The Catch

I really enjoy this show because it's fun, plain and simple. It's fast moving so most of the details are left out and things just happen. Is it realistic? I'm sure it isn't, but I do sometimes enjoy lighter fare (only one murder so far) that just entertains. It packs a lot into each episode and for me, it never drags. I think Mireille Enos and Peter Krause are great in their respective roles and I especially enjoy Krause's subtle expression changes that convey a wistfulness when he is thinking about Alice. I bet a lot of women would love to have someone think that way about them. And maybe I really like the characters because they are older (is that why some people think they're ugly?). I do hope this show finds a niche and is able to maintain the fast pace.

I was extremely interested in watching this series when I saw the trailer a couple of months ago. It reminded me a bit of The Thomas Crown Affair with the amazing attraction between the lead investigator and the sexy con artist. I had even persuaded friends to give it a try. So when it finally came out last month, I can't say enough how disappointed I was when I began watching. There seemed to be changes to the original trailer. So I went back and found that the original trailer I had seen was missing and another had replaced it. The original male lead had been replaced by Peter Krause and his female cohort was replaced by Sonya Walger. It seemed they have even changed the plot of the pilot. As I continued watching the first two episodes, I've found the feel of the show had been compromised in my opinion. To me, the chemistry between Enos and Krause just isn't quite the same as it was in that first trailer with Damon Dayoub. I love Mireille Enos and the rest of the cast. They are superb. But the show seems different than what it came across as originally and I almost feel like this was false advertising. Hope it can be salvaged.

I missed the pilot, so I started out watching the second episode. Normally I would consider that a problem with a Shondaland production, as they tend to start with a bang, but judging by all the reviews here by people who watched and hated the first episode I'm not sure it was a problem this time.

What I saw was ... fine. The actors are good (glad to see Dirty Sexy Money's Peter Krause again) and the premise of a private detective, the con guy who loves his last mark, Interpol, an ongoing con and a mystery-of-the-week is fine, but I just didn't find any of it that interesting. It's all a little vanilla.

We are loving this show. Finding it fun, clever and entertaining. It is enjoyable, much like the old Mission Impossible series was, but with a modern look and much more intrigue and play. Life is crazy, and it is nice to come home and disappear into the fantasy of a spunky intelligent thriller. It is also nice to have that story told without the extraneous and exploitive blood, guts and gore of other shows. The characters are fleshing out slowly, and cannot be taken at face value. Each week builds nicely on the previous one, which help to draw the watcher into the growing story. Mireille Enos is fun to watch, with her Monroeish eye-flutter affectations. She is mesmerizing, and nicely underplays the roll. In fact the show has strong and interesting female rolls with Sonya Walger playing the anti-hero steamily well. Yes, they are stereotyped, but aren't most fantasies? If we wanted to watch 'real life' we would just turn off the TV!

Not being a 'ShondaLand' addict—in fact, I can't remember watching one previous TGIT episode in its entirety—I didn't have preconceptions about what I was 'supposed to' feel about "The Catch". From the previous IMDb reviews, I see I am glaringly in the minority in my initial opinion about the show; I was already a fan of a few of the actors and loved the look and feel of the production. The previous reviews, however, have not convinced me to change a single idea I had about the show; in fact, I find the other reviews to be epistemologically flawed in their vagueness and unspecified assertions.

So as for me, I thoroughly enjoyed the first episode and plan to keep watching. Below are my first five reasons to watch.

1. Mireille Enos: Mireille Enos is a compelling actor. She may be typecast by some as the serious, unadorned detective in "The Killing", but in "The Catch" she is engagingly glammed up and beautiful, not with an 'I've-been-entitled-all-my-life' beauty but rather with an 'I'm smart and accomplished and insightful' beauty. Plus, she can sprint at an impressive speed after bad guys, showing that her outer strength can match the inner.

2. Alimi Ballard: Alimi Ballard has always been smart and sharp, as his scenes on "Numb3rs" and "CSI" have shown, but his frequent relegation to a law enforcement roles in dark suits has required a restraint he can thankfully shed in this role. From the first time we see him on the links rocking a preppy polo-shirt-and-plaid-pants golf outfit, we know something will be different. On "The Catch", he remains sharp and smart, but as the 'fixer' of the confidence team, he morphs into changing roles with emotive style and wit.

3. Mature Allure: It is great to see a show with a variety of actors over 35 (notwithstanding Rose Rollins' 20- something visage) who look great, dress great, speak articulately, and keep the story going. Much has been written about Peter Krause's casting and whether his age and recent role in Parenthood will affect audience perceptions. Not having watched "Parenthood" (or "Six Feet Under" or any of his roles, to be honest), he was a blank slate to me, and I was pleasantly surprised. My daughter remarked that the younger actor in the original pilot (still available online) is better eye candy, but Krause is a nuanced actor who conveys ambiguous intentions well. As a con man in his late 40s, it is more plausible that he has been around, seen more than he needed, and become reflective and conflicted about whether to stay in the game or pursue a connection with his latest smart, intriguing target. If his character were in his mid 30s with less knowledge, life experience and capital, would he really be ready to give up his best confidence-earning years to be with someone who could always put him in jail?

4. The Artwork of Maria Kreyn: I am not sure how widely recognized artist Maria Kreyn is, but after this pilot episode, I'm sure she will gain a much wider audience. Her painting 'Alone Together', featured in "The Catch", is hauntingly beautiful and provides a captivating metaphor for the show's narrative.

5. Open Spaces and Sunlight! Whenever I catch a few seconds of another TGIT/ShondaLand show, the scene is usually in an enclosed space such as a hospital room or dark office or someplace not particularly airy or (naturally) light. "The Catch", in contrast, is replete with outdoor settings, California sunshine, and floor-to-ceiling windows with luxurious day and nighttime views. This only added to my enjoyment of the show and desire to see more.