s spiffy dressing is going to be a plot point. The best line of the pilot (well, one of them): "Let’s put the ’plain’ back in ’plainclothes,’ it’s not dinner theater."

All in all, an exciting premiere. Watch it air on Fox, Wednesday, June 8 at 9pm! More on Episode 2 later.