Kojak (starring Ving Rhames), 3/25 ***Series Premiere***
03-25-05, 08:51 AM
#2
DVD Talk Legend
Reviews have been pretty harsh. I think the highest grade I saw was in the "C" range. Here's what USAToday has to say:
Link
Yikes. I'll still check out the pilot though.
There are at least two good reasons to cross USA's Kojak update off your list. One, it's not Kojak. Two, it's terrible. You can decide which flaw means more, but either one would seem to be a dealbreaker.
A cynical attempt to launch a new series using little but the well-recognized name of the old one, Kojak casts Ving Rhames as the lollipop-licking cop once played by Telly Savalas. I'm all for building a drama around an African-American star, something far too few shows have tried. But it's difficult to equate the old Kojak with the new when the only thing anyone much remembers about Theo, aside from the candy and his disregard for civil rights, is his Greek heritage. If you remade The Jeffersons with Nia Vardalos and John Stamos, don't you think the show would change?
Still, one might not mind the tampering so much if the end product weren't so wretched and Rhames so at sea. Over-qualified for the dreck he has been given and yet unable to perform above its level, Rhames responds by having Theo cry early and often. Though it's an understandable choice (I'd cry, too, if I were stuck in this mess), it's also deeply disconcerting.
Friday's often-incoherent two-hour premiere finds Kojak hunting a serial killer of prostitutes. Among its many problems, the movie is dragged down by ridiculously intrusive direction that is perhaps meant to distract us from the overall cheap look of the production.
Nothing, however, can distract you from the brutality of the murders or the lascivious, voyeuristic pleasure Kojak takes in lingering over the bodies. Is this the only form of creativity some TV writers have at their disposal? Thinking up ever more disgusting ways to kill women?
Who in heaven's name loves that, baby?
A cynical attempt to launch a new series using little but the well-recognized name of the old one, Kojak casts Ving Rhames as the lollipop-licking cop once played by Telly Savalas. I'm all for building a drama around an African-American star, something far too few shows have tried. But it's difficult to equate the old Kojak with the new when the only thing anyone much remembers about Theo, aside from the candy and his disregard for civil rights, is his Greek heritage. If you remade The Jeffersons with Nia Vardalos and John Stamos, don't you think the show would change?
Still, one might not mind the tampering so much if the end product weren't so wretched and Rhames so at sea. Over-qualified for the dreck he has been given and yet unable to perform above its level, Rhames responds by having Theo cry early and often. Though it's an understandable choice (I'd cry, too, if I were stuck in this mess), it's also deeply disconcerting.
Friday's often-incoherent two-hour premiere finds Kojak hunting a serial killer of prostitutes. Among its many problems, the movie is dragged down by ridiculously intrusive direction that is perhaps meant to distract us from the overall cheap look of the production.
Nothing, however, can distract you from the brutality of the murders or the lascivious, voyeuristic pleasure Kojak takes in lingering over the bodies. Is this the only form of creativity some TV writers have at their disposal? Thinking up ever more disgusting ways to kill women?
Who in heaven's name loves that, baby?
Yikes. I'll still check out the pilot though.
03-25-05, 08:59 AM
#3
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Got a pretty good review in the Wash Post.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...2005Mar24.html
As for that USA Today review, I assume that is from Robert Bianco, so I don't put any stock in it.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...2005Mar24.html
As for that USA Today review, I assume that is from Robert Bianco, so I don't put any stock in it.
03-25-05, 09:02 AM
#5
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Originally Posted by Red Dog
As for that USA Today review, I assume that is from Robert Bianco, so I don't put any stock in it.
03-25-05, 09:47 AM
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Another good impression of Kojak from Tv Guide's Matt Roush:
NYPD Blue's Andy Sipowicz may be history, but another legendary tough guy is here to fill the void. USA Network's resurrection of Kojak (Sundays, 10 pm/ET) proves there can be a second act for one of TV's greatest cops. The role, lollipop and all, fits Ving Rhames beautifully. As dapper, jazz-loving Theo Kojak, Rhames shifts gears seamlessly between the fearsome borderline-psycho cop who puts a loaded pistol to the head of a suspect and the teary-eyed softy who befriends disadvantaged kids. The two-hour pilot is a bit sluggish, but there's plenty of disarming ambiguity in watching Kojak achieve justice by any means necessary.
03-25-05, 05:44 PM
#11
DVD Talk God
Originally Posted by Red Dog
Repeat times:
March 25: 9:00PM
March 27: 10:00PM
March 28: 1:00AM
March 31: 12:00AM
April 2: 6:00PM
April 3: 12:00AM, 12:00PM
March 25: 9:00PM
March 27: 10:00PM
March 28: 1:00AM
March 31: 12:00AM
April 2: 6:00PM
April 3: 12:00AM, 12:00PM
You gotta' love USA.
03-26-05, 09:43 PM
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That...sucked...ass
That might have been the worst directed TV show I have ever seen...with the opening credits, electric guitar/sax music, and jittery film I thought I was recording the show on Betamax.
WTF was that?!? 1985?
That might have been the worst directed TV show I have ever seen...with the opening credits, electric guitar/sax music, and jittery film I thought I was recording the show on Betamax.
WTF was that?!? 1985?
03-27-05, 11:12 PM
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Too Early to Tell
I didn't think it was great, but it wasn't too bad. It was a excessively directed pilot, the worst scene being the wraparound shots (a la Thomas Crown) between Kojak and the serial killer where a simple two-shot would have sufficed.
The Good:
The Bad:
I would give it a C+/B- and hope it improves in three or four episodes before ditching the show completely. Also, after the first 30 minutes, I fast-forwarded through the next 90 minutes in about half that time since it could used some tighter editing also.
