# TNT's "Perception" premier draws 5.6 million viewers



## phrelin (Jan 18, 2007)

While not the highest ratings, I was surprised how much we liked the show.

It's a good vehicle for Eric McCormack to demonstrate his acting skills and the talented Rachael Leigh Cook is an interesting choice for an FBI agent. They are strongly supported by LaVar Burton (Star Trek: Next Generation) and Kelly Rowan (The OC), as well as Ravi Patel and Arjay Smith.

It's another crime procedural, but if the writing settles in it could be a keeper for the long term.


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## Church AV Guy (Jul 9, 2007)

Actually, I thought it was mediocre. When the most interesting plot element was a student who wanted to have an affair with the professor, it doesn't say too much for the show. Surely you guessed the truth about his therapist before the reveal.


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## photostudent (Nov 8, 2007)

It was okay. The "body on the floor" cop show with expert consultant is not a new category. This one does have possibilities as it seems lightly based on John Nash (A Beautiful Mind) who actually did work for the CIA at one time.


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## hoophead (Feb 10, 2008)

Thanx,
I will give it the 3 epi. test.


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## spartanstew (Nov 16, 2005)

I will give it the standard 1/3 of an episode test.


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## phrelin (Jan 18, 2007)

spartanstew said:


> I will give it the standard 1/3 of an episode test.


Wow. You're a tough critic. I've never seen a pilot I couldn't pick to pieces.

I _almost_ always give a new show 3 episodes. I say _almost_ because there have been exceptions.


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## oldschoolecw (Jan 25, 2007)

I had such high hopes for it from the previews, then I watched it and became very disappointed and cancelled it from my season pass


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## LOCODUDE (Aug 8, 2007)

Recorded this show... Will give it a watch ASAP......


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## BobaBird (Mar 31, 2002)

I can't help calling it The Perceptionist. Have to wait for the Saturday morning rerun.


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## 1980ws (Mar 18, 2008)

Lost interest pretty quickly. Then the George Bush segment - "click".


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## Church AV Guy (Jul 9, 2007)

1980ws said:


> Lost interest pretty quickly. Then the George Bush segment - "click".


I have to agree. I nearly shut it off then, but if I had, I would have missed the very end where the guy was watching a Bill Clinton segment and laughing his head off. Still, as I said, on the bubble, maybe, maybe not. I'll giv eit another episode, but if it fails to grab me, SP deleted.


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## TBoneit (Jul 27, 2006)

I'll be watching the next episode or two, still somewhat undecided. For summer entertainment it isn't bad.


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## pfp (Apr 28, 2009)

1980ws said:


> Lost interest pretty quickly. Then the George Bush segment - "click".


I happen to agree with the point but also found that a bit over the top when watching it.


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## Jaspear (May 16, 2004)

pfp said:


> I happen to agree with the point but also found that a bit over the top when watching it.


Not as over the top as that large picture of Obama that appears on every episode of "Eureka". They even frame the shots so your eye is drawn to it.


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## Church AV Guy (Jul 9, 2007)

What I really was disappointed with was that I didn't see it breaking any new ground at all. It was new characters, but the same "content" slightly modified. Between Psych, The Mentalist, Lie to Me and the movie A Beautiful Mind, this seemed to take a few bits from each and make a new recipe, but it's not really different.


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## mreposter (Jul 29, 2006)

Church AV Guy said:


> What I really was disappointed with was that I didn't see it breaking any new ground at all. It was new characters, but the same "content" slightly modified. Between Psych, The Mentalist, Lie to Me and the movie A Beautiful Mind, this seemed to take a few bits from each and make a new recipe, but it's not really different.


Yeah, that was my take on it as well. I kept seeing warmed over bits from other shows/movies. About the only part I really liked was the wrap-up at the end

Rachael Leigh Cook as the FBI agent looks like she's 16, and I just didn't buy her in the role at all. Why does Hollywood keep pandering to this hot young chick with the older guy fantasy? It's getting tired. Kyra Sedgewick on the Closer (who's 47) is far sexier than this girl, and someone in that age range would have made more sense.

Pilots are often rough, so I'll give it another episode or two, but I'm not sure they can fix the problems I have with the show.


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## yosoyellobo (Nov 1, 2006)

Kyra Sedgewick is sexier then most people period.


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## mreposter (Jul 29, 2006)

There's one other series that this show reminded me of - Jeff Goldblum's failed 2007 series RAINES. He was a cop who talked to the ghosts of the murder victims who's cases he was investigating. Early on in the series (maybe at the end of the first episode) we discover that his partner is a ghost too.

From what I remember of it, the show was interesting, but the stories were a bit depressing. IMDB says there were only 7 episodes made. It was on NBC.


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## mreposter (Jul 29, 2006)

Episode 2 wasn't half bad. The Russian Bride scenario has been done to death (even The Closer did this plot in season one, along with just about every other cop/detective series...) but they added enough new twists to make it interesting. 

I guessed the final twist early on, but it was still fun to watch and Jamie Bambier from Battlestar Galactica was a great addition. I hope he sticks around.


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## Carl Spock (Sep 3, 2004)

I agree that after watching the first two episodes, it is pretty formulaic. _Perception_ is enjoyable but I doubt it will become required viewing for me.

What I found interesting in episode 2 was the language. At one point, the words BS and a-hole, and not the abbreviations I just used but the full words, were used in a scene. I wasn't used to that. I wasn't offended, just surprised.


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## Drucifer (Feb 12, 2009)

I'm enjoying it. It is different. 

But after they run thru all the different mind problems, where do they go from there?


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## phrelin (Jan 18, 2007)

Drucifer said:


> I'm enjoying it. It is different.
> 
> But after they run thru all the different mind problems, where do they go from there?


Don't worry too much about that.

While the first version of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) published in 1952 by the American Psychiatric Association listed 106 mental disorders, by version III in 1986 there were 292 diagnoses. DSM 5 is due out in 2013 and is highly controversial, adding new categories and dropping some existing.

The show would have to see well over 200 episodes to risk running out of jargon to toss around....


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## yosoyellobo (Nov 1, 2006)

Looking forward to all 292 of them.


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## Carl Spock (Sep 3, 2004)

Episode 168: Dr. Daniel Pierce suffers from OCD and has trouble leaving his house as he has to wash his hands 20 times an hour. Agent Cook finally shoves him out the door when Pierce, reaching down to retie his shoe again for the third time in an hour, accidentally trips a female colleague, causing the murder weapon to fall out of her pocket. Case solved.


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## TBoneit (Jul 27, 2006)

You left out going back to the door 5 times to be sure it was really locked.


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