Pilot Review
Ashley Judd’s new series Missing packed with motorcycle chases, gunfights, close quarters combat, and narrow escapes.
A Female Bourne is born.
The critics from Time and The New York Times were less than enthusiastic. But then again critics are hard to please. Pilot received mixed reviews.
The only female action hero on prime time television is Nikita played by Maggie Q. Move aside to Maggie for Judd is on her way around the world to elbow-punch, kick-box anyone who stands in her way.
Story about a woman named Rebecca Winstone. The show started with tragedy as her husband killed in a car bomb explosion in Vienna.
Storyline moved forward 10 years. Her son Michael all grown up ready to go to college. In Italy no less. Rebecca’s not pleased but agreed.
When her son does not return her calls, Rebecca discovered he dropped out of class. She immediately got on a plane to Italy to find her son. Through surveillance footage from a store that she broke into, she discovered her son Michael had been kidnapped. By whom? Unclear. Why? Unclear.
The emotion Ashley Judd evoked felt real.
I knew Rebecca wasn’t an ordinary flower shop worker or soccer mom. Her jog sequence at the beginning of the show reminded me of the opening jog sequence in Silence of the Lambs.
I will agree with the critics there wasn’t much suspense when it was unveiled Rebecca was an ex-CIA agent. Retired 10 years.
That first action sequence Rebecca disarmed a man with a coat hanger. She went all Kill Bill on him. I was HOOKED! It was like watching an action movie on television.
Missing created by screenwriter Gregory Poirier wrote National Treasure: Book of Secrets. Expect to see a tremendous amount of action and world travel. But not FAKE world travel like you see in Nikita or the canceled show Alias.
Beautiful scenery of Rome. Ashley’s character spoke Italian and French and there were subtitles! Very original. Missing really had the spirit of espionage.
In a night scene Rebecca found herself trapped by several men with guns. She fired at them then broke into a motorcycle shop. We see a Vespa prominently displayed at the front window. Will she do it? Will she do it?
HELL YA!
She drove a Vespa right through the window. I found that exhilarating. The train cab close quarters hand-to-hand combat with another woman agent was awe-some!
Rebecca’s not alone in her quest to find her son. She has an old friend from Interpol (hints he was more than a friend). She also made a new ally from the C.I.A. who’s in charge of operations.
Missing the message clear. A mother will stop at nothing to reunite with her son. If you like action. If you like Ashley Judd. If you like espionage. Then this show has it all.
Update: ABC cancelled midseason replacement series Missing after 10 episodes.
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