'Charlie's Angels' review: An unnecessary reboot

It was hard to put our finger just exactly on what we didn't like about "Charlie's Angels." It's a flashy show full of hot girls kicking butt, taking names and solving crimes, set in glitzy Miami. It's not trying to be the next Best Drama Emmy winner, so what's not to like?

We finally figured it out - hot girls kicking butt are everywhere. Maybe back in 1976 this concept was unique and new. But now, from shows like "Alias" to "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" to "Nikita," it has become commonplace to see hot chick action stars. So a "Charlie's Angels" reboot has to offer something else in order to work.

And it doesn't.

The premiere episode is heavy on the exposition - there is a whole big backstory with ex-military angel Gloria (Nadine Velazquez), who is killed (sorry, it happens early, it's not a spoiler) and then replaced by street racer Eve French (Minka Kelly), a childhood friend of Gloria's. Eve joins angels Abby Sampson (Rachael Taylor), a socialite turned cat burglar, and Kate Prince (Annie Ilonzeh), a former police officer who went corrupt.

They investigate Gloria's murder and boom, we have three new angels.

Perhaps the show will improve. There was a lot of information to convey in the premiere episode and with that out of the way, maybe it'll get better. But the writing was clunky and cheesy, and the acting was pretty stiff. Kelly, who showed great depth and range on "Friday Night Lights" and "Parenthood," was the least believable as the kick-butt auto mechanic street racer, but nobody was wowing us with their performances.

Since the girls who kick butt are everywhere nowadays, for "Charlie's Angels" to succeed, perhaps it needs to swing the other way. Maybe if it doesn't take itself too seriously and goes full-on camp and humor (like the first movie did), it could be a fun series.

But if your DVR is getting full, there are many other new fall shows you should check out before "Charlie's Angels."

"Charlie's Angels" premieres at 8 p.m. ET Thursday (Sept. 22) on ABC.