Backstrom

This is a TV series modeled after House M.D. but instead of doctors and treatments you have detectives and crimes.

It's about a charismatic lieutenant of Portland Police Bureau who is extremely cynic and mean to others. Not to mention racist. He gets the job done though so people tolerate his over-the-top behavior.

Like House M.D. this is a dramedy too. You get the comedic elements between the lines of an actual drama. Some one-liners of the cynical type, some awkward situations...etc.

Rainn Wilson is leading the cast having the titular character of Backstrom and he is doing a good job in my opinion. The rest of the cast is OK but nothing stellar.

A special mention to Thomas Dekker (John Connor from the Sarah Connor's chronicles) who plays Backstrom's gay (and also cynical) son. Dekker gives a very efficient performance and has a convincing attitude.

The story (I only watched the pilot) was interesting with twists until the very end. The dialogs are delivered in a "deadpan" way that mostly works, but it may needs some improvement on that.

The direction of photography is somehow dark and that might be my biggest complain. I would preferred a lighter tone. Things to be more bright and more "visible".

Overall: Not bad. I personally will check out the next episodes...

I love this show. Like another person also said, it is kind of a mix between House and Columbo.

But updated.

I like the banter that goes on. I hope this show continues.

I like the variety of characters.

I also like the suggestion of secrets in some of their lives. I can not wait to find out some of them.

I hope they do not run out of ideas for shows.

I am missing you this week. Anxiously awaiting next weeks show!

Keep it up! Your fan base is growing.

I hesitated checking out Backstrom because of the bad to mixed reviews I've read about it but for Rainn Wilson sake I gave it a try. And was not disappointed.

I've seen the first three episodes and I've enjoyed all of them. I agree that the writing could be better but the cases were solid and solved in a believable way (no C.S.I-stuff). The dialogues and Backstroms monologues are quite fun and I laughed a few times during each episode. What I didn't like was that all the flaws and character traits of all the main characters were way to obvious and were introduced within the first 30min of the show.

It's not The Wire but then again hardly any crime show is but in my opinion it is right up there with Mentalist, White Collar and shows like that. No flawless depiction of police work but a fun show with an edgy main character and an outstanding cast.

In conclusion, yes the self-destructive, grumpy, jerky main character is hardly a unique idea and Backstrom sure does resemble Dr. House and yes the writing is sometimes a bit blunt and may also be factually wrong at times. If those things bother you, the show is not for you. But if you can overlook these flaws you'll have fun with Backstrom. And not to forget: Rainn Wilson!

I could barely make it through the first episode, but I'm glad I did. I find the show consistently entertaining and full of humor. Gradually, a depth of heart is revealed. The characters become real despite the somewhat tongue-in-cheek nature of the series.

I'm hoping that there will be a next season. I really don't want to write 10 lines. I don't have that much to say. Now is the time for all good men to come to the aid of their party. The quick brown fox jumped over the lazy dog's back. Hi diddle diddle, the cat and the fiddle. The cow jumped over the moon. I doubt it. I've been on dairy farms. I haven't really seen a lot of jumping in the old cow corral. Although, I, myself, jumped when I saw a bull heading my way. Up the lazy river in the noon day sun. The lazy lazy river ... blah blah. I was born this way do do do. If I just keep typing, eventually it will say that my review is now ready for submission.

This show could be amazing. It could become an incredible hit. It could be groundbreaking.

Alas, Fox, being the idiots that they are, brutally murdered it. There is no other way to describe what they did to "Backstrom". They barely marketed it. They put it in the worst possible time slot. And, to top it all, they made sure to air the episodes in the wrong order. And that, my friends, ruined the show's continuity. Of course, given the fact that the episodes are more or less stand alone, that is not such a big deal, but it sends a lot of the character development right down the toilet. Two Backstrom's team members fall in love, but instead of seeing their feelings gradually developing during the course of the season, in one episode we see them kissing and sharing deep secrets and in a later episode they act as if they just barely know each other. The same with Backstrom's self destructing nature. In one episode he can be a complete wreck and in the next one he can be a relatively normal, although flawed man.

And so on. Fox really messed the continuity of the show up, which is why it won't be surprising if some people think it doesn't make sense. And this is a pity, because "Backstrom" is a real jewel. It is laugh out loud funny and heartbreakingly sad, it is optimistic and pessimistic, it is... It is just that good. Backstrom is an incredible character, flawed and mean, but good at heart and with the soul of a child. The members of his team are all interesting characters with distinct personalities. The cases are well written, although very unrealistic. The dialogue is witty and funny, and the acting is great.

And, at least, the show does not end with a cliffhanger. Yes, Backstrom's final words are, "Now what?" but we are given a nice closure.

But, yes, Fox messed up. Badly. That is what they do. They either milk a show until it dies, and a few years after that, like they did with "Bones" and "House M. D.", or they actively sabotage it and eventually axe it, like they did with "Firefly", "Almost Human", "Dollhouse"... Why? Just... Why?