The Good:
- Ving Rhames
- Roselyn Sanchez
The Bad:
- Bad jazzSpoiler:
I would give it a C+/B- and hope it improves in three or four episodes before ditching the show completely. Also, after the first 30 minutes, I fast-forwarded through the next 90 minutes in about half that time since it could used some tighter editing also.
Last edited by Barings; 03-27-05 at 11:21 PM.
03-28-05, 08:50 AM
#17
DVD Talk Legend
I started the first 10 minutes and the awful direction was too much. When I get annoyed at direction.....well that's just bad. I'm not sure I want to finish it after these comments.
03-28-05, 07:30 PM
#18
DVD Talk Hero
Spoiler:
It was okay but the jittery stuff was annoying and, although I like them trying to humanize Kojak somewhat, the crying got a bit too much and felt not quite Kojak.
03-30-05, 10:03 AM
#20
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http://www.thefutoncritic.com/cgi/go...=20050329usa01
How many basic cable premiere's have there been this year? 
USA NETWORK'S "KOJAK" IS HIGHEST-RATED PREMIERE ON BASIC CABLE THIS YEAR
Released by USA
USA NETWORK'S "KOJAK" IS HIGHEST-RATED PREMIERE ON BASIC CABLE THIS YEAR
USA NETWORK'S ORIGINAL SERIES KOJAK IS HIGHEST-RATED AND MOST- WATCHED NEW SERIES PREMIERE ON A BASIC CABLE NETWORK THIS YEAR
Newest USA Original Hit Draws 7.5 Million Viewers on its Debut Weekend
New York, NY, March 29, 2005 -- USA Network was the #1 ranked basic cable network in prime this week among households, total viewers and key demos (P18-49 and P25-54), driven by the success of Friday's series premiere of the USA Network original drama KOJAK, which earned a 3.9 household rating with 4.5 million viewers watching (P2+). KOJAK was also the top-rated non-sports basic cable program in prime among households and total viewers for the week, as well as Friday night's most-watched show on cable among P25-54.
Taken together with its encore presentation on Sunday night, KOJAK grossed a total of 7.5 million viewers.
Friday's telecast of KOJAK was the highest-rated and most-watched new series premiere on basic cable this year. KOJAK garnered double digit gains for its time slot up +21% among P25-54 and +12% with P18-49 versus its Q105 quarter-to-date average. The premiere enabled USA Network to claim the top two season premieres for original series so far this year on basic cable, joining Monk on 1/21/05 (4.4 household rating and 5.5 million viewers).
With the addition of KOJAK, USA Network now holds five of the six top original series premieres in basic cable history, including The 4400 (5.7 household rating and 7.4 million viewers), The Dead Zone (4.7 household rating and 6.4 million viewers), Peacemakers (4.0 household rating and 5.2 million viewers) and Monk (3.5 household rating and 4.8 million viewers).
USA NETWORK
USA Network is cable television's leading provider of original series and feature movies, sports events, off-net television shows, and blockbuster theatrical films. USA Network is seen in over 88 million U.S. homes. The USA Network Web site is located at www.usanetwork.com.
USA Network is a program service of NBC Universal Cable a division of NBC Universal, one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production, and marketing of entertainment, news, and information to a global audience.
Released by USA
USA NETWORK'S "KOJAK" IS HIGHEST-RATED PREMIERE ON BASIC CABLE THIS YEAR
USA NETWORK'S ORIGINAL SERIES KOJAK IS HIGHEST-RATED AND MOST- WATCHED NEW SERIES PREMIERE ON A BASIC CABLE NETWORK THIS YEAR
Newest USA Original Hit Draws 7.5 Million Viewers on its Debut Weekend
New York, NY, March 29, 2005 -- USA Network was the #1 ranked basic cable network in prime this week among households, total viewers and key demos (P18-49 and P25-54), driven by the success of Friday's series premiere of the USA Network original drama KOJAK, which earned a 3.9 household rating with 4.5 million viewers watching (P2+). KOJAK was also the top-rated non-sports basic cable program in prime among households and total viewers for the week, as well as Friday night's most-watched show on cable among P25-54.
Taken together with its encore presentation on Sunday night, KOJAK grossed a total of 7.5 million viewers.
Friday's telecast of KOJAK was the highest-rated and most-watched new series premiere on basic cable this year. KOJAK garnered double digit gains for its time slot up +21% among P25-54 and +12% with P18-49 versus its Q105 quarter-to-date average. The premiere enabled USA Network to claim the top two season premieres for original series so far this year on basic cable, joining Monk on 1/21/05 (4.4 household rating and 5.5 million viewers).
With the addition of KOJAK, USA Network now holds five of the six top original series premieres in basic cable history, including The 4400 (5.7 household rating and 7.4 million viewers), The Dead Zone (4.7 household rating and 6.4 million viewers), Peacemakers (4.0 household rating and 5.2 million viewers) and Monk (3.5 household rating and 4.8 million viewers).
USA NETWORK
USA Network is cable television's leading provider of original series and feature movies, sports events, off-net television shows, and blockbuster theatrical films. USA Network is seen in over 88 million U.S. homes. The USA Network Web site is located at www.usanetwork.com.
USA Network is a program service of NBC Universal Cable a division of NBC Universal, one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies in the development, production, and marketing of entertainment, news, and information to a global audience.
04-01-05, 07:15 PM
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Originally Posted by Original Desmond
I'm a big Ving Rhames fan so that makes me biased but i didn't think it was too bad at all. Did drag a bit, still willing to give it a few more episodes
Just watched it. Same here. I thought it was okay. I think it has some promise. Plus how can I not watch a show that features Roselyn Sanchez as a regular.
