Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)Last year, when this show came on, I dismissed as yet another trendy crime show. I chose not to watch it, but my dad really got into it. Every now and then, I'd see bits and pieces of the show, and for the most part, I liked what I saw, whether it was actual plot, beautiful women, or great panoramic views of Las Vegas. Eventually, I started watching the show, and here is my final conclusion: my first assumption was not far off, but maybe that's not such a bad thing.
The series centers around the security team of the fictional Monticeto Resort and Casino in Las Vegas. The team is headed by Ed Deline (James Caan), an ex-CIA operative who apparently can make grown men cry using nothing but a fork. Ed's right-hand man is Danny McCoy (Josh Duhamel), a former Marine. And he isn't an actual part of the security team, valet Mike Cannon (James Lesure) often lends a helping hand to investigations due to his engineering degree (even though he could be doing other things, he prefers to be a valet). The rest of the main cast includes the Entertainment Director (and possibly ex-escort) Mary Connell (Nikki Cox), Casino Host Samantha Jane Marquez (Vanessa Marcil), pit boss Nessa Holt (Marsha Thompson), and Ed's sexually active daughter Delinda (Molly Sims), who eventually becomes the host of the Monticeto's main restaurant, Mystique. Each character brings something different to the casino. Sam is a cold and calculating woman who can get almost anything done for a client. Nessa is one of Vegas' best and most intelligent pit bosses. Mary has a good eye for talent and is the softie of the group. And Delinda's "knowledge" of what is hip transformed Mystique into one of Vegas' most popular restaurants.
The stories are pretty episodic. For the most part, plots involve cheaters, murders, thieves, and scams from other casinos, but that doesn't mean that things are limited to those events. One of my favorite episodes involves a power loss throughout the city. In addition to the episodic plots, there are a few mini-arcs that develop throughout the season. Ed and Danny's relationship is put to the test when, in the first thing that happens in the entire series, Ed catches Danny sleeping with Delinda. Danny and Mary's "relationship troubles" is probably the most developped arc. Danny and Mary grew up together in Vegas, and they have a very special bond (I won't say what it is). This storyline is both a strength and a weakness for the show, because it is an interesting story, but at the same time, the writers have trouble giving the actors good dialogue in which to tell the story. In the episode where a lot of their history is revealed, I both liked and hated the scenes with the two of them going through the events (they were stuck in an elevator, so they had a lot of time to talk).
For a first season show, Las Vegas must have had a HUGE budget. Not only did they have James Caan as a regular, but they got some very famous, and probably very expensive guest stars, such as Wayne Newton, Jean Claude Van Damme, Sugar Ray and Mark McGrath, Penn and Teller, Paul Anka, Blue Man Group, and Alec Baldwin. Other guest stars of note include Jon Lovitz (who probably would have been in the first category a few years ago), Sean Astin, Elliot Gould, and Harry Groener (the guy who played the Mayor on Buffy the Vampire Slayer). Furthermore, since the show was only filmed in Vegas for the pilot, they had to reconstruct the casino they used for all subsequent shows. The set is a very loyal adaptation of the interior of the Mandalay Bay, and it looks very expensive.
A few of the biggest surprises that I found with this show dealt with its crew. The creator, Gary Scott Thompson, is responsible for some of my most hated movies ever, yet, not only do I enjoy this show, I find it leagues ahead of said films. Also, one of the producers/writers is Rebecca Rand Kirchner, who worked on a few of my all-time favorite shows, so when I saw her name, I was really excited.
Ok, having gone over the good stuff, it is time to address the negatives. A lot of things that happen seem very unrealistic, such as Jon Lovitz's winning streak, Mike's ability to beat an expert poker player after a huge absence from the game, or Sam coming in second place in a competitive eating contest (the girl looks like she weighs 100 pounds, and in the context of the episode, I think it would have been much funnier for her to have to lose). Also, in the first few episodes, events were narrated by Danny, which was not very insightful. Fortunately, the inner monalogue was quickly phased out. Speaking of Danny, there were some times when my belief in him as an ex-Marine was called into question, but for the most part, I'm willing to accept that backstory. There were some other character problems. In my opinion, Delinda's intelligence levels seemed to fluctuate. She was never stupid by any means, yet sometimes, she seemed to be of normal intelligence and at other times, she seemed to be above average.
The good aspects of this show far outweigh the bad, and while this show is nothing new or special, I find myself liking it a lot due to its setting, eye candy, and guest list. This is definitely not for everyone, but I think that many people can find something that they like about it.
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