The Cape - Initial Thoughts (May contain Spoilers)

This review may contain a few spoilers of the show The Cape on NBC. 

Please read at your own risk.The Cape will have a Premiere Encore Monday night at 9pm on NBC in case you missed it!

I am so digging this show!  I'll admit at first when I heard about it, before I had seen a promo, I thought this show was a horror/suspense/thriller based in a New England coastal town.  Well when you think The Cape you would think that too.  Any way I love comic book type shows.  I was a huge Heroes fan, till the series took a weird turn and then my fangrrl squeeing started to wane.  But this show.  This show is like the pages of a comic coming to life on the television screen.  I don't have to turn a single page!  It's told in that block of action/dialogue style of a comic book.  It's about the scene and the right words, not a long drawn out scene filled with dialogue.  Finally saying so much with so little, letting actions speak.  Why can't more shows do that?

This show is about a cop, played by David Lyons as Vince Faraday aka The Cape, who gets framed and "killed" or so his family and the world think because he's a good cop and can't be turned by the evil organization known as ARK.  ARK is run by Peter Fleming aka Chess played by James Frain.  ARK's current goal is privatizing the police force and slowly the rest of Palm City's municipalities.  All this to make it easier for ARK to do it's various evil doings to include moving some illegal explosive called L-9.  As is demonstrated in the show this is some nasty stuff.  Vince Faraday is the kinda guy that can't let something go, he has to find the truth and right the wrongs.  Just means he gets to do it in a funky cool outfit.  Due to his untimely "demise" he's found by the Carnival of Crime, a band of Carnies that steal from banks.  Go ahead laugh but they are quite endearing.  It's lead by Max Malini played by Keith David and his band of misfits: Raia the lovely assistant (Izabella Miko), Rollo the midget strong man (Martin Klebba), and Ruvi the hypnotist (Anil Kumar).  Malini is a larger than life character, a man that demands you give him attention.  Presence, charisma, everything you'd expect in a Ring Leader and more.  He teaches Faraday to become an illusionist and in doing so how to master the cape.  He adopts the name The Cape, which earns a few jeers from random citizens, after the beloved comic book character he read to his son each night.  Major butt kicking ensues and some good action sequences.

Now don't go into this expecting Faraday to immediately be a master of all things superhero, in fact far from it.  As is demonstrated in the first two episodes you see his weakness as a man and as a new superhero.  Rushing into situations head first and nearly getting himself killed in the process.  You also see his strength that he draws not from clearing his name but that doing these things will keep his family safe from the damage ARK is causing to the entire city.  Also becoming the super hero of the comic his son, Trip (Ryan Wynott) reads and giving hope back not just to his son but to everyone.  He's just a man but one man can change the course of everything, the main theme of the show.  He's also joined by the sexy and lovely Orwell or at least that's what everyone calls her, played by Summer Glau.  We as of yet to scratch the surface of this maiden who can handle herself in a fight, has a fleet of amazing cars, and runs an underground blog bent on bringing to light all the dirt and evil in Palm City.  She's smart and savvy and becomes quite literally The Cape's ear and connections as well as a few times saving him.  Damsel in distress she is not.  Neither is Faraday's wife, Dana played by Jennifer Ferrin.  At first she is a grieving widow, haunted by the smearing of her husband's name and unsure of how her life should proceed.  Then suddenly this Valkyrie in lawyer clothing appears, Justice is here and she's ready to kick butt too.  In the court room of course.

There is so much I am looking forward to in this series.  It's not weighed down in any way with too many subplots.  Every scene gives you some details or some hint at what's to come.  Just enough to wet your appetite and keep you interested but without having too many things going to be annoying.  I am looking forward to see if Richard Schiff's character Patrick Portman becomes a more active role in The Cape's acts.  An inside man in the City Council who's life you saved could be a nice touch.  Also the hints of interest Raia has shown to The Cape, will those lead to something more?  Will we ever find out why Orwell lives in the basement of her giant mansion and what her back story is?  Will The Cape ever reappear to his son Trip that waits every night for him on the roof of his apartment building?  Or maybe Dana will become a partner to The Cape in the courtroom, bringing to justice those he takes down.  How will the rematch between Scales and Rollo go down?  I can't wait till next Sunday!

The Cape is on NBC Sunday's at 9pm.Don't forget The Cape will have a Premiere Encore Monday night Jan 10, at 9pm on NBC in case you missed it!

The Cape -Starring:
David Lyons (Eat Pray Love, ER) as Vince Faraday aka The Cape
Jennifer Ferrin (Life on Mars) as Dana Faraday
Ryan Wynott (Flash Forward) as Trip Faraday
Summer Glau (Firefly, Serenity, Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles) as Orwell
Keith David (Platoon) as Max Malini
Martin Klebba (Pirates of the Caribbean, Hancock) as Rollo
Izabella Miko (Coyote Ugly, Repo) as Raia
Anil Kumar (24) as Ruvi
Richard Schiff (West Wing, I Am Sam) as Patrick Portman
James Frain (True Blood, Tron: Legacy) as Peter Fleming aka Chess
Vinnie Jones (Snatch, Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels) as Scales
Dorian Missick (Lucky Number Slevin) as Marty Voyt

What did you think of The Cape premiere?