The Librarians: The Next Chapter

To say I am a fan of the Librarian franchise is an understatement. I loved the movies and adored most of the first series. It is up there high on my all time list of favorite TV shows.

I am through 10 episodes of The Next Chapter and I enjoy it, but it is at a level slightly below the original.

Every one of the new characters is just a little less than his or her counterpart, and may more than a little.

Noah Wyle is an insanity that is hard to top. He rules. Vikram is also dynamic but I don't feel like he is as loyal to the Library or as much of a leader. He's as arrogant maybe, but Flynn's arrogance was deserved.

Charlie falls far short of Eve. Eve is a leader and fearless and competent. Charlie has nowhere near the confidence. She follows because she needs to. And I can't say she has been the bad ass fighter so far.

Cassandra Cillian is also high on my list of all time favorite TV characters. She is so full of energy and a little crazy. Assuming Lysa follows in her footsteps, which isn't certain in my mind, she doesn't have the energy and definitely no craziness.

Stone appears in the first of these episodes and I can easily see him being the heir to Flynn. I don't see any of the new characters matching him.

Conner plays outside the box as does Jones. Of them all, Conner comes the closest to being as good.

And then there is Jenkins. While he is a true member of the team, so far Astolat hasn't lived up to that. As an actor John Larroquette was maybe as good and possibly better than any of the original team. His comedic timing was brilliant.

I can't decide if the stories are likewise slightly lesser than the original, since I have such a doubt, that seems to say they are lesser.

This review sounds like I hate the new show, but I don't. It just doesn't live up to what I've already said is one of my favorites.

I more or less enjoyed the predecessor (it was more my partner's thing, and I just sort of experienced it in passing) so we decided to try this one, too. It's more or less OK, as far as these things go, but the acting and writing is pretty poor, and as someone who has spent a lot of time overseas, I just don't understand why they've set in Belgrade but all the characters speak perfect English (maybe with an accent, but sometimes not) and all the signs in hospitals and all through the series are also in English. Seems very improbable to me (not that the magical elements are "probable"...). I suppose it doesn't do any harm, but it's hardly quality tv.

It's ok could be better not the same appeal as the original it's just not keeping me glued to the screen-they had the Jake stone Character kick off the series and then was never seen again, Have some of the other Characters stop by,Noah Wyle is producing but not acting would like to see him in an episode or even another Movie. They could use well more know actors like they've had before the first season they had Jane Curtain and Bob Newhart and then we got Jenkins, played by John Larroquette he kept it interesting I don't think it will make it without one or at least get guest stars that our known.

The writing is juvenile , the acting is amateurish, there is no chemistry between the actors .

The lead is a ham who thinks overwrought facial expressions are Shakespererian .

Olivia Morris is the only likeable main cast member.

Its not the actors i gather i am sure they are all accomplished and are capable of more than what they deliver here .

It is everything else.

Maybe its on the director(s) or studio meddling ....

it feels cheap and shoddy at every level. It is ill spent craftsmanship and ressources

it is a waste of popcorn and a beer, on a night with nothing to do and nothing to watch.

If its a choice between this and watching bacon fry in a pan , or watching my dog chase a stray fly, then its no contest , those win, every time.

Whenever there is a reboot or "next chapter" of any show it's difficult not to compare it to the original as you watch. Especially when you're a big fan of the original series. But I tried, sometimes unsuccessfully, to keep that to a minimum.

The feel of the show is true to the original, the storylines have been good with all the humour & fun whimsy you would expect.

Vickram, the new Librarian is wonderful; he's quirky, funny, & at times as chaotic as Flynn. I want to learn more about him.

Lysa & Connor are I guess meant to be the new Cassandra & Ezekiel. I find them different enough so they kind of hold their own as new characters. They're not true "Librarians", more like a couple of folks just along for the ride, which is a bit odd. I get more of a poor man's Mulder & Scully vibe from them - he says "magic" she says "not magic, it's science" and so on.

The weakest part for me is Charlie, the new Guardian. I can't help compare her to Eve, because she is an inferior version. The character is uninteresting, the acting isn't that strong, and she doesn't have that blend of strength & vulnerability, the enormous Kick-ass potential that Rebecca Romijn brought to Eve. Maybe she will grow on me.

I'm looking forward to the rest of the season, I really want to love this one as much as the original.