King is a police drama worth a look if you’re not a fan of Dallas
Something old, something new. Something borrowed, something blue.
The old bridal rhyme is also a good introduction to two of tonight’s TV offerings.
In one corner, the new Dallas (Bravo, 9 p.m.) series manages to offer something new and old simultaneously. Believe me, J.R. and Bobby Ewing (Larry Hagman and Patrick Duffy) look every bit the part of senior citizens. But the younger, GQ-generation of Ewings and their fetching friends are learning to play hardball just like their scheming, backstabbing elders.
In the other small-screen corner, the prematurely cancelled Showcase series King (Showcase, 9 p.m.) is a true “blue” cop show with a refreshing twist.
It takes “something borrowed” – a police procedural of any kind is hard to think of as original programming – and actually improves upon it.
Unfairly glossed over by many critics, it never earned a loyal following, and the series wasn’t renewed for a third season.
But Season 1 has been airing on Wednesdays this summer on Showcase.
Dallas didn’t need a reboot. King shouldn’t have been cancelled. But those are the cruel laws of the TV universe.
You’ll love Dallas if: a) You love cowboy hats, b) You lost sleep over ‘Who shot J. R.?’ c) The word “soap” for you is usually followed by the word “opera” and d) You wish you were a wealthy oilman who held a small town in your maniacal grip.
You’ll love King if: a) You like your police detectives three-dimensional, b) You like police dramas where the characters are more interesting than the cases, c) You like sexy boots (Detective Jessica King certainly does).
Much in the way that Hugh Laurie’s Dr. House elevated that dearly departed medical series, Jessica King – played with a sophistication, sex appeal, and quirky charm by Amy Price-Francis – is truly the king of her castle: a fearless, Holmesian detective who doesn’t apologize for being a woman – and could care less what people think of her.
In an episode titled Scout Winter, an anti-racist activist gets beaten up for provoking a white supremacist group – and loses his kids to child protective services.
Detective King and her major crimes task force are handed the delicate case.
But when the lead suspect ends up being an undercover federal agent, things get complicated.
More episodes of King are available at www.globaltv. com/video.
Three other factors add to King’s charm: The rugged Detective-Sergeant Derek Spears (played by Alan Van Sprang) – whose chemistry with King begins to add stress on her marriage; a brilliant soundtrack of brass-driven jazz; and allowing the city of Toronto to star as itself, and not pretend to be Chicago or New York.
Meanwhile, on a Dallas episode titled Enemy of My Enemy, J.R. Junior (Josh Henderson) looks to get out from under his dad’s grip and move into Southfork.
Meanwhile, Bobby (Patrick Duffy) gets into a war of words with his wife Ann (Brenda Strong) and learns some valuable information that could help him save the ranch.
As for the future: Someone better move quickly and give Price-Francis another TV series. I don’t want to wait as long as I did for J.R. Ewing to return to the air.
Wannabe Gleeks are asked to embody a famous musical icon tonight (My guess? Corey Hart) in The Glee Pro- ject (Global, 9 p.m.) competition to land a spot on the TV show.
Fear Factor (Global, 10 p.m.) offers an episode titled – and I kid you not – Leeches, Shaved Heads and Tear Gas, Oh My (Part One). I’m pretty sure they stole that title from an entry in my summer camp journal when I was 14. But seriously now: Contestants must bungee jump from a helicopter, submerge in a tub full of leeches and traverse a burning, five-storey building. What would you do for $100,000?
The Listener (CTV, 10 p.m.) pops a few pills tonight as Toby (Craig Olejnik) and Michelle (Lauren Lee Smith) look into the death of a shady pharmaceutical big shot.