(June 20th, 2011)               Poppy Montgomery, Dylan Walsh, Michael Gaston, Kevin Rankin and Daya Vaidya star in the unconventional police drama, Unforgettable, debuting on CBS Tuesdays at 10pm, this fall.

Montgomery stars as Carrie Wells, an enigmatic former police detective with a rare condition that makes her memory so flawless that every place, every conversation, every moment of joy and every heartbreak is forever embedded in her mind.  It's not just that she doesn't forget anything, she can't; except for one thing: the details that would help solve her sister's long-ago murder. Carrie has tried to put her past behind her, but she's unexpectedly reunited with her ex-boyfriend and partner, NYPD Detective Al Burns (Walsh), when she consults on a homicide case.  His squad includes Det. Mike Costello (Gaston), Al's right-hand man; Detective Roe Saunders (Rankin), the junior member of the team; and Detective Nina Inara (Vaidya), a sassy, street-smart cop.  Being back on the job after a break feels surprisingly right for Carrie.  Despite her conflicted feelings for Al, she decides to permanently join his unit as a detective solving homicides, most notably, the unsolved murder of her sister.  All she needs to do is remember.

The idea of a detective drama based on someone with a photographic memory is a compelling way to create yet another crime drama. But because television is filled with police dramas, this one may not be able to deliver anything new enough or different enough to stand out from the crowd. The performances of both stars are strong enough and the script is supporting enough and smart enough. The supporting cast of New York detectives are also very believable as cops and interesting as people. But all that will be for nothing if the network does not promote this series as something new and interesting.

Showing the star, with a perfect memory, caring for her aging mother who has Alzheimer's disease, is the ultimate irony. If this plot line is allowed to develop, it may become a deeper and even more meaningful part of this drama. It can also become a way to bring more light on a disease that not only robs the victim of memory, it robs them of their dignity.

The writers have gone to great lengths to create a script that focuses on the talents of the leading character. But those same writers are rather light with the facts when they are taking us through the basic procedures of a police investigation on a murder case. I suggest they hire an NYPD detective as a consultant in order to fix a few details that are standing out and taking attention away from the story.

The possibility of rekindling a past romance between the stars is a nice hook that will keep this drama propelling forward. The more different ways that this story tries to reel in the viewer, the better it will fair in the ratings.

This drama is smart, real and very human. The cast and crew of this drama have succeeded in bringing their vision to the screen in a pilot episode. That is a difficult thing to do and they should be congratulated for their hard work. That said, it is now up to this show's publicity people to get the word out there. To make sure the audience knows that this show is different and see that it does not become lost in the crowd of other cop shows.

 

 - Editor

All Content Copyright © 2011 TVVIEW.TV - All Rights Reserved.