J.J. Abrams’ newest enterprise, “Undercovers,” has generated buzz over recent months for the show’s recognizable plot and for the possibility of propelling NBC back into the television stratosphere. And considering Abrams’ curriculum vitae, there aren’t too many reasons to suggest it will disappoint us or the peacock execs. (Side note: there still could be some.)
Starring Boris Kodjoe of “Soul Food” as Steven Bloom and Gugu Mbatha-Raw from “Doctor Who” as Samantha Bloom, the two play a married couple who started a catering business after they left the CIA five years ago. For the most part, their lives are fine and dandy – they work hard, love hard, and have found a job in which they don’t have to play harder than they want to. However, the chicken in the oven starts to burn when the Blooms are approached by their old CIA boss and are asked to help locate a spy who went missing while trying to locate a Russian arms dealer. (But since I enjoy a good rhyme now and then, let’s say a “spy gone awry.”) Initially, the Blooms decline the offer and after they mutually agree on spending the rest of their lives putting wieners in blankets, they (separately) go back to their old boss and ask to be reinstated as operatives. And thus, we have “Undercovers.”
Now. Most of this is fine, and plenty of people will set their DVRs to record it – if not for Boris Kodjoe (Google image search him to see what I’m getting at), then simply because J.J. Abrams is a God. But none of this sounds particularly original or innovative. It seems to be Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt’s movie, “Mr. and Mrs. Smith” from 2005 (where John and Jane marry each other as part of their cover identities, but then fall back in love just as they are assigned to kill each other) on life support. The producers of “Undercovers” probably feel lucky they have a season — or more, or less…we’ll see — to dream up new problems that come from working a dangerous profession with your spouse. But “Mr. and Mrs. Smith” got the main idea across in two hours, so what’s the point of drawing it out over something like thirteen episodes? (If you said Boris Kodjoe, then yes. Two points for you.)
But you may disagree. Check out this full-length trailer and see if it’s something you’ll replace “Lost” with on your DVR.