Inside Television with Alan Sepinwall

'The Good Guys' - 'Pilot': Po-lice that moo-stash!

Whitford. Hanks. Facial hair!

By Alan Sepinwall Wednesday, May 19, 2010 9:00 PM

Bradley Whitford and Colin Hanks in "The Good Guys."

Credit: Fox

I reviewed "The Good Guys" yesterday, so now it's your turn. What did you think of the latest from "Burn Notice" creator Matt Nix?

(And I may need to retire that subject line - my favorite quote from HBO's "Generation Kill" - with this show. Cuz it will apply to every episode.)

Alan Sepinwall
Sr. Editor, What's Alan Watching

Alan Sepinwall has been reviewing television since the mid-'90s, first for Tony Soprano's hometown paper, The Star-Ledger, and now for HitFix. His new book, "The Revolution Was Televised," about the last 15 years of TV drama, is for sale at Amazon. He can be reached at sepinwall@hitfix.com

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JLong

Was it me? - or did anyone else spend the entire episode thinking, "What? - did they deliberately set out to make this guy act/look like McGee from NCIS?" whenever the young partner appeared on screen?
May 19, 2010 at 9:05PM EST Reply to Comment
- UnHoly Diver No, it's not just you. With the weight Sean Murray has lost, he and Colin Hanks could be twins. They even sound alike. As for the show; meh..
  May 19, 2010 at 11:41PM EST
- Misterpuff Colin is the love child of Tom and the straight-laced by-the-book cop on Psych. Those I can see some Probie there, more in the characterization.
  May 20, 2010 at 1:12AM EST
- Kabak who watches ncis?
  May 20, 2010 at 9:14AM EST
Flap Jackson

That Moo-Stash was awesome, and Colin Hanks did have a good moment or two, but the Good Guys was a factory-made bore. Of course Bradley Whitford hates computers. Of course they broke 30 rules. Of course they racked up a million dollars in damages (how did they come up with that figure exactly?). That's what 80s cop shows & movies do. However, there was no substance behind the flash.

Like Glee, where one usually tunes in for the music and simply muddles through the "story," one will tune into the Good Guys for the flash & the 80s references, but they'll try their best to muddle through the rest of it. Add to the fact that the story didn't make any sense, and it was tonally all over the place, and we reach the conclusion that I won't be tuning in again.

Still, we got a Mikhail from LOST sighting! That has to count for something, right? Yeah, I didn't think so.
May 19, 2010 at 9:11PM EST Reply to Comment
- Lisa I'd take the Glee comparison even further. Both are very kitschy shows that fail any time they try to be funnier than their inherently silly gimmicks. Not my cup of tea.
  May 20, 2010 at 4:10PM EST
pdf

This was really unfunny, the action was boring, and the music was overpowering. Oh, and the gunshot noise every time they changed scenes got really annoying around...oh, the first time it happened. I came in wanting to like it (the promos made me smile), but I will not be watching this show again.
May 19, 2010 at 10:09PM EST Reply to Comment
nic919

It seemed like Whitford was trying to do his best Gene Hunt 1.0 impression. I guess for a summer series it's okay, but I don't know if I will make an effort to watch it every week.
May 19, 2010 at 10:14PM EST Reply to Comment
Chris R

I enjoyed it. No, it's no Mad Men, or Justified for that matter, but it was a fun hour of TV. I'll watch this summer and will DVR this fall. There's always a place for some good, humorous, and maybe a bit intellectually light TV.
May 19, 2010 at 10:53PM EST Reply to Comment
- gerritv Chris, something tells me this show will be lucky to make it to the fall. That show was so bad, I sense an early summer cancellation.
  
  Whitford was too cartoony and didn't inveigh any substance to his character. Gene Hunt 1.0 may be an accurate description of Bradley's attempt but it is an insult to Philip Glenister's fully realized depiction of an 80s cop.
  
  Colin Hanks acting technique seems to only involve making a variety of perfectly inexplicable 'stanky' faces and shows no depth or range in his performance.
  
  Otherwise, the show is gimmicky and treacly. Other than it's choice of location, Dallas, it has no sign of originality.
  
