Promised Land/Pilot

Just what is this? Only the Boston scenery is saving this, and our tendency for nostalgia of the 80s.

Plot setup is actually pretty decent. I like the voiceovers, very noir. Love the Boston scenery.

But: Overfilled with the lovebirds story. Hawk's role - I don't know where to start - so confusing. And the whole wholesome play on tough-guy Spenser deciding who's worthy of trial and who isn't, giving moral lessons to others... Please.

I feel like this was something that had potential, and they knew it but didn't do it right.

The pilot episode based on the novel by Robert B Parker is so Raymond Chandler inspired.

Robert Urich gave up his light suit from Vegas to star as Spenser. A private investigator who is also handy with his fists when he needs to be.

Spenser is hired by Harry Patterson, a real estate developer to find his wife who has run away. In fact she has teamed up with other radical women and started robbing banks to fund Latin American freedom fighters. It has left one security guard dead.

Meanwhile an enforcer called Hawk (Avery Brooks) is after Patterson for owing money to gangster King Powers (Chuck Connors.)

Spenser is reluctant to find Patterson's wife. She might not want to be found or had good reason to run away. He is also sceptical of Patterson's issues with King Powers. Hawk is not someone who you mess around with.

The hard boiled story is helped by the Boston locations. There is even snow on the ground. It is the anti Miami Vice which was full of sunshine.

It is a promising start. There is depth to the story, the voice over was also used by Parker when the Jesse Stone stories were adapted for television.

The episode has Spenser and Hawk hovering around each other as rivals. Their relationship solidifies as Spenser goes after King Powers.