THE FALL GUYS! THE UNFORTUNATE DEMISE OF "HUMAN TARGET"

Breaking point for Christopher Chance (Mark Valley) and the cast of HUMAN TARGET? Images: FOX

There's a very old and wise saying out there that says, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it." Sadly, no one in film and TV executive land in Hollywood seems to be either aware of this saying or understand what it actually means, especially at FOX and with the producers of the second and now final season of the once popular action/adventure series HUMAN TARGET (which ended its UK run on the SYFY Channel this week), which underwent a major shake-up to its format that was both undeserved and unjustified in my opinions-the changes for the worse and certainly not for the better!


That the series terrific and stylish opening title theme by modern BATTLESTAR GALACTICA's Bear McCreary was gone -replaced by a mis-step wishy washy new re-arrangement by Tim Jones, whose incidental music for the new series as a whole was totally out of step and seemed more like something from an OCEAN'S ELEVEN movie, lacking the required excitement and drama- was the first of the bad omens. But more was to come with the ultimately unnecessary changes brought in by the network/writers (the Executive Producers seemingly taking a step back in the creative process and un-resistant to the changes, presumably going with the flow in the hope that it'll be successful enough to get the show a new season?) made to the actual overall format of the series, now over-tweaked, damaging the already fine cast dynamic to include two new characters (Indira Varma, as their new billionaire boss Ilsa Pucci, and Janet Montgomery as streetwise criminal, Ames) that the series, now TEAM TARGET rather the singular, seemed strained and over burdened, and resulting in our original cast of lead Mark Valley, Chi McBride and Jackie Earle Haley's screen time and plot-lines being diluted ever further. I'm assuming the introduction of the two female leads (presumably instigated by FOX and their dreaded "audience research" information) was designed to bring in the interests of hormone charged younger male teens and to open up the action showcased series to a larger female audience. In the end, the way the duo were written and developed as the series went on remained appeal-less and failed to win over or impress either sections of the audience the series producers hoped to gain.

Chance (Mark Valley) protects his new boss, Ilsa Pucci (Indira Varma) in one of the later episodes.

A shame, as Indira Varma is a good actress (you only have to see her work in ROME and early TORCHWOOD to see examples of that), but here she was wasted in a role that, despite a strong start, soon became cliched for the majority of the series, as Ilsa became the obligatory long-term love interest for Chance, resulting in it all becoming a tad too will they or won't they: of course they will! MOONLIGHTING'ish for my personal tastes. I would have preferred it better if Pucci had been an occasional contributor to the series rather than be in every episode and steal valuable story time from our original trio of stars, what with her hackneyed plotline over the run where we find out what happened to her murdered billionaire husband. Some of the writing/comedy shoe-horning in of Ilsa into the plots seemed forced and over the top, resulting in her character acting like a silly little girl out of her comfort zone, also seemed a little too much at times. Sorry to say, but fellow Brit Lucy Montgomery's addition as bolshy Hustler, tech-savvy Ames also proved pointless for the most part, despite the occasional fun apprentice learning from the master moments with Guerrero (Jackie Earle Haley, who managed to remain consistently excellent throughout the series and its script problems).

Jackie Earle Haley remained consistently good throughout the series changes as Guerrero.

Despite an enjoyable season opener (which saw a retired Christopher Chance brought back into the fold to help Ilsa Pucci), the early episodes that followed seemed strangely out of sync, formulaic and predictable, often thinly plotted and with a lack of edginess and identity for the most part, with fewer strong guest stars this time around to supplement them, and the return of popular characters from the previous season whose appearances this time out (like Lennie James) didn't have the same allure they once had. Later episodes improved, and there were some brave attempts here and there to incorporate more invention and humour into the series, alongside the occasional spark/chemistry moments reminding us as to why we all enjoyed that original first season of the series so much, like the episode with the hit woman out to kill her husband so as to get his military contract secrets (which included a superbly staged house/kitchen fight between her and Chance). The siege episode at the opera, with a guest appearance from 24’s Carlo Rota as a baddie, and including a fun scene with a terrorist captured Guerrero restrained and sporting a Hannibal Lecter mask, was also noteworthy. The series overall action (hand to hand fighting, gunplay and explosive stunt work) also remained as well directed and exciting to watch as ever, with good money pumped into ambitious adrenaline charged moments, but if you haven’t got great stories built around them, it all becomes a tad irrelevant and this soon became apparent with the decreasing audiences, especially worsening when FOX changed the series viewing time slot at the mid-point.

Chance races to protect Ilsa in the season finale.

In the end, not even the intelligence, charm and action agility of the always likable lead star, Mark Valley, as bodyguard supreme Christopher Chance, could save this show from entering the TV autopsy room. At times watching this season, it looked as if the humorous twinkle of making the show seen in Valley's eyes had diminished greatly-perhaps he knew that, with all the shows new format changes, Lady Luck's gift of renewal wasn't to be on his side this year.

So, with cast and crew now embarked on new assignments, it's goodbye to HUMAN TARGET. Your second season may have been tarnished by some ultimately unwise behind the scenes creative decisions, but your premiere year will be fondly remembered by fans for its welcome blending of action, danger, excitement and comedy for a long time to come...


KOOL TV OVERALL SERIES RATING: 2.5 out of 5