46/19
Here’s my problem
Chronology
A series adaptation of James Patterson’s novel about the complex and brilliant detective Alex Cross. Hodge is the third actor to play Cross, following in the footsteps of Morgan Freeman, who first played him on screen in 1997’s Kiss the Girls and again in the 2001 sequel Along Came the Spider; and Tyler Perry as the title character in 2012’s Alex Cross, which was a box office smash and led Lionsgate to scrap a planned sequel, Double Cross. I started following Aldis Hodge’s career when I fell in love with his character in Leverage. His performance as the “hacker” Hardison was outstanding, and I totally buy his performance as Alex Cross. The script is strong, the acting is excellent, and the direction and editing are top-notch.
The lighting stinks
I don’t know anyone who spends every waking moment of their life at home in that darkness. I’m only 40 minutes into the first episode, but I’m already having trouble making out the details of many scenes. Three scenes in particular stand out. First, there was the cocktail bar. I don’t go to cocktail bars or bars myself, but even the darkest restaurant I’ve ever been to had enough lighting to see the faces of the other people at the table.
Second, there was the bad guy’s lair
Would someone working on detailed plans and designs really do that with such dim lighting? Surely a perfectionist would want to be able to see everything they do clearly. Third, there’s the house where Alex shows up for dinner. This isn’t a romantic dinner for two. This is a gathering of family and friends.
Why is it so dark?
The entire house is dark—the entrance hall, the living room, and the dining room. Plus, every room in the police station is dark. Wouldn’t a forensic expert have a very well-lit operating room? If they’re trying to set the mood, I’m more focused on the fight than the plot and dialogue. This is a choice that many shows have made in recent years.
My Father certainly couldn’t
You know, someone with visual impairments simply wouldn’t be able to watch it. That being said, I could be wrong about the cause of the darkness. I stopped watching How I Met Your Father on another streaming service because it was also so dark it was uncomfortable. Digging around online revealed that the problem was with the service, not the show. When the show aired on the network, the lighting was fine.
