FOX has done it again! The network famous for overhauling or even cancelling shows before they premiere has outdone itself this time. The original pilot that sold this show to FOX is not the episode we just watched. The pilot had a different (and much better) cast and was supposed to be a drama about the dynamics between the staff and guests at an upscale Hawaiian hotel. Then suddenly the dim 10-watt bulb that illuminates the FOX programming office flickered to life: Hey, we're FOX, it's summer! Let's make it a soap opera and maybe we'll get lucky like with "The O.C." Sorry, but "O.C." is state of the art and "North Shore" is stale and tired. Then FOX tried to promote their new show saying it was "The O.C. for the older, more sophisticated viewer" and it was the "Melrose Place" to the O.C.s "90210". What were they thinking under that 10-watt bulb? "The O.C." is witty and smart, charming, and classy. "North Shore" is none of that. "Melrose Place" was "Masterpiece Theatre" compared to N.S. All of the actors on Melrose and O.C. could give badly needed acting lessons to the cast of N.S. "North Shore" is slow, badly written, badly acted by some of the cast, and a complete disappointment. They ended up with "Baywatch" on FOX. Brooke Burns and Jason Momoa were actually "Baywatch" cast members. The lifeguard has bleached blonde hair and six-pack abs..just like well, you get the picture. Worst of all are Burns, who cannot act, and has a toothy smile that would shame the grill of a '58 Buick, and the horribly miscast James Remar. Remar obviously was added to play the older authority figure to all the youngsters just like David Hasselhoff on yes..."Baywatch" again. But he gave an eerie, weird take to his character like the hotel was in a "Twilight Zone" episode. His character is totally unlikable. So once again FOX has managed to mismanage a new show. The winners in all of this are the lucky former cast members from the original pilot who have now escaped this mess. The losers are the viewers and the current cast members. FOX will be a loser too if "North Shore" is swept away by a tsunami of viewer rejections....as it should rightfully be.