  I feel bad for Jenny Wade.
  
  May 20, 2010 at 12:33PM EST
- biff865 @gerritv - Given the fall order (13), the timeslot (Friday w/ Human Target) and the fact that they are just staying in production, I think that Fox will give the show a chance on Fall Fridays w/ Human Target regardless of how it performs in the summer.
  May 20, 2010 at 4:13PM EST
VisionOn

Looks, feels, sounds ... like a cable show.

I thought it was fine. Not especially great but enough seeds sown to get me tuning in for a while. Needs to be funnier however. There were long stretches of nothing in particular happening and not enough good one-liners to make Stark standout. He's no challenge to Philip Glenister's Hunt. Not yet anyway.

If this was actually on something like USA it would probably be a solid addition to their schedule as a fun diversion. On network it just feels kind of underpowered next to all the big budget productions.
May 19, 2010 at 11:34PM EST Reply to Comment
It was fun but lacking substance. I don't know if I could keep watching it during the normal primetime seasons, but for the summer, it pairs up nicely with shows like Psych or Royal Pains.
May 19, 2010 at 11:34PM EST Reply to Comment
I enjoyed it, and it's making good and smart use of Dallas locations, but it seems to me a very odd sell for Fox, especially paired with Idol or SYTYCD (paired with Bones, it might be a different story). Reminded me more of a big budget, bigger starred version of a USA show than a Fox show, not that that's necessarily a bad thing.
May 19, 2010 at 11:38PM EST Reply to Comment
yossarian

I really wanted to like this. And I'll try it again later (pilots aren't always the best judge of a show's potential). But this was just not very good.

There's a fine line between toying with a cliche and aping it, it's a delicate balance, one I don't feel they achieved here.

Also, for a pilot, they sure spent a lot of time on characters that I'm assuming aren't going to be featured in the series - so that was an odd choice.

Ultimately, too much sizzle - very little steak. Altogether a very disappointing start.
May 19, 2010 at 11:56PM EST Reply to Comment
- biff865 I agree it just seemed really pilotty - which is because its a pilot. It was an hour of jumping up and down waving arms - "This is the show we're going to do!" If they can tone some of the stuff down just a little (it should still be fun) i think it can be a good watch.
  
  May 20, 2010 at 4:10PM EST
BigTed

"Burn Notice" is all about the characters and the spycraft lessons, with the occasional shootout or explosion thrown in for good measure. This show was pretty much constant shooting, beyond the point where I cared who was shooting at whom, or why.

I actually think Whitford's character could be fun (he's sort of like the opposite of "Life on Mars" -- an old-school cop in a modern world). But Hanks, while a fine actor, isn't as charming as he's supposed to be, and his relationship with the inevitably beautiful blonde DA could be taken from any detective show from the past 10 years.

So this is another show from a bunch of talented people that just doesn't work. I doubt it will last long, but I hope everyone involved will find better projects soon.
May 20, 2010 at 12:40AM EST Reply to Comment
- Alex Stone So I wasn't the only one who thought of Life on Mars- especially with the flask save (admittedly a well-worn trope, but bleeding whiskey! and the multiple flask reveals).
  
  Overall incredibly cartoony, which made the attempts at serious character moments even more jarring. I mean, is it really weird that Bradley Whitford acts like he's in an 80s TV show when apparently his world *is* an 80s TV show? I did really like Nia Vardalos though. And it's not like summer TV is exactly hopping.
  
  Burning question: is obsession with mustaches just a guy thing?
  May 20, 2010 at 1:13AM EST
cadfile

This was just too on the nose with the 80's parody and bored me. The third shoot out where no one is hit was too much and the musical cues made no real sense.

I spotted all the references but why cram them all into one show and down my throat.

Still might sample some more episodes but really don't think this will last.
May 20, 2010 at 1:07AM EST Reply to Comment
- gerritv I agree with your comment about the music. This show needs a new music supervisor. The music does little in moving the story forward or invoking the atmosphere of Dallas (whether it be present day or in the eighties).
  
