23 November 2006

Daybreak S1 EP1 & 2 Pilot: What If They Run

Sitting through 2 hours of Daybreak's premiere felt like forever. Before you go on reading, please note that this show will be heavily referred with 24.

The concept of this show is similar to the movie Groundhog Day, except that there's no funny guy in it....also --- no groundhogs. And in place of the Bill Murray character (who, each time he wakes up and starts his day, keeps experiencing the same thing over and over), is a brooding and ballsy cop (think Michael Scofield of Prison Break for brooding and then Jack Bauer of 24 for ballsy) named Brett Harper (played by Taye Diggs a.k.a that guy from Ally McBeal; also the guy known as Kevin Hill --- if you're watching this show on cable via Star World; and he's also that guy in the movie Rent, the gay one with the Aids).

Daybreak delves into that thing we learned back in Philo 101 in College --- "For every decision, there's a consequence. Decision, consequence. Decision, consequence. Decision, consequence." And that does sound like a good premise for a story. But for a TV series? Me thinks there's something missing.

TV.Com synopsis:



Detective Brett Hopper is having a really bad day, accused of killing Asst. DA Alberto Garza. He has an alibi, but no one believes him. When he realizes that he has been framed, he tries to run away but has to stop when he learns that his loved ones are also in danger. But one morning, he wakes up and relives the same day over and over again. To stop this cycle, solve the mystery and have a normal life, he must find out who framed him.

So yes, do that for at least 13 episodes, it gets pretty tiring, isn't it?
Is there room for the characters to develop?
The story to grow?
The creativity of the writers to flow? (cheesy rhyming, sorry!)

Granted that the story is intricate, and viewers will discover something new each day, as Hopper tries to change what he does everytime (as of 2 episodes, Hopper went through 4 days already...that's like 4 seasons of 24!) ... how long can this be sustained? This show can simply be retitled to 101 Ways You Can Re-live Your Life and I'm just bothered the writers may only come up with 20 ways and that is it.

I can however say, the plotline (for the moment at least, it's only 2 episodes) looks a lot more believable than 24. :D

And I can affirm that for the first 20 minutes --- I went back to sleep (Taye Diggs' voice made me drowsy and the suspense took longer to unravel, it bored me) and had to re-watch Daybreak the second time.... so, in a way I re-lived my day again, how very Daybreak!

Daybreak takes over Lost Season 3's slot, as it goes on hiatus and does not return till February 2007.