TENSE TIMES AT 'THE ACADEMY'.Byline: David Kronke Television Critic I'm probably risking a speeding ticket Ask a Lawyer Question Country: United States of America State: Ohio I was traveling on a two lane street with an officer driving toward me in the opposite direction. in the near future for saying this, but tonight's inaugural installment of "The Academy," Fox Reality's new series about recruits training to become Los Angeles Los Angeles (lôs ăn`jələs, lŏs, ăn`jəlēz'), city (1990 pop. 3,485,398), seat of Los Angeles co., S Calif.; inc. 1850. County Deputy Sheriffs, grows quickly tiresome. "The Academy" is kind of like CBS' failed show "Armed and Famous," except the recruits here aren't faded celebrities and they're based in L.A., not Muncie, Ind., so the stakes are a lot higher. Tonight's episode opens with the requisite glib scene-setter: "Los Angeles, California - known for its Hollywood glamour and beautiful beaches, but it also has its dark side." I thought the Hollywood glamour was its dark side. This series follows a class of recruits through their 18-week training period, but tonight's premiere only covers the first few days -- including Day One, Black Monday Black Monday, Oct. 19, 1987, in U.S. history, day of financial panic. The Dow Jones Average fell 508.32 points, a drop of 22.6%, the largest since 1914. The point decline as well as the volume, 604.33 million shares, exceeded previous records. , as it's familiarly known. Sgt. Mark Wilkins Mark Wilkins refers to:
And so, much of tonight's episode is given over to the teachers -- including one ominously referred to as "The Ramrod ram·rod n. 1. A rod used to force the charge into a muzzleloading firearm. 2. A rod used to clean the barrel of a firearm. 3. A harshly demanding overseer; a disciplinarian. tr.v. " -- essentially bullying and barking at their tremulous tremulous /trem·u·lous/ (-u-lus) pertaining to or characterized by tremors. trem·u·lous adj. Characterized by tremor. charges and forcing them into performing calisthenics calisthenics: see aerobics. calisthenics Systematic rhythmic bodily exercises (e.g., jumping jacks, push-ups), usually performed without apparatus. in their business suits. (These people want to protect and serve, and this is the treatment they get?) All this has a purpose, it's explained -- it trains these aspiring law enforcers to respond clear-headedly to chaotic situations -- but here, it's depicted so repeatedly that it becomes dramatically monotonous. This is hardly the fault of the brave men and women who have chosen to serve L.A. County, nor their dedicated instructors (read that: Please don't give me a ticket; I wasn't going that fast, and besides, my car's make just has a reputation for exceeding speed limits). Rather, the producers chose to take a simple idea and ramrod it into the ground. Future episodes will no doubt be more compelling, as the recruits perform field tasks, but tonight's episode -- the only one made available for review -- does not get "The Academy" off to an auspicious start. David Kronke, (818) 713-3638 david.kronke@dailynews.com THE ACADEMY - Two stars What: Reality series about recruits training to join the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department This article is about the Los Angeles County Sherriff's Department, not to be confused with the smaller Los Angeles County Police The Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department (LASD) is a local law enforcement agency that serves Los Angeles County, California. . Where: Fox Reality. When: 5 and 9 p.m. today; 1 and 6 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. Saturday, 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. Sunday. In a nutshell: Tonight's installment grows quickly repetitive. CAPTION(S): photo Photo: "The Academy," premiering at 9 tonight on Fox Reality, follows the intense, 18-week process of preparing recruits to become Los Angeles County Sheriff's deputies. |
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