Intelligence - Pilot Episode

Wow, the first five minutes of this program was some of the coolest spy action I have seen on TV in a long time. This is another show that totally slipped under my increasingly faulty pop culture radar. I love to give new shows that interest me a decent chance to earn my love and this one is already there.

The special effects that are in play when Gabe shows off his 'abilities' are cutting edge impressive and totally believable in our modern high tech world. It's a brilliant extrapolation of what may be possible one day. The concept is high but I thought they pulled it off.

Josh Holloway (LOST), Meghan Ory (Once Upon A Time), and Marg Helgenberger (CSI) head the cast. Of course Holloway's Gabriel is a rule breaker so he needs an uptight overachiever to watch him. That's where Ory's character comes in. I thought they had some nice chemistry and I didn't realize I would miss Holloway so much since he's been away from series television.

In Intelligence, Josh Holloway stars as Gabriel Vaughn, a high-tech intelligence operative enhanced with a super-computer microchip in his brain. With this implant, Gabriel is the first human ever to be connected directly into the global information grid. He can hack into any data center and access key intel in the fight to protect the United States from its enemies. Marg Helgenberger stars as Lillian Strand, the director of the United States Cyber Command who supports Gabriel and oversees the unit's missions. She assigns Riley Neal (Meghan Ory), a Secret Service agent, to protect Gabriel from outside threats, as well as from his appetite for reckless, unpredictable behavior and disregard for protocol.

I liked how they gave us a two night episode and dropped us right into a larger story. As preposterous as some elements of the tale is, the whole things works in the world they have created. They follow their own rules about how all the characters are necessary to tell a larger story. I found the technique fresh and saved me from all the slow revels that drive me so crazy. Under the Dome springs to mind.

Some will say that Megan Ory just accepted this whole situation too easily and became Gabriel's biggest advocate after a lifetime of following the rules just because she was in this moody modern six million billion dollar man presence for all of ten minutes. Meh. Who cares how she got to the point she is now. She would have gotten there eventually anyways and why wait 13 episodes to make them the two the partners they will become. I like not having to wait for my character development when it gets in the way of all the action and shiny effects.

It's also important to mention just how beautiful a woman Megan Ory is on screen. Ever since the excellent Higher Ground she has done great work. I can't look at her Little Red Riding Hood on Once Upon A Time without needing to go to my bunk. I need to do a Megan Ory appreciation post. She's all right, that chick.

I also like seeing John Billingsly from Star Trek Enterprise and Stargate Atlantis. He plays the best crazy doctor (next to John Noble) in the business - a character that is also vital for this premise to work.

Too bad that Marg Helgenberger (who I have watched since China Beach) is left to just be the one to explain everything and provide the exposition that drives the stories. It's not much of a role.

If they were on the same network I would call this one a great companion to Agents of SHIELD. Super Spy seems to be the theme of the day and so far on Intelligence, I like what I see.

BONUS - Just read that Lance Reddick (Fringe) will be joining the cast. That just pushed this one up a notch. Love everything that Reddick does.