TYPE OF REVIEW : FIRST IMPRESSION REVIEW
No spoilers.
Watching the premiere of NBC’s Undercovers got me convinced this is J.J. Abrams’ Alias sequel he’s always wanted to do.
Take the premise of the new series; retired husband and wife secret agents are reactivated when needed to save a missing old friend in the field and to catch a notorious weapons dealer.
You could just see Sydney Bristow and Michael Vaughn getting that call while lounging about on their porch overlooking the beach.
But on Undercovers, it’s not Jennifer Garner and Michael Vartan, but the equally sexy Gugu Mbatha-Raw and Boris Kodjoe who bring the “sexpionage” term to life.
The series is pure fluff, no question, but no one ever said fluff was a bad thing. The premiere had plenty of butt kicking, explosions, and opportunity to show off how beautiful both Gugu and Boris are.
That in turn is a lot of fun and an easy hour to sit back and just enjoy. It doesn’t have the complicated mythology of Alias or the pop culture awareness of Chuck, but Undercovers is just as fun, sort of a bigger-budget USA Network series. And USA Network series are always fun.
The numbers for the premiere weren’t so hot, but Undercovers fills the secret agent-void on broadcast primetime currently only filled by Chuck. But then again, it seems America isn’t in the mood for spies and agents.
Nonetheless, Undercovers is a fine, enjoyable hour you could certainly do worse with. And in an hour against Survivor and ABC comedies, the series is a good alternative for those looking for something different on Wednesdays at 8pm.