CRIT-O-MATIC COOKIE-CUTTER REVIEWS FOR COOKIE-CUTTER TV.Byline: - David Kronke COLD CASE - Three stars Logline: Philadelphia homicide detective Lilly Rush (Kathryn Morris Kathryn Morris (born January 28, 1969) is an American actress, perhaps best known for her lead role in the CBS series Cold Case. Biography Career Her first role was a minor part in the 1991 telemovie Long Road Home. ) takes on long-unsolved cases. From the Jerry Bruckheimer crime-procedural laboratories: Instead of the molecular re-creations of crimes of the ``CSI'' shows or the white-out disappearances of victims in ``Without a Trace,'' here, images flash back and forth between the time of the crime and the present day. Noteworthy performances: Morris makes for a disarmingly disingenuous and flirtatious flir·ta·tious adj. 1. Given to flirting. 2. Full of playful allure: a flirtatious glance. flir·ta interrogator; ultimately, her suspects haven't got a chance. Originality: Two stars Credibility: Three stars Effectively dramatic moments: The show trucks in exploiting the long- simmering grief of the victim's friends and family, who are shocked that Lilly still cares after all these years. Who should get a raise: The makeup team that transposes the actors playing the suspects and witnesses between the present day and the oblique past. Where: CBS (Cell Broadcast Service) See cell broadcast. (Channel 2). When: 8 tonight. In a nutshell: Another capably handled crime-procedural series; its only question mark is viewer burnout Burnout Depletion of a tax shelter's benefits. In the context of mortgage backed securities it refers to the percentage of the pool that has prepaid their mortgage. on the genre. 10-8 - Two stars Logline: Had this been made a quarter-century ago, it might've been the template for every buddy-cop show ever made: Former New York New York, state, United States New York, Middle Atlantic state of the United States. It is bordered by Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut, and the Atlantic Ocean (E), New Jersey and Pennsylvania (S), Lakes Erie and Ontario and the Canadian province of roustabout Rico Amonte (Danny Nucci) trains for the L.A. County Sheriff's Department, where he's teamed with contentious veteran John Henry Barnes (Ernie Hudson). They don't get along. The title is police code for ``on patrol.'' Noteworthy performances: Hudson makes for a credible cop, while Nucci's a little more problematic, but neither can bring anything fresh to their stock characters. Originality: One star Credibility: Two stars Cliche count: Off the chart. The police hazing the trainees (Barnes dismisses Amonte as ``wet spot''; another tells him, ``You're a poster boy for birth control'') seem to come from Screenwriting 101, as does the plot line, which has the rookie screwing up, questioning his abilities, then redeeming himself. Barnes barks, ``I refuse to carry your memory for the rest of my life.'' Requisite romance: A stripper Stripper Slang for an individual homeowner who strips the equity out of his or her home through mortgage refinancing. Proceeds are generally not re-invested, but spent on consumer goods. Notes: Most people get rich by saving and investing wisely. takes an unlikely liking to Amonte. Nucci's voice-over narration adds precious little. Where: ABC ABC in full American Broadcasting Co. Major U.S. television network. It began when the expanding national radio network NBC split into the separate Red and Blue networks in 1928. (Channel 7). When: 8 tonight. In a nutshell: Strictly generic. Those who have seen this kind of thing ad infinitum will no doubt be reminded of Danny Glover's refrain in the ``Lethal Weapon'' movies: ``I'm getting too old for this (excrement excrement /ex·cre·ment/ (eks´kri-mint) 1. feces. 2. excretion (2). ex·cre·ment n. Waste matter or any excretion cast out of the body, especially feces. ).'' CAPTION(S): 2 photos Photo: (1) Kathryn Morris (2) Danny Nucci, below left and Ernie Hudson |
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