The Librarians - Series Premiere - Advance Preview: "Thoroughly Entertaining"

The Librarians has all the qualities to make the show a hit with viewers, and I am hoping it does.

Premiering December 7th with the first two episodes back to back, fans of the films should have no problem adjusting in to watching the show, as the concept is pretty much the same, which is for a Librarian to find artifacts. The only difference is there are a few new faces. Even if you haven't watched the films that is no reason to not give the show a shot. With a blend of Drama, Mystery, action and just about everything SC-FI related, the show has a bit of everything for all fans.

Having watched, and enjoyed most of Falling Skies, I was happily surprised to learn that Noah will be in more than the two episodes he signed on for. He is the centrepiece of the show; the cast work great with him, it will be interesting to see how the future episodes look without him. Noah did a great job stepping back into the shoes of Flynn Carsen, and bringing the quirkiness, and intelligence we loved about Flynn back with him. I am hoping once Falling Skies ends Noah will sign on as a series regular, as he brought so much to the first episodes. He really gets the show going.

Aside from Flynn, we got introduced to 4 other characters that were not in the films. Rebecca Romijn plays the role of Eve Baird, the leader of a counter-terrorism squad for NATO. Baird first encounters Flynn whilst on a mission of her own. She later receives a letter which is slipped under her door inviting her to become guardian of the Librarian. When former applicants for the Librarian job are being killed off, Flynn is tasked with finding the 3 who are still alive. Flynn wants Eve to leave as he doesn't want her help, but she is persistent, and refuses to go. He eventually accepts that he is stuck with her. They both start of a little edgy toward one another, but by the end of the episode you will see how they both relate to each other, and share a lot more similarities than differences.

Flynn and Baird track down each separate Librarian applicant. Each of them are unique in their own way, and have their own set of expertise. Christian Kane plays the role of Jacob Stone, who is a genius when it comes to all things art, architecture, and history related. Stone is equally skilled at fighting in which he demonstrates in the episode, as well as just how smart he is. Stone also adds some comedic value to the episode, especially in some scenes with Baird where they also share some friendly banter whilst in a compromising situation. We also have Lindy Booth who plays the role of Cassandra Cillian, who has a gift of synesthesia – the ability to link all five senses to her memory. She is like your Claudia of Warehouse 13 only 10 times smarter. We also have John Kim as Ezekiel Jones who is a master thief. Once the team is assembled its their job to retrieve an artifact called the crown of King Arthur. By the end of the episode you will be in shock from what happens, it ends on a cliffhanger, and trust me you will want to watch the second part. Just to tease you all; Flynn is betrayed by someone he thought he could trust.

Throughout the episode there was some colourful banter between them, which shows the bond they already share. The chemistry between the actors is remarkable; it's as if they have already been together on the show for a couple of seasons. The dialogue is fairly simple to digest, with no puzzling brain teasers or lengthy wording that a younger viewer might not understand. The show has something for all ages, young or old. You may need to crank up your volume though when Cassandra is speaking, as she tends to speak extremely fast especially when she is in the zone. The dialogue though can at times come across as cheesy which isn't a bad thing as it made the interactions between characters more enjoyable.

The episode was also heavily action packed, it was not get you of your seat worthy, but none the less each fight scene always ensured that it was thoroughly entertaining to watch with them using different artifacts or weapons to take down the opponent. I was overwhelmed by just how great the episode was, from the fun puzzles they were trying to figure out to the different artifacts that were shown. It was a joy to watch, and was refreshing to take a break from the hard gritty dramas such as Sons of Anarchy. This show wasn't made to be serious; it was made to entertain the viewer with an enjoyable plot line,that doesn't take itself to seriously, which is exactly what it does. Familiar faces Bob Newhart and Jane Curtin also feature in the episode, but were only in it for a few brief scenes, but it was nice to see faces from the movies.

I wont go into any detail on what happens in the second episode, as its a two parter with the first leaving it on a cliffhanger. A few things I will say though is we meet another character called Jenkins, and by the end of the second episode it gives us insight into the direction the show is going in. You will also find out what is going to be happening with Flynn, given that he wont be in all episodes. Overall, the first two episodes were a great starting point for the show, and sets it up nicely for the weeks ahead.

Summary
It was a jammed packed hour of delightful television. It is definitely a show to watch out for. It's probably for me, one of the best new shows of 2014. It really had me hooked from the start , that I went straight onto watching the second episode after. It ticks all the right boxes. It was action packed, the dialogue was fun, the cast have a strong bond, and great chemistry. The plot was also great, and not to serious. It really was a great opener. I really hope you all will give it a shot!
9/10

If you have any questions about the show feel free to write them in the comments, and I will gladly answer them.

Catch the Librarians December 7th at 8pm & 9pm on TNT.

As always , thank you for reading! Check back later next week for our roundtable discussion!

About the Author - Robert Fruin

Robert is a sixth form student from the United Kingdom, who is currently studying IT, Media and Business Studies. Robert is a huge fan of the ended ABC series LOST, he has seen it many times over and has even visited some of the filming locations for it. Robert mainly watches drama series such as Game Of Thrones and Person of Interest, but has a soft spot for the comedy The Middle. Some other shows he watches are The Walking Dead, Arrow and The 100. Some other interests include cycling, photography and kayaking. Robert will be reviewing Z Nation,The Librarians, Sons Of Anarchy, Intruders, The Fosters and Aquarius. Feel free to connect with him on any of these social media sites.

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