  If they continue to use this type of musical background, they should consider using the original artist's recordings instead of hack covers.
  May 20, 2010 at 12:45PM EST
I'd give it a C+. It picked up some steam as it went along, but while there were a few chuckles at some of the more farcical aspects, the majority of it was fairly tedious, especially any and all interactions with the boss/squad room/DA. From a structural perspective, Nix has just placed so much emphasis on a few stylistic and satirical elements that there isn't room for even the bare minimum of plot and character development necessary to float the series. Far worse, most of those elements didn't work. The flashbacks seemed clever once there was a chance to get used to them, but the bullet noises were just a nuisance, as was the overbearing soundtrack, the gunfights weren't sleek OR funny, and Brad Whitfords constant drinking and faux machismo didn't amuse me in the least. I don't think there's enough to bring viewers back, and beyond that, there's not much worth saying.
May 20, 2010 at 2:27AM EST Reply to Comment
drake

fyi - Ram Jam's "Black Betty" didn't make it into the broadcast version of the pilot.
May 20, 2010 at 2:57AM EST Reply to Comment
Over Orabove

I had a lot of fun watching this episode regardless of its drawbacks. It helped that I am comfortable with Colin Hanks, and it's easy for me to appreciate Bradley Whitford play exaggerated extreme. I only wish Andrew Divoff were a regular. I'd rather see his character stick around than anybody else, even if next week it were an entirely different cop show.

The only time the wall came down for me was when I was wishing there was something for their police superior to do that would make me understand why they would cast that actress for the part. The pawn shop thief was a bit weak for me until they revealed he'll be recurring as an informant. I do wish they kept the original title. Code 58 sounds cooler than The Good Guys, which itself is pretty bland.

To sum up, The Good Guys pilot was shaky, but fun enough for me to take a second chance.
May 20, 2010 at 4:05AM EST Reply to Comment
Ally

I'll watch next week b/c I do like the two leads, but it wasn't as funny as I was expecting. The premise is fun, but the action needs a little more work.
May 20, 2010 at 8:20AM EST Reply to Comment
JWIII

The gun shots with every scene switch was soooooooooooooooooooooooooooo annoying.

I don't like this show.
May 20, 2010 at 12:23PM EST Reply to Comment
olucy

I liked it. I think they go too far in portraying Whitford as a throwback to the 80s, but I thought the rest was a lot of fun. I kept getting this "Get Shorty" vibe throughout, then remembered this morning that Alan mentioned some of the characters have a bit of an Elmore Leonard flavor to them. I agree. I'll watch again.
May 20, 2010 at 4:37PM EST Reply to Comment
Garron

I didn't mind it, if they focussed more on the comedy aspects. And not going to lie, I laughed a lot with the bullets missing. Too much cliche though (especially the bureaucratic stuff). And I don't know why, but I feel like this show would be much better as a 20ish minute show.
May 20, 2010 at 7:02PM EST Reply to Comment
Tom

I enjoyed its quirkiness -- the idea that Mikhail from "Lost" was the world's "2nd best assassin"; Stark's "good cop/sick cop" -- but worry that this premise is going to get old very quickly.

ps -- I kind of wish Alan would retire "police that moostash," which I found far less amusing during "Generation Kill" than the rest of the TV watching public did. (Maybe because that loudmouth little sergeant was such a hateful character.
May 20, 2010 at 7:14PM EST Reply to Comment
buzmeg

What a P.O.S.
May 21, 2010 at 10:20AM EST Reply to Comment
SpyTV

Fox re-ran this, so I decided to check it out. It is rare that someone tries a 1-hour action comedy. The only one I know of, and I think very successfully executed, is Chuck. However Good Guys, not so much. This was just painful to get through. First I thought not so much action comedy, but procedural comedy (and I really don't like procedurals, I purposely avoid that NCIS/L and Order show---it is all one show right :)? ) Then I realized there was not much comedy here. It is difficult to parody buddy cop shows of the 70's and 80's when those shows became parodies of themselves. It would take a glowing review of a subsequent episode to get me to try this one again.
June 2, 2010 at 12:21PM EST Reply to Comment
SpyTV

I want to add this show was especially disappointing because Burn Notice is one of my favorite shows on the air, I wanted to see what else Matt Nix could do.
June 2, 2010 at 12:23PM EST Reply to Comment

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'The Good Guys' - 'Pilot': Po-lice that moo-stash!

