I'm always wary of any production that has Jerry Bruckheimer attached to it - I never know if things will turn out for the best (CSI: Las Vegas) or for the worst (Transformers 2). When I heard Dylan McDermott was going to star, I decided to give the pilot a chance...and I'm glad I did.
The show centers around Lt. Shaw's (McDermott) undercover unit, comprised of himself and two other cops, Curtis (Hardwick) and Bendis (Marshall-Green). Along the way, Shaw recruits a bright-eyed street cop with a dubious past, Allen (Aycox). The unit walks the line between committing felonies that could land them in jail for a considerable amount of time and nailing the criminal enterprises they have infiltrated.
The writing is sharp, if a little predictable when it comes to the "Federal Bureau of Intimidation," but the show works. I hope it becomes serialized like 24 and The Shield, and not procedural like NYPD Blue, as I think that'll give the show more of a chance to delve into the psychology of what it takes to be an undercover cop and remain the person you were when you entered into a cover.
All in all, a good start with a lot of potential. I hope they focus on the characters as much as they do on plot in the episodes to come.
8/10
