I must admit I wasn’t too sure how the CW would take such a good film as Frequency and turn it into a weekly show but when I saw the cast I was curious. I mean they have Mekhi Phifer, Peyton List and Riley Smith actors I’ve ‘known’ for years from TV and film who are able to disappear in a role. So I was not surprised that the preview I saw at the Paley Center 2016 Fall TV Preview was not just a solid effort but (pardon my language) DAMNED GOOD!
The premier episodes set up the story with a nod to the source material (the 2000 film with Dennis Quaid and Jim Caviezel but with updates since the series is in 2016. The biggest change is that Peyton Smith is gender sapped with Detective Raimy Sullivan (Peyton List) a woman who’s grown up with a long shadow over her life. The shadow of her father’s death Police Officer Frank Sullivan (Riley Smith) who died in the line of duty as a dirty cop. She grew up with her mother and a chip on her shoulder that makes her want to be the officer her father wasn’t. One day during her daughter’s bday an old transistor of her dads in the shed gets fixed by her boyfriend and it somehow connects with her father. This is the solid core of the series as Raimy gets to know her father through the radio and changes the course of all their lives. She begins to question what she knows and believes and begins to talk with his old partner Satch DeLeon (Mekhi Phifer) who is now her Captain that might not be as honest about her father as she believes.
What makes the series work is that it has such great meaty story with a mix of police procedural, mystery, family drama and a relatable emotional core. Fans of the film will tune in for the first episode and will not be disappointed with the fast pace, acting, story and mystery. It has a strong lead with Peyton List who’s able to be tough and emotional.
This series won’t get lost with all the other time-travel series this is one where it’s more alternative reality where the future is changed by the past. It has a moral quandary of ‘when you make a change to better YOUR family’ what are the unforeseen consequences? Is it right to or wrong and who decides what person should live or die.
I was hooked by the first episode and NOT just because I fangirled after interviewing Mekhi Phifer, Peyton List and Riley Smith all of who have been on shows I loved! It’s just a good solid mystery show that hits my nerd sweetspot! Tune into the premier and check out my interviews at cherrylosangeles @youtubeÂ
THE CASTÂ | Peyton List (The Tomorrow People), Riley Smith (The Messengers), Mekhi Phifer (ER), Devin Kelley (Resurrection), Anthony Ruivivar (Banshee), Daniel Bonjour (The Walking Dead) and Lenny Jacobson (Nurse Jackie)
Frequency: Detective Raimy Sullivan (Peyton List) has followed in her father’s footsteps becoming a NYPD officer working with his former partner/friend Captain Satch DeLeon (Mekhi Phifer). She lives with the shame that Officer Frank Sullivan (Riley Smith) died as a corrupt undercover Officer over 20 years ago. Was he a corrupt cop? In Frequency she gets a second chance to get to know her father and learn the truth with an old ham radio able to transmit from 1996. Raimy begins to question what she was told and tells Frank about his murder causing a chain of events that will rewrite history and may destroy her future.
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