Crossing Lines

Like the other reviewer, I stumbled across this series by accident when I was looking through the ratings and didn't know what this show was about. Recognizing several actors I enjoy watching, I decided to look it up and found it buried on NBC's website. The synopsis looked interesting and follows similar crime dramas we also enjoy and felt to me like a Criminal Minds Europe type of show.

We watched the first two episodes and thoroughly enjoyed them. It had a Spooks feel (MI-5 to US folks), Criminal Minds and a bit of Law and Order mixed in with a lot of suspense, action and a few twists. It has a great cast and I'm not bothered by its size. It's a very cerebral show that gets you thinking and I do hope it lasts the 10 episodes its scheduled for to see how it plays out. Given the poor quality of shows available for viewing this summer, this is a breath of fresh air.

Shame on NBC though for keeping this jewel hidden... a little bit of marketing and it could be owning its time slot easily.

.....something for the grown-ups!!!! NBC shame on you for not playing this one up --- I might have missed it altogether but somehow I caught wind of Donald Sutherland and put it on my DVR!!!! I've only watched the first nine minutes so far and I'm captivated. William Fitchner --- so good in "Prison Break" --- a delight to see him on screen again --- and --- NBC --- if you will go LOOOK at the ratings on IMDb for Prison Break they are still at 8.5! This looks great...an ensemble cast of interesting sounding characters. (In that, not unlike Prison Break...some of the best acting EVER happened in that series (Robert Kneppner "T-Bag" to name another), while Wentworth Miller certainly was not hard to look at. In fact, if you really want to mix it up a bit, NBC, throw T-Bag and Wentworth a bone, and bring them on in some surprise roles on Crossing Lines (says she with a sardonic little grin).

Not everything has to be pablum for the kiddies. There are still some of us out here who want REAL TV....not REALITY TV!

Crossing Lines follows the cases of a special crime solving task force of police officers from all over the EU on loan to the ICC who specialize in cross boarder crimes in the EU. The show not only follows the cases but also the personal lives and inner turmoil of our group of characters.

Crossing Lines at first glance may seem like "just another" police procedural, but thanks to some solid acting and writing it manages to elevate itself and stand out from the crowded field. Former NYPD officer Carl Hickman played character actor William Fictner serves as an anchor for the team with his concealed inner pain from a case left unresolved serving as a great springboard for character scenes. The show also has other well developed characters such as Marc Lavoine's Louis Daniel, Tom Wlaschiha's Sebastian Berger, and Donald Southerlands' Mikael Dorn. Every character serves a purpose and thanks to its longer running time in comparison to American police procedural we learn a lot more about the characters.

And then season 3 happened. Not that season 3 was bad by any stretch, but the fact it cast away much of the cast with the exception Wlaschiha and Sutherland left me personally with a lack of investment as 70% of the team was comprised of characters who I didn't know and had no investment in.

Crossing Lines is an above average police procedural with some intriguing cases and good characters, I only wish they'd had better retention for their cast.

This is one show worth watching in my opinion and I am surprised at the negative reviews that are rubbishing it. It is obviously not technical enough for those reviewers. I find William Fichtner character very likable and I also like the way he goes about his work. He is a really good detective who thinks outside the box. Nothing seems to get in his way and even if it is a bit unbelievable that he gets to solve every crime in record time, it is still entertaining. The supporting cast is also excellent,i For this show to be successful, I do believe it will need to take on more interesting dark themes or it runs the risk of becoming a run-of-the-mill forensics series like Law and Order or Kojack...no knock on these shows.....

I LOVED Crossing Lines, right up until season 3. Half the cast left, new writers were brought on and the show went from being intelligent, fascinating and intense to just another blase version of Law and Order. Elizabeth Mitchell brings the whole show down several levels. She looks ridiculous next to the better actors from seasons 1-2 who now play smaller rolls. The writers make the