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Comments

Option 1

Option 2

Option 3

JLong Was it me? - or did anyone else spend the entire episode thinking, "What? - did they deliberately set out to make this guy act/look like McGee from NCIS?" whenever the young partner appeared on screen?

UnHoly Diver No, it's not just you. With the weight Sean Murray has lost, he and Colin Hanks could be twins. They even sound alike. As for the show; meh..

Misterpuff Colin is the love child of Tom and the straight-laced by-the-book cop on Psych. Those I can see some Probie there, more in the characterization.

Kabak who watches ncis?

Lisa I'd take the Glee comparison even further. Both are very kitschy shows that fail any time they try to be funnier than their inherently silly gimmicks. Not my cup of tea.

nic919 It seemed like Whitford was trying to do his best Gene Hunt 1.0 impression. I guess for a summer series it's okay, but I don't know if I will make an effort to watch it every week.

Chris R I enjoyed it. No, it's no Mad Men, or Justified for that matter, but it was a fun hour of TV. I'll watch this summer and will DVR this fall. There's always a place for some good, humorous, and maybe a bit intellectually light TV.

biff865 @gerritv - Given the fall order (13), the timeslot (Friday w/ Human Target) and the fact that they are just staying in production, I think that Fox will give the show a chance on Fall Fridays w/ Human Target regardless of how it performs in the summer.

It was fun but lacking substance. I don't know if I could keep watching it during the normal primetime seasons, but for the summer, it pairs up nicely with shows like Psych or Royal Pains.

biff865 I agree it just seemed really pilotty - which is because its a pilot. It was an hour of jumping up and down waving arms - "This is the show we're going to do!" If they can tone some of the stuff down just a little (it should still be fun) i think it can be a good watch.

drake fyi - Ram Jam's "Black Betty" didn't make it into the broadcast version of the pilot.

Ally I'll watch next week b/c I do like the two leads, but it wasn't as funny as I was expecting. The premise is fun, but the action needs a little more work.

JWIII The gun shots with every scene switch was soooooooooooooooooooooooooooo annoying.I don't like this show.

Garron I didn't mind it, if they focussed more on the comedy aspects. And not going to lie, I laughed a lot with the bullets missing. Too much cliche though (especially the bureaucratic stuff). And I don't know why, but I feel like this show would be much better as a 20ish minute show.

buzmeg What a P.O.S.

SpyTV I want to add this show was especially disappointing because Burn Notice is one of my favorite shows on the air, I wanted to see what else Matt Nix could do.

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JLong

Was it me? - or did anyone else spend the entire episode thinking, "What? - did they deliberately set out to make this guy act/look like McGee from NCIS?" whenever the young partner appeared on screen?

nic919

It seemed like Whitford was trying to do his best Gene Hunt 1.0 impression. I guess for a summer series it's okay, but I don't know if I will make an effort to watch it every week.

Chris R

I enjoyed it. No, it's no Mad Men, or Justified for that matter, but it was a fun hour of TV. I'll watch this summer and will DVR this fall. There's always a place for some good, humorous, and maybe a bit intellectually light TV.

drake

fyi - Ram Jam's "Black Betty" didn't make it into the broadcast version of the pilot.

Ally

I'll watch next week b/c I do like the two leads, but it wasn't as funny as I was expecting. The premise is fun, but the action needs a little more work.

JWIII

The gun shots with every scene switch was soooooooooooooooooooooooooooo annoying.

I don't like this show.

Garron

I didn't mind it, if they focussed more on the comedy aspects. And not going to lie, I laughed a lot with the bullets missing. Too much cliche though (especially the bureaucratic stuff). And I don't know why, but I feel like this show would be much better as a 20ish minute show.

buzmeg

What a P.O.S.

SpyTV

I want to add this show was especially disappointing because Burn Notice is one of my favorite shows on the air, I wanted to see what else Matt Nix could do.

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