Taken

After 3 iterations of the film "Taken", I wondered if this prequel to the franchise was exhausted. I was pleasantly surprised, but not quite aroused.

Clive Standen portrays a younger Bryan Mills well, tho I'm tired of the 3-day-beard look amongst anti-terrorist protagonists. His skills are quietly honed for espionage and his character flaws should enhance the role...much like Tom Keen in "The Blacklist".

Similar to Harold Cooper in "The Blacklist", Jennifer Beals appears to be heading central operations with a cold and direct manner that I hope breaks.

I enjoyed this enough to put it in my queue.

First episode was good but then things started to fall about with the dialogue and endless slip ups by the crack team. I began to feel sorry for Clive and Jennifer being associated with the show. It's a poor mans Blacklist.

Yes we all know Hollywood has no originality and this tiresome telly spin off, of the Taken film franchise, proves this, yet again.

In spite of Clive Standen's appearance in the lead role fresh from the fantastic series Vikings, this series is wall to wall bland and somewhat hypocritical.

Its the same formula adopted in Taken the films with a couple of trivial twists and lots of US self justification and victim playing. All of which is more than a bit rich, in light of the US administrations often unsavory actions on the world stage.

Regrettably, the quality actors are constrained by the overriding monotony of this series. Its not their fault this sucks as much as it does.

Four out of ten from me.

An enjoyable show if you take it for what it is and don't overthink or try to view it as the same as the movie series. Basically it is the same character, but the earlier life and is not in parallel with the movies. I'm half way through the second season and it's quite enjoyable week to week.

I'm hoping they continue the series as it is quite enjoyable.

Not really sure why people are saying "more of the same". I have only watched a few episodes but find it well above average in general. A few "tech" issues like how the gov't group can constantly hear all his conversations. Maybe missed them planting bugs in every location he will be in the future? Also, as someone who has followed people in a vehicle for a living, the good and bad guys do a lousy job. You use multiple vehicles, usually something like a Toyota Corolla, not a big van, and one vehicle falls off and another takes it's place every few blocks. But this is TV, not real life so will give them pass on that. Worth watching.