TVSquad

I've been really curious to see what TNT's Dark Blue is all about. It's got a few things going for it right off the bat: producer Jerry Bruckheimer and lead actor Dylan McDermott. I can't say I'm all about the police dramas, but those two guys made me want to check it out.

Plus, it's on TNT, which has been running edgier shows lately, like Saving Grace, The Closer, and Leverage. The network is sort of a cross between HBO and USA, with some FX thrown in.

On my first viewing of the Dark Blue pilot, it came across as just another procedural about a brooding cop (McDermott) whose team walks the line between right and wrong. But I knew in my heart there was more, so I watched it again.

(S01E01) In the beginning, about 2002, television gave us FX's The Shield, a police drama featuring corrupt but effective angst-ridden cops. Two years later the big picture box gave us FX's Rescue Me, a firefighter drama featuring cracked but effected angst-ridden firefighters. Both series have gone on to be critical and popular successes.  And now, the glorious TV has given us a new 'first response' drama on TNT called Saved, which features flawed but effective angst-ridden paramedics.

Television should have taken a rest after the first two shows because it didn't do very well on this one. You see, while both The Shield and Rescue Me have main characters that you can connect with, despite the fact they are so flawed,  you can't do that with Wyatt Cole, the main character on Saved. Why? Because he's so freakin selfish.

But, I'm getting ahead of myself. Let me explain after the jump. However, be warned of the spoilers ahead.