Nighttime network television offers about as much variety as a U.S. presidential election: dumb or dumber.
Take your pick: sitcoms (which are never as funny as "Friends" or "Seinfeld" reruns), "reality TV" (which never seems very realistic), or homicide dramas that use the same formula over and over.
ABC aired the first episode of its new homicide series, "Blind Justice," Tuesday. Even though the bad guy gets caught in the end, this series does offer a bit of a twist.
The lead character, homicide detective Jim Dunbar, is blind.
We don't really need another homicide drama. The story is always the same. Someone is murdered, the detectives risk their lives finding out who committed the crime, and the bad guy gets caught in the end. Ho hum.
But maybe this show is worth a shot. As I had expected, "Blind Justice" didn't blow my mind, but I'm ready for next week's episode. I hope you'll check it out too.
This homicide drama is an underdog story, and everybody loves an underdog.
Caught up in a shootout in downtown New York with a bank robber, it's up to Jim to finish off a crook. Cops are dropping like flies all around him and just as he gets an opening, his backup flakes on him and Jim gets shot in the face, making him completely blind.
Don't ask how getting shot in the face blinds him, but doesn't kill him. Remember, thinking isn't necessary. This is network television, after all.
From here on, Jim is challenged with one test after another. After suing the police department, Jim gets his job back.
But he has to prove that he can handle the workload despite his blindness.
Jim prevails. Using his other senses, like hearing and smelling (what a clever guy), Jim is able to discover some big breaks on a homicide case, and eventual catches the murderer.
Jim's partner is a young, beautiful, sexy and single detective named Karen. At first, she is skeptical of Jim's abilities, but warms up to him a bit toward the end of the episode.
I'm going out on a limb right now to say that Karen will be a love interest for Jim later on this season. Jim's relationship with his wife is on the rocks, so why not?
"Blind Justice" airs Tuesday nights at 9 p.m. on ABC.
Check out next week for a recap of episode No. 2.
Daniel Swier is an associate editor of the Web Devil. Reach him at daniel.swier@asu.edu. �
