Lone Star

I carefully set my TiVo to record all the fall shows that had garnered positive reviews (plus a few that hadn't) so that I could compare them for myself. Hands down, our family liked Lone Star the best. An unusual premise, clever writing, intelligent plots, and plenty of opportunities to ask, "I wonder what might happen next?" And awesome music! We were hooked and happily waited for episode number two.

And then we read about the abysmal ratings. Surely, we thought, the network will move it to another time slot. Surely they'll want to preserve something this good. Nope, they didn't. They showed ep no. 2 and canned it.

Wow. The series had just begun to explore the different relationships the two fathers had forged with their sons. We had yet to see the main character get into any serious hot water with the two wives. (I just knew there would be a sweeps week episode where they met....) And what about holidays? How would he spend Christmas? Valentine's Day? Soooo many unanswered questions.

So it's back to crime procedurals, where I can predict the ending within the first 10 minutes and never wonder who is thinking what. Is this really the best the networks can do?

This show made me a little ticked off at first, because it was going to make me like a guy who was a con artist with two wives... well, I did! I loved the main character, a man struggling to get away from the insane values his father taught him. I was just beginning to really look forward to watching this show when it was taken off the air. I wish the network had given the show more than 2 episodes to catch on, though I know statistics show that ratings don't usually grow over time. I think in this case, the show could have caught on and been something. The premise was definitely different - the actors were likable and believable, and something about it just left me awaiting the next scene at all times. It's too bad the network took all available shows off their site, because those of us who liked it would've liked to have seen what had been filmed.

If Lone Star can avoid becoming repetitive and soapy then it might be on to something good. Like The Riches last year it has the simple idea of a con man, Robert Allen (Played with charm to the fore by James Wolk), who discovers life is richer without crime when offered an executive job in a Texas mega-oil industry.

Not only is he a con man, his father is too, then to sweeten the plot there's there's the two women in Drew's life.

All in all, this was pretty good stuff: but the question is, is there is enough here to make you wonder how it's going to work out? I think so - and more than that I want to see how it's going to work out - can he be the executive or will he opt for the simple life in Midland, r will his father tire of it all, and there's bound to be other spanners in the works - it's good stuff, folks.

Anyways, we did really enjoy the first episode, but the viewing figures of 4.1 million don't bode well. It is a lot more interesting than just junk TV and if you like drama I'd definitely say it's worth catching an episode....

Bob Allen (James Wolk) is a con man who learned from his father John Allen (David Keith). He is married to Cat Thatcher (Adrianne Palicki) and gaining the trust of her oil tycoon father Clint Thatcher (Jon Voight). He is starting to have doubts. He has to walk away from his girlfriend Lindsay Holloway (Eloise Mumford) as his victim closes in on him.

I remember this show. I may have seen the first episode or even both before it got canceled after only two episodes. This Fox show gained some critical support, but no public support. The audience is simply not there. Why? I can see critics liking this for being different. They watch so much TV that sometimes they appreciate a different type of show. For me, I could not root for Bob Allen. I don't like his personality or his thinking. I don't see a way out for him. Imagine ten years from now. I don't see it happening. It's most likely that his father steal a bunch of money. Father and son have a fight. The son would probably end up in prison for polygamy. I simply don't understand his thinking or lack of thinking.

I don't know how this even got on air. "Lone Star" is a big, dumb mess that in my opinion failed miserably. The acting is horribly bad, the script is dumb and does nothing to keep my interest, and the plot is overdone and uninteresting. Chalk up another failed fall show.

James Wolk plays a Texas con man who leads a double life - meaning he has one wife and one girlfriend, and he's two people. I forgot the names and confused the characters for most of the episode so pardon me for not giving you the whole scoop.

Wolk is awful, he seems to think that a wink and a charm will stand for anything. His character is the absolutely typical con man; suave, dry, careless, smart. He's the boring stereotype. The women who play his wife/girlfriend are just as bad. Even Jon Voight shows his declining quality as an actor. David Keith seems to be the only one who cares in this series, he makes do with what he has.

Don't expect to get anything out of "Lone Star".