‘Blood and Treasure’: old is new again
CBS doubles down on its reputation for “old school” television with “Blood and Treasure” (9 p.m., TV-14). Set in the world of antiquities, archaeology, counter-intelligence and terrorism, this “new” adventure series sports a rather audacious throwback vibe.
Sofia Pernas stars as Lexi, a fetching and shapely fixture in the black market. She knows her way around a locked door and can certainly (almost) fill out a cocktail dress.
A looker of Arab descent, educated at posh British boarding schools, she’s not afraid to use her beauty to captivate and seduce her way into (and out of) any situation. She’s basically a Bond girl with a taste for the ancient finer things.
Matt Barr (“Sleepy Hollow”) stars as straight-arrow ex-FBI agent Danny McNamara, who finds himself awkwardly partnered with Lexi as they aim to find a terrorist mastermind who funds his evil doings with loot stolen from sacred (and perhaps cursed) sites.
“Blood” opens with the discovery of a long-sought burial area inside an Egyptian pyramid, followed by gunfire and explosions. The action pretty much never stops.
A pastiche of every odd-couple romantic thriller since “Romancing the Stone,” this effort sports a soaring musical score that sounds left over from the era that brought us “Superman III.”
The whole approach seems so familiar (if not dated) that when “Blood” began, I thought we were watching some cheesy prologue, a flashback film from the 1980s that would set up the action. But the “update” never arrives.
I’m not saying I didn’t find some of this overly familiar material vaguely entertaining. It seems perfectly suited to a network airing “new” versions of “Hawaii 5-0” and “MacGyver.”
TONIGHT’S SEASON FINALES
› Fornell’s worst nightmare on “NCIS” (8 p.m., CBS, TV-14).
› Events bring Katie, Sarah and Nick together again on “The Village” (8 p.m., NBC, TV-14).
› A town musical puts the accent on local heritage on “American Housewife” (8 p.m., ABC, TV-PG).
› The nest gets emptier on “The Kids Are Alright” (8:30 p.m., ABC, TV-PG). Set in the 1970s in a large family, this series stood out from ABC’s lineup of comedies about the travails of the effortlessly affluent. Neither a ratings smash nor a dud, “Kids” has been canceled, so I guess we’ll never get to see 1975.
› Rob Lowe hosts “Mental Samurai” (9 p.m., Fox, TV-14). As of this filing, there is no word about a second season for “Samurai.” Rob Lowe will appear in a new Fox series called “Lone Star,” a spinoff of “9-1-1,” produced by Ryan Murphy, Brad Falchuk and Tim Minear. He’ll play a brash New York cop relocated to Austin, Texas.
› A winner emerges on “The Voice” (9 p.m., NBC, TV-PG).
› A job offer complicates Junior’s college plans on “blackish” (9 p.m., ABC, TV-PG).
› Mike and Rio put all of their eggs in one basket on “Bless This Mess” (9:30 p.m., ABC, TV-PG).
Contact Kevin McDonough at kevin .tvguy@gmail.com.