35/40
Here’s my problem
Scenario
Series adaptation of James Patterson’s novels about the complicated and brilliant detective Alex Cross. In episode 2, Cross tells Sampson that he smells like “mothballs and old spice.” In real life, Isaiah Mustafa has appeared in the big Old Spice ads as “the man your man could smell like.” I started following Aldis Hodge’s career when I fell in love with his character in Leverage. His performance as “hacker” Hardison was superb and I’m totally buying his portrayal of Alex Cross as well. The writing is strong, the performances are excellent overall, and the directing and editing are top notch. The lighting sucks. I don’t know anyone who lives every moment of their life at home in such darkness.
Three scenes in particular stand out
I’m only 40 minutes into the first episode, but I’m already struggling to see the detail in many scenes. The first was the cocktail lounge. I personally don’t frequent cocktail lounges and bars, but even the darkest restaurant I’ve ever been to had enough light for me to see the faces of the other people at the table. The second was the villain’s lair. Would someone who works on detailed plans and projects really do it in such dim lighting? Surely a perfectionist would want to see everything they were doing clearly.
Why so dark?
The third, is the house where Alex shows up for dinner. This isn’t a romantic dinner for two. This is a gathering of family and friends. The entire house is dark: the entryway, the living room, and the dining room. Also, every room in the police station is dark. Wouldn’t a forensic expert have a very well-lit operating room?
My dad certainly couldn’t
If they’re trying to create atmosphere, I’m more focused on the difficulty seeing than the plot and dialogue. This is a choice that a lot of shows have made in recent years. You know, anyone with poor vision simply wouldn’t be able to watch this. That said, I could be wrong about the darkness. I stopped watching “How I Met Your Father” on another streaming service because it was so dark it was uncomfortable. A little research online revealed that the problem was with the service, not the show.
Check out our November calendar for more!
When the show aired on the network, the lighting was perfect. A new season of “Silo” is one of the biggest TV and streaming premieres this month.