Pilot Episode
TV14 for violence
WARNING: POSSIBLE SPOILERS
KIDNAPPED is the new serialized crime drama which aired on NBC tv Wednesday night, Sept. 20, 2K6 at 10pm. Its story concerns the abduction of a fifteen year old boy from a wealthy NYC family, and the efforts to rescue him from his kidnappers, who, in this pilot episode, we learn, are cold blooded, seasoned professional criminals. We learn slowly though. This pilot episode is a superb start to a series that will probably operate on cluing us in slowly but surely. Questions that form in your mind will not be answered in this first hour.
Conrad Cain (Timothy Hutton) and his wife Ellie (Dana Delany) are probably no different than any other family of wealth and priveledge. He runs his company and she does the wife thing, her life apparently revolving around assisting Conrad with whatever social business functions are important to keep him in success, while fussing with the children and the maids and nannies and Lord knows what else. This morning, some magazine is coming to do a piece on this high-profile family. Fifteen year old Leopold (Will Denton) grabs his quick breakfast, spoiling Ellie's attempt to present the family all seated together for an ideal magazine and public image, and leaves with his bodyguard Virgil (Mykelti Williamson) to go to his private school.
What made the pivotal kidnapping scene so good is the suddenness of it. There were no warning signs. There were no ominous hints in the first few moments of the show that lead us to believe that something terrible was about to happen to shatter the Cains' lives. We do get flashback scenes of a man who is the apparent mastermind (Doug Hutchison, who does EVIL so well) giving his instructions to one of the men, as Virgil, Leopold and Leopold's friend Alfred are suddenly met with gunfire and bloodsplatter in the middle of the street. The method in which the child is taken is in fact very bold, in broad daylight, in the middle of morning traffic. Sophisticatedly choreographed by the culprits, who obviously have no fear of creating chaos in the setting they chose. They know that in the middle of morning rush hour, people are so frenetic and focused on their business that to see a sudden violence in their midst would leave them in a confusion useless to the cops who would question them later. The perps behind the event have no fear of the police or witnesses who may have dialed 9-1-1 after seeing something strange in the street.
Why do I say this, because soon enough, after these several men have accomplished the taking of Leopold Cain, they are meticulously eliminated by another figure who presents himself as "the book-keeper". Ruthlessly, he guns them down, slits their throats, and whatever else, until there is no one left to rat out the "real" kidnappers.
Who are the true culprits??? We don't know, and that's part of the fun. This show is going to be a mystery that won't be solved overnight.
Ellie Cain is given a note from Alfred, "Don't call the police." We all know that if it was us, and it was our kid, we'd do as the note says. So the police are not called. Why didn't they show up anyway, due to the attack in the middle of the street. Didn't anyone get license plate numbers, so that the vehicles could be traced somehow to the Cains? Sure, there are so questions that arise while you watch. But as I said before, this is a serial. If we are patient, we will eventually get our answers.
Cain's lawyer tells him of an expert he heard about somewhere, a guy who works underground to rescue kidnapped children. No cops, no fibbies, no anything. For a man like Conrad Caine, who was told not to call the cops, this is the only option.
Enter Knapp (Jeremy Sisto) and his partner Turner (Carmen Egojo). Knapp is "the guy" the lawyer has heard about. Turner is the only "help" Knapp has. These two are a huge success in their field of choice, yet their field is one of secrecy. They are like those spies and agencies whose existence isn't even publically admitted. Their reputation comes from some dark place that you only go to when you are in an even darker place, when you have no other option.
We are not given a hello, how do you do intro for Knapp and this is outstanding. He's got more important things to do that to sit down and chat over tea with Conrad and Ellie Cain. This is one of the biggest reasons I'm impressed. These characters jump immediately into their tasks, sort of leaving you to follow and figure out.
The writing is tight and crisp and matter of fact. Nobody is presented as "good" while others are "evil", with the possible exception of Hutchison and his cohorts.
One important monkey wrench in Cain's efforts to keep the "legit" law enforcement agencies from getting involved and endangering the boy comes when Virgil's wife is alarmed at his disappearance and alerts FBI agent Latimer King (Delroy Lindo), who happens to be a friend of Virgil's. In spite of his strong objections, Agents King and Archer (Linus Roache) descend upon the Caine residence and begin dictating to the family that their assistance is needed. And Knapp, who we discover USED to be with the FBI, quickly chimes out his disapproval for the feds and their "by the book" methods.
One thing that could be said against KIDNAPPED is that it is one of many productions that portray the FBI as inept and stupid. But maybe I should ignore that and just see this individual case as is. If they screw up, they screw up. And anyway, THE SILENCE OF THE LAMBS is one flick that presented the fibs in a positive light.
Archer's plan of action, complete with a SWAT team, proves to cause more trouble for everyone, and here we see that Agent King would probably rather be working alongside Knapp, like he used to. Fed up, Conrad turns his nose up at the FBI and puts his trust in Knapp completely. But the feds will not just go away. They will allow Knapp to do his thing, but they will watch his every move. In Latimer's words, he is "unorthodox, but effective".
Knapp is a real pro. He will not let Ellie's weeping nor Conrad's desperation worm their way into his judgement. He and Turner overhear suspicious phone conversations and learn of even more suspicious transactions with insurance companies. It is their experience that until they know what is going on, they are to "suspect everything and everyone".
The promos for the next episode look very exciting and it looks like there are going to be even more twists, one involving possibly Leopold's older sister, Aubrey, who is away at college. I believe that all these comparisons with the movie RANSOM will go out the window at that point.
It's not certain whether KIDNAPPED will be a hit, or if it will be dropped. It is skillfully acted and well-written, and filmed nicely. But the competition between the networks is fiercer than ever, and no matter what timeslot, it's always a tough battle. If if this show is given its fair chance, I think it will prevail. I give the pilot episode an A.
CAST
Jeremy Sisto as KNAPP
Carmen Ejogo as TURNER
Delroy Lindo as LATIMER KING
Timothy Hutton as CONRAID CAIN
Dana Delany as ELLIE CAIN
Will Denton as LEOPOLD CAIN
Linus Roache as ANDY ARCHER
Mykelti Williamson as VIRGIL
Robert John Burke as BELLOWS
Otto Sanchez as OTTO
Doug Hutchison as ???
As the episodes progress, there are lots of great guest stars who come along, including Anthony Rapp, Desmond Harrington, Madschen Amick, and Robert Foxworth. I will try to review each episode of the show asap.
