TVSquad

yeah, this is a really strong show. Not only are the stories/mysteries good, the acting is top notch and the camera work is really unique. Any word on how it's doing in the ratings? Will NBC bring it back? It would be a nice intro or lead out to Medium.

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Actually, it's moving to Fridays starting tomorrow.

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What? No comparisons to the way BSG has had people in their heads? Shame! Shame! (I kid)

No, Raines didn't rip off the idea from the plot device in BSG, and the way that Goldblum and friends have pulled it off for the concept of the show certainly works fine, and there's a lot of room to run with it -- meaning they can take this and dump a lot of different personalities, and even have talk to a live person only to then have them be murdered as part of the case, and have that live person be now dead. etc. Why even stick to dead people being in Raines' head? You might have a George Bush(impersonator) crack a few jokes if Raines' character really starts to go off the deep end... or better, fictional detectives, rather than just his dead partner.

If I was a writer, THIS would be the spec show I'd write, simply because there's a lot of room to work, and Goldblum's Raines is stylized enough to characterize without having to know all that much about where the show is ultimately headed. The simplicity of a gumshoe detective...

I'm watching this and enjoying it. So far, it hasn't disappointed.

One curiosity with the show -- I'm surprised Raines' character doesn't have a particular hangout/haunt/coffeeshop with the requisite cute/sadsack/sexy/nerdy/streethip recurring character, ala "Huggy Bear"

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I agree wholeheartedly; Goldblum makes this show. His quiet, almost muttering-to-himself delivery seems highly unique to me. I've never paid much attention to him in the past, but his recent appearance on Letterman left me curious about the show and about his approach to the character. It's now at the top of my Tivo Season Pass Manager list.

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Walt: He does hangs out on the beach with his dead partner.

This show had me from the end of the pilot episode:
"Who are you talking to?"
"The dead...they hunger for human brains...the feast begins at sundown."

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Raines has been a pleasant surprise. It's not "really really great", but it's definitely diverting. Jeff Goldblum has a quirky enough persona to pull off this "Columbo with ghosts" concept. And Graham Yost, the guy who did "Boomtown" and wrote the script for "Speed", created it. This has the potential to be a sleeper hit if NBC gives it a chance to spread it's wings.

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Has anyone else but me noticed that Frank Darabont directed the first episode and is executive producer?

I am really liking this show so far....

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First episode was solid enough. Always liked Goldblum though.

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I don't watch any of the other I-talk-to-dead-people shows, but I have watched the first two episodes of Raines. I think the conceit of his talking to his own impression of the dead person is original and has much potential.

I particularly how the dead person changes as he learns more about them.

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It seems as if the loss of his partner has forced him to shut out the living and replace them with these hallucinations, which he appears to become rather emotionally involved with.

The tears he shed in his car when he put in the CD he took from the dead girl's mom just floored me. He is such a fantastic actor and I love the fact that although he is a somewhat rude and isolated private eye he is extremely vulnerable and self-aware.

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They made it pretty clear that he always talked to his partner to help figure out the crimes. Now that his partner is dead, he STILL does, but in his imagination. There's also been dialogue to indicate that he did this sort of role-playing with his partner, or at least in front of his partner. Now that he's solo, it makes him look loony.

it's a solid show. if it can't quite make it on NBC, it would be a good Friday night USA show -- this, Psych and Monk would be a solid block.

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Awesome! I am happy they are moving Raines to Friday night. I will actually get to watch a show worth watching (actually two ABC30 in STL re-runs thursday night's Grey's Anatomy). I have always been a fan of Jeff Goldblum too. I miss the old Friday night line ups like ABC's TGIF and whatnot.

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The show is nice. Anyone notice Star Trek's Linda Park in there?

Note to TV channels: Stop moving shows round!! I used to watch Scrubs a lot until I could no longer figure out where and when it was this week -- if it was on at all. And, those stupid ads at the bottom (if not encroaching all over the screen) which make noise interfere with the show I'm trying to watch. Even if they don't make noise. The ads during the show are bad enough. Is it any wonder I no longer watch TV, but catch everything on DVD? (DVDs have their own rant....)

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It's a solid show and he really makes it work.

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I find it all very sad that 90% of the comments I have ever read about the show said how wonderful it is and that this is a intelligent, feeling, unique an humorous program, perfect casting of Jeff Goldblum. The ratings were respectable for seven episodes and NBC still killed! the show. Well it's a long shot(from here to the moon) but maybe USA will have more sense.

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I am disappointed that NBC canceled Raines. Jeff Goldblum was a complex charactor and the writing was good. The combination of Goldblum's quirkiness and the plots that were not the usually weekly formula made it a show that remained interesting. I too was hesitant when I thought it was another Medium type show--I don't like the supernatural programs--but once I saw an episode I was hooked and began telling my friends. The one thing I didn't like is the charactor of a bumbling cop. So many shows do that and I don't think it's necessary. I would like to see it on TNT along with The Closer since it seems NBC isn't going to bring it back.

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