Flash Forward

As Flash Forward returned after its hiatus recently, I realized I had no idea it was back on. Which just goes to show I was hardly excited. But my smart DVR remembered and thus recorded its return. Having watched latest episodes it is time to decide whether or not Flash Forward will still get a coveted spot in my recording line up.

Behold a cynical heart. I'm jaded, I've been let down before. Lyrics to an Air Supply love song (alas, I am all out of love)? No, it's just cynical is what it's like to be a lover of TV but have been let down by shows like Heroes and Lost. Shows that had amazing concepts and whose first seasons, like an amazing first date, offer so much hope, only to have the hope crushed into nothingness. Call me dramatic (you won't be the first...nor the last) but Flash Forward may have edged ahead as being the best idea to tank at record speed.

Let's look at the positive first.

2:17-> On October 6, 2009, billions of people simultaneously black out for 2 minutes, 17 seconds. They seem to share a commonality, they see themselves in the future. First of all, what a cool idea this is, a collective "see the future" and all that this could mean.

Carnage: When over 6 billion people black out for over 2 minutes, devastation occurs. Which is amazing if you think about it. Any and all transportation would crash unless on autopilot, endless casualties. People swimming, taking a shower all fall in water and drown. All medical procedures would stop resulting in how many casualties and further injuries. Let alone just the injuries from falling wherever you were. What about all the people going potty who wake up in less than desirable circumstances? The show takes places in Los Angeles and the first few episodes depicted the eeriness of those waking from their blackout to survey what had just happened and having absolutely no idea.

Intriguing Stories: We get glimpses of the characters' flash forwards and how this rocks their present world. Signs of birth, death and changed relationships abound and wreak havoc on, according to what we see in the show, just about everyone.

But unfortunately, the negatives outweigh the positives:

Too many stories?: something is just missing. I suppose one factor for my lack of enthusiasm is the main protagonist, Special Agent Mark Benford played by Joseph Fiennes, is just not that sympathetic. He's insecure, quick to temper and rather one-note. His partner, Demetri, played by Harold of Harold and Kumar John Cho is much more likeable and his story is more interesting. The writers are trying to lay the groundwork for lots of plot lines and story twists with its main and supporting characters which I commend them for, but it asks too much of me as a viewer to care enough at this stage about all of them to follow along.
  
Whodunnit?: I don't fault the writers, they can't tell us right away who or what caused it. Yet at the same time I'm annoyed at the ever increasing ridiculousness of what the FBI's crack team (of hotheads maybe) find as they delve further and further. I was able to tolerate it in Alias because I just loved Jennifer Garner as Sydney. But there's no one I am excited about. Even Dominic Monaghan (Merry to us LOTR fans or Charlie for Lost fans) as a creepy yet brilliant sociopath doesn't help much. Latest episodes of a time traveling bad guy leaving messages in the future just fall flat.

I think...Flash Forward could be better called Fast Forward to the end, please. 

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