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Review: FOX's 'Drive'
FOX, Tim Minear and the critics are engaged in a game of chicken that stretches back several years. It's an amiable sort of agreement wherein Minear executive produces a show (think Firefly, Wonderfalls or The Inside), critics say mostly nice things about the show and FOX cancels the show in 13 episodes if not fewer.
Since Minear's paychecks keep clearing and FOX continues to air American Idol, the only real losers in the deal are fans who tune in for the shows, enjoy them and then never get closure. The latest entry in this eternal struggle is Drive, a fast-paced new show that FOX will premiere over three hours and two nights on Sunday (April 15) and Monday.
The most unexpected thing about Drive isn't that it's a creatively solid offering -- the premise is a high concept slam dunk and Minear has a gift for sculpting appealing anti-heroes -- but that FOX seems determined to do right by the show after a season of failures with new scripted programming. While previous Minear shows have been dumped with minimal promotion on low-rated nights, Drive arrives carried by a relentless ad blitz and it's getting a shot on FOX's most fertile night for serialized dramas, before 24 on Mondays, where Prison Break has been a solid performer.
While FOX was willfully uninterested in the success or failure of Wonderfalls or The Inside and somewhat actively conspired to crush Firefly, the network may want to keep Drive and its ensemble cast around. What the heck are Minear and co-creator Ben Queen going to do if Drive actually succeeds? It's not, at least on its surface, a show designed to drive off into syndication.
Drive is about participants in an illegal cross-country roadrace for $32 million, which makes it pretty familiar stuff for fans of Deathrace 2000 or Cannonball Run or even Vanishing Point. Like those vehicles (as well as endurance challenge classics like They Shoot Horses, Don't They? and the Stephen King novella The Long Walk), the race itself is almost secondary to the participants and their individual motives for racing. Our entry point into the competition is Alex Tully (Minear's ideal designated mouthpiece Nathan Fillion), a landscaper thrust into the race after his wife (Amy Acker) is kidnapped. We slowly meet other racers including a trio of Hurricane Katrina survivors (Taryn Manning, Rochelle Aytes and Michael Hyatt), a father-daughter pairing (Dylan Baker and Emma Stone), an ex-con and his half-brother (Kevin Alejandro and J.D. Pardo), a soldier and his girlfriend (Riley Smith and Mircea Monroe), plus a somewhat unstable new mother (Melanie Lynskey). There's also a mysterious blonde (Kirstin Lehman) and Mr. Bright (Charles Martin Smith), the designated liaison for the unseen forces behind the race.
Critics have only been sent two episodes, but Fillion and Lynskey are the early cast standouts. Most of the characters debut half-sketched archetypes, so familiar faces like Baker, Manning and Lehman (showing previously untapped humor) are assets. With dozens of other racers in the background, it's also easy to imagine the producers being able to introduce future Nikki and Paolos at their leisure.
The pilot, directed by Greg Yaitanes, is a technical marvel, since the central driving action is constructed almost entirely out of second unit stunt work and in-car green screen material. The degree of difficulty is evident in the fact that just days before the show's premiere, critics were being sent early footage that isn't close to TV-ready. In its more polished moments, Drive is like nothing you've seen before on TV.
That last comment isn't entirely a compliment. The first two hours contain an awful lot of swooping camerawork and quicksilver editing, but very little to emotionally hold onto. Yeah, the racers all have their various dramas, but the two episodes airing Sunday never slow down long enough for anything to sink in. Also, while I'm intrigued to see where the show goes on Monday (and into the future) the lack of a Sunday night cliffhanger may blunt the audience carryover.
Check in after you watch the episodes on Sunday and let us know what you think...
I would check the episodes tonight (Friday) on CTV in Canada, but in this country, hockey trumps anything else at this time of year. I'll try to watch it on Sunday
Colin | Apr 13, 2007 4:20:02 PM | #I'm like Colin - could've checked it out today; however, until maybe an hour ago (i.e. already 30-45 minutes into the show) I didn't even know it was on CTV today. They originally announced it as premiering next Friday.
I too will check it out on Sunday - I'm going to have to remember to watch the repeat of The Dresden Files at 3 am (well I'll record both and watch them whenever but you know what I mean).
Rishi | Apr 13, 2007 6:42:15 PM | #Can't wait! Absolutely loved Nathan Fillion in Firefly, Serenity and on Buffy. I'm still not over the raw deal we got on Firefly. While this doesn't sound like it's even close to something I'd like, I like Nathan enough to give it a go for however long they air it. It will, however, have to be recorded since Dresden is on tonight and I can't even imagine missing Paul Blackthorne as Harry!!
JK | Apr 15, 2007 10:34:19 AM | #I've just seen episode 1... It's great, what can I say ? I thought it will be just a show about cars&speed, but it's so much more that that. Has a Heroes feel to it(the characters, the editing). Good follower to Prison Break. Give it a try!
marius (ro) | Apr 15, 2007 10:36:51 AM | #Saw Sunday night and it kept me intrigued enough to watch tonight. It left me happily frustrated and wanting more answers. Charles Martin Smith is wonderfully evil...or is he?
I do, however, have a problem with this article. I can't get Daniel Fienberg's grammar error out of my head..it's like stupid song running through my brain. It's not 'a illegal' - it's 'an illegal'. Sorry, couldn't help myself.
**Hey, don't pick on my grammar, I'm not paid to write well**
Dee | Apr 16, 2007 4:59:49 AM | #I would call that more of a typo than a grammar error, and blame his editor. *g*
ames | Apr 16, 2007 5:03:13 AM | #I wasn't to excited to see the show, but gave it a try, 5 minutes in, I was hooked!!! Love the story line, thought it would have the usual cheesy tv script, but the writers did a good job, felt more like watching a movie, and like the majority of the cast, the 2 hour premiere flew by, I could have watched another 2 hours..
billyboy420 | Apr 16, 2007 5:33:10 AM | #Great! Loved it! Compelling characters, and very enjoyable. I hope that Fox does right by this series.
Alan | Apr 16, 2007 6:43:53 AM | #No need for anybody to take blame or have unfortunate gaffes stuck in their heads. Like all typos on this blog, they're easily made and easily fixed. Ta-da!
I'm glad people are liking the show. I'm looking forward to watching tonight's episode with actual finished special effects...
-Daniel
Daniel Fienberg | Apr 16, 2007 7:23:39 AM | #I'd been looking forward to this show since I first heard Tim Minear was coming on board (being the dyed-in-the-wool Whedonite/Browncoat that I am, whatever the connotations of those terms ;D), and it didn't disappoint. It easily stands up to Minear's previous offerings, and his talent for casting the right people has not dimmed.
I would agree that some of the characters were given short shrift in the opening two hours (for example, we know from the promos that Ivy, Leigh and Susan are Katrina survivors, but that hasn't even been mentioned yet), and it does make it hard to care about some of their "adventures". Although, the little glimpses we do get of the secondary characters (Ellie deleting Rob's voicemail from his army buddy, everything to do with Winston *swoon*) are well done and easily convince the viewer of their motivations and stories.
The technical stuff is awesome, and it's hard to believe that most of the show is shot on green-screen. Incredible work, and it deserves some Emmy nominations when the time comes.
I'm looking forward to the next episodes (only four left before it's hiatus, dammit Fox!), and I hope against hope the ratings improve on Monday nights.
Patrick | Apr 16, 2007 8:38:15 AM | #Great show! Great script, great acting and great concept.
To bad it is on Fox. I swore I wouldn't watch any new shoes on Fox after Firefly was cancelled. I am sure the halfwit executives at Fox will cancel the show just as it starts to get good. A shame really. Oh well, watch it while you can it will be gone before you know it.
nisleib | Apr 16, 2007 8:45:18 AM | #I really think people need to give FOX a little more credit (but only a little). I know Firefly didn't last, but remember, FOX put it on Fridays, where they actually did have a history of some success with sci fi flavored shows (remember The X-Files?), but, as great as it was, no one turned out to watch. Also, remember that this is the network that could have killed 24 after a poorly rated season one, but didn't.
That said, both my wife and I really enjoyed the premier last night. I think my wife said it best: "It's like watching a movie, and I feel like I just lost several brain cells, but I'll definitely keep watching!"
Pete | Apr 16, 2007 8:56:09 AM | #Great show so far. The fast pace nature of the show is a breathe of fresh air when compared to the slow creeping pace of shows like Lost
Ray | Apr 16, 2007 9:01:19 AM | #THIS SHOW FREAKING ROCKS .ONE HELL OF A GOOD RIDE . WAY TO GO FOX THIS ONE IS A WINNER.
Ed Mrasz jr | Apr 16, 2007 10:02:48 AM | #Great, fun show but the mountains in the background when they are supposed to be in south Florida was distracting.
rick james | Apr 16, 2007 10:23:47 AM | #I kind of like this show. Takes a page from Prison Break with a shadow group involved in making life hell for the racers.
Still this shadow group is just not as intresting as 'The Company' in Prison Break. Great ideal but Drive may be a failure. Still I am watching it and it has my attention. Just don't aganist Heroes cause that show will trump Drive.
Don McCullen | Apr 16, 2007 11:12:10 AM | #LOVED it!
Taped Drive and watched it after TDF and stayed up until 2am because I couldn't get enough!
HUGE fan of Nathan Fillion and Tim Minnear ... can't wait til 8pm tonight!
koiwitch | Apr 16, 2007 11:24:03 AM | #*Awesome*! Great plot to keep us guessing; the characters are well-drawn and intriguing in their own right; and the dialogue is top-notch! Am defintely on board for the season. Watched the premiere twice (Friday night and Sunday night), and will be home in front of the TV for tonight's episode on Fox! I'm telling everyone I know...I already can't get enough of this show! :)
marajade29sm | Apr 16, 2007 11:44:39 AM | #It was better then I hoped it would be!
Alex | Apr 16, 2007 2:21:59 PM | #Awesome show! But where does it go?
David | Apr 16, 2007 4:22:25 PM | #Monday night the race is still in Flordia. Maybe they could have moved the cameras so the southern CA. mountains didn't show in the background.
I watched sunday and monday, the road backgrounds are poor at best. The driving is a joke so tonight is my last show.
This one wont last long...
Rick H | Apr 16, 2007 6:19:26 PM | #We taped Sunday's night "Drive" and didn't watch it until Monday....then didn't realize it was on again tonight. Is there going to be a repeat of it?
Kristin | Apr 16, 2007 8:24:36 PM | #Drive - a lowbrow entertainment. Lacks the subtlety & intelligence of Firefly. Fox should do the right thing and bring back Firefly or sell its rights to someone who will.
Pierre | Apr 17, 2007 5:57:52 AM | #I LOVED it. I am so hooked. I can't wait until next week. I love the twists and turns and the character development.
Kate | Apr 17, 2007 11:28:19 AM | #
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