mxb2001

So flicking channels on TV and I light onto this and decide to check it out for a moment. 5 minutes later and I finally managed to figure out at what part of the story I was supposed to be in. I've read the book many times, it's practically memorized so the fact that it took me so long to even locate where in the "story" I was supposed to be was not a good omen. Of course it did not help that the scene was one where the dwarves and the hobbits (yes I was not seeing double, I am still sane (although PJ is not), there were actually two) meet a lakeman archer. That of course, never happened in the book. In fact it had become apparent that this was not based on the book at all. PJ's earlier attempts did bear some passing resemblance to the Lord of the Rings however this was apparently an almost complete fabrication that only touches upon a few key points of the book once in a while. Horrendous schlock.

I've watched the series twice now (both seasons) and on the plus side I find the female cast extremely attractive and the music generally pleasant and catchy. On the downside a few of the scripts seem to have been written by high school dropouts whose command of the English language is highly questionable. I also applaud the casting of three oriental ladies as the stars, it's not very common. The music is highly produced so it is hard to ascertain what vocal skills they possess but I get the impression they are above average. Another positive element I should mention is that the characters are free to date other characters regardless of their ancestry. It sets a fine example of tolerance which seems to be rather lacking elsewhere.

Mainstream populist pablum. Basically a TV version of Indiana Jones with Librarians instead of Archaeologists. Rebecca Romijn is the typical modern girl power tough person. She lacks any sort of screen presence or charisma however. The fellow playing the Librarian was half decent but almost too manic to be relatable to. Cameos by Bob Newhart and Matt Frewer do nothing to save this show from mediocrity. The only bright point in the cast was Lindy Booth who gives a vulnerable and appealing turn. The show tries to push all the usual buttons to generate laughs or interest. In summary a typical modern day cynical and classless show.