The little show that couldn’t: The Unusuals



Every once in a while I set out to watch shows that were cancelled so quickly I never got the chance to see. Sometimes it is absolutely clear why the show was cancelled and other times it is just sad that a show with a lot of potential never got the chance.

The latest show I discovered is The Unusuals. I remember when this show came out on 2009, right after Harold Perrineau left Lost and when I heard the rest of the cast list I thought this was bound to be an interesting show. Merely ten episodes later, the show was over.

The imdb description characterizes it as a “darkly comedic drama focusing on the dysfunctional cops and staff of an infamous NYPD precinct”, which I thought was a fitting description. The show is basically a procedural with a hint of dark comedy and quirky dialogue. I found myself laughing out loud more often than with many sitcoms I watch.

Probably what I thought was the most interesting part of the show was the casting. The main characters are played by Jeremy Renner (who you can catch at the latest Bourne movie) and Amber Tamblyn.  Jeremy is great as the tough but charming cop and I am so glad they gave Amber an interesting character as opposed to the winy girls she always seems to find herself playing.

As mentioned, Harold Perrineau is also one of the cops and he does a wonderful job as a paranoid schizophrenic who is convinced he is going to die before his 42nd birthday. His partner is played by Adam Goldberg, who is always fun to watch. The rest of the supporting characters are a collection of “unusual” individuals including the obligatory lady-detective with a hard exterior yet vulnerable inside and the d-bag with a hot wife who always talks in the third person.

The Unusuals is an interesting show with a very distinctive tone. I will not say this is the greatest show of all times, but I believe it is much better than the other million cop shows that are still on the air.

Where to watch it? The entire season is available on Hulu and Amazon Instant Video (free for prime members)

Is it worth watching? It won’t change your life, but I enjoyed the 10 episodes and didn’t feel I was wasting my time.  
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TVEmpress

The TV Empress is a Media Management graduate, screenwriter in the making (and financial engineer in the meantime). She has serious plans to take over global television. You can follow the TVEmpress on twitter @TVRepublik

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