It is a weird mix of events that can make a hit show, sometimes it is a interesting cast, good writing, solid production values, or just the right timeslot. But, there is one other keep potential for a show to hit the right audience, which is being the right show at the right time and I think TNT has the right show hitting at the right time,
Leverage. Even though the cast, writing, production value, maybe even the timeslot, are all good, it is the fact that the show takes on corrupt businesses, criminals who got away on a technicality, and play on the desire righteous anger, where revenge and justice are often confused, that could make this show a hit.
It is a good caper program, with an interesting cast that has a nice chemistry, not to mention good lines to deliver, back and forth, that makes the show watchable. The plot of the pilot, which is obviously the undertone of the metaplot for the series, is believable, and the production of the show is solid, both of which are good signs, too. Yet, it is the fact that these folk, criminals turned to a more righteous path by the feel of doing what they do best, but for better reasons, that has the potential to ring true with viewers. Since many folk are touched by denials from insurance companies, unjust business practises, being on the wrong sign of powerful or influential people, with no one on their side, be it directly or indirectly, and they know that they would have liked to make things right, regardless of the legality.
Now I will admit, I am a mark for
John Rogers, he's one of the geek generation, be it because he plays role-playing games, reads comic books, hell writers comic books, or all sorts of other reasons, thus he's like a lot of us who want smart shows, even if the premise is a bit grandiose. Right now, grandiose is a good thing to be, larger than life is nice, with a touch of grounded thought and concept, look at shows like Lost and Fringe, or the more down to earth, mostly, like the CSIs, it is all about something a bit more than vanilla. It is more about the people than the framework around them.
Leverage is like the Equalizer, more than the A-Team, in that you have a group of professionals whose professions happen to be on the outside of society, from the fringe element, yet they are applying it for the right reasons. Rob from the corrupt, so as to strike at more corrupt, has a nice ring to it, even if it is outside of the legal system. Dean Devlin and John Rogers have a good chance at a solid show here, fortunately they are on a cable network, TNT, that has a nice track record of taking on risky concepts and letting folk run with it.
I bet a lot of people in the audience would love to send the team after Enron, or any one of these CEOs looking for a bailout from the government, for idiotic choices that they have made, instead of forcing them to use their own money to save their companies. Hell, I know I would, so I'm definitely going to keep watching Leverage, and I think you should, too.
