Last night's ep was actually great. I cringed when it turned out to be Sayid-centric because despite his bad-assery I'm usually bored to sleep with episodes that have him as the featured character. But it turned out good. Not looking forward to a Kate episode though. Blah. I usually skip her episodes. Maybe they'll surprise me this week though.
I was doing some work so I left the TV on ABC and caught Eli Stone. I get how the idea of a guy with a, uh, brain thing "participating" in visions is unique and funny. I totally get that. I actually enjoyed when he'd get thrown into a vision and then find himself under a table or something. Eli himself is actually an okay guy, too. But the side characters are all stale cliches from other sources. The episode I saw presented Eli with at least three individual dilemmas:
1) Eli attempts to convince his doctor brother to lie and say that Eli is physically well when he's not.
2) Eli, an attorney, is faced with the knowledge that a boy has committed perjury and said he was abused by his father. Apparently, the boy and his parents are participating in a scheme to get the mother, a member of the National Guard deployed in Iraq, discharged from the military. Eli discovers this and must decide whether or not to tell the truth.
3) Eli must deal with his "being a prophet" and decide whether or not to burden his fiancee with this.
Each one of these could've presented some depth to this show. Instead, it is dealt with in the most predictable, trite manner possible.
Eli's doctor brother says he can't lie and makes a fuss and then later lies rather easily. Eli's boss-- his prospective father-in-law no less-- remarks that the doctor who signed the papers declaring Eli has a clear bill of health is also a Stone. How the hell does he not know Eli has a brother that's a doctor? With the same last name no less!?
Eli lets the family get away with their cheesy-ass scheme. We see it coming from miles away.
Eli breaks up with his fiancee. She's all, "Eli no blah blah" and he plays this noble martyr role. Of course he was gonna break up with her. The audience knows this because this show is predictable enough to do that, Eli has little devotion to the woman in the first place, and we are set up to accept a possible romantic rival for Eli's affection. Lame.
So much more could've been done with this show. If it lasts beyond two seasons continuing in this direction, I'll be shocked.
