Editor's Review

The 22

(July 20th, 2011.)               Leelee Sobieski, Adam Goldberg, Judy Marte, Tom Reed, Stark Sands, Harold House Moore and Terry Kinney star in the one hour police drama The 22, coming to CBS as a mid season replacement.

From Robert De Niro and Jane Rosenthal comes The 22, which follows six diverse NYPD rookies as they patrol the gritty streets of upper Manhattan.  The new trainees include Jennifer "White House" Perry (Sobieski), a former college volleyball star and Marine MP in Iraq with a take-charge attitude; Ray "Lazarus" Harper (Goldberg), the oldest rookie and a former police news reporter with better sources than many seasoned cops; Tonya Sanchez (Marte), who comes from a family with a criminal history and has a very personal connection inside the force; Ahmad "Kiterunner" Kahn (Reed), an Afghani native who fought his way to freedom; Kenny McClaren (Sands), a fourth-generation police officer with great instincts but qualms about joining the force; and Jayson Toney (House Moore), a young basketball legend who squandered his opportunity in the NBA.  Their demanding Field Training Officer, Daniel "Yoda" Dean (Kinney), is a case-hardened, unsentimental veteran of the force who emphasizes basics and holds each cop accountable for their actions.  With unique backgrounds, personalities and reasons for being on the force, the new cops will make their share of rookie mistakes while they figure out how to relate to their boss, each other and to the people they swore to protect.

It would be very easy to label this police drama as the New York version of Rookie Blue. But really, the only thing the two shows have in common is a focus on rookie cops who are joining two very different police forces. Each show offers something unique. But both shows depend on a similar element for success. Their characters need to be interesting enough to add the second dimension to their respective dramas. Both offerings already deliver a procedural police drama that is unique to their particular area of the country.

I like the diversity of the characters offered in this drama. Most go against the traditional New York Cop stereotype, but each is coming to the job for the right reasons. The different background stories will help to drive this character drama forward. I also like the element of the New York street cop who is so new on the job that they are walking a beat. It gives the audience a chance to learn about police work from the ground up.

This police drama could be the next NYPD Blue, or disappear in a few episodes, the difference will come from the scripts and the performances of the actors. So far both writing and acting have been strong, but it will have to stay that way if this drama is to overcome the odds. There have been a lot of cop shows on TV in the past. This one has to find new ground or it will not make the cut. So far, I`m seeing a good show, but I`ll need to see a great one.

 

 - Editor