After a somewhat impressive first episode, "Blind Justice" has been stagnating.
Maybe it's too unrealistic to make a blind guy into a homicide cop. Or maybe the homicide formula is getting tiresome.
But I'm willing to accept that nighttime network television will never be great.
In week two, our episode plays out more like a soap opera than it does a homicide drama. Yeah, some kid still gets murdered and chucked in the gutter, but whether Jim's wife is screwing around with her coworker is what's really on the agenda.
First she is, and then she isn't, and then she threatens to leave Jim, and then she comes back, and so on. Jim's relationship with his wife is on the rocks. Remember, Jim cheated on his wife a while back before he became blind.
I made a bold prediction in week one concerning Jim's future love interest, because God knows, he has to have one. I had a hunch it would be Jim's partner Karen. I mean, she's hot and single, so why not, right?
But now in episode three, the marriage seems to be back on good terms. Jim comes home with flowers and promises to never cheat on her again and they kiss and the episode ends. Nevertheless, I will stand by my prediction that Jim will hook it up with Karen later this season.
As for Jim's other coworkers, things aren't improving. I've mentioned before how "Blind Justice" uses the underdog method to create interest in Jim's character. To emphasize the point that Jim is a blind man struggling to survive in a seeing world, each episode displays a pathetic scene, usually before the 15-minute mark, in order to create sympathy for him. Jim might walk into a desk and hurt his leg, or get lost in the middle of the street while traffic flies by.
Constantly being doubted by everyone in the office, and at least once per episode by Karen at about the 45-minute mark, Jim has so far been able to pass ever test that is given to him. Don't expect this formula to change anytime soon.
So "Blind Justice" isn't really "Must-See TV." I'm hoping things will get better once the series has had a chance to better establish itself.
Have you been able to catch an episode? Let me know what you think.
"Blind Justice" airs Tuesday nights at 9 p.m. on ABC.
Check back next week for a recap of episode No. 4.
Daniel Swier is an associate editor of the Web Devil. Reach him at daniel.swier@asu.edu.
ONLINE EDITOR'S NOTE: This story was modified March 23 to correctly display a character's name.
