Unforgettable (CBS, Tuesdays 10/9 Central)

Unforgettable

CBS, Tuesdays 10/9 Central

Sep 20, 2011 By Lily Moayeri Web Exclusive

The number of angles procedural cop and crime programs can have is limited. Enter dramas such as The Mentalist, one that feature an unconventional character oddity to refresh the detective-by-numbers format. Poppy Montgomery (Without a Trace) plays such a character in Unforgettable, portraying Carrie Wells, a former detective incapable of forgetting anything that has ever occurred in her life. Ironically, she also volunteers at a nursing home for dementia patients. This idiosyncrasy makes Carrie a little bit of a basket case, but also good at detecting. Unable to distance herself from her previous profession, her aborted relationship with Detective Al Burns (Nip/Tuck's Dylan Walsh) sucks her back into solving crimes.

Carrie's sideshow memory act is in turns impressive and annoying, particularly as it is presented via slow motion flashbacks. Similarly, Montgomery's turn is half too superficially confident and half voice-crackingly emotional. The unfinished business between her and Al is the sexual driving force of Unforgettable. These two are not the only recognizable faces, nor are they the only television veterans. Kevin Rankin (Friday Night Lights), Daya Vaidya (NCIS), and Michael Gaston (Jericho) provide solid support. Unforgettable's attempts at un-procedural-izing the procedural cop show work for the most part, making it a contender to match The Mentalist. Oh, and it's a nice touch having Al make fun of CSI in the pilot. (www.cbs.com/unforgettable)

Author rating: 6/10

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Average reader rating: 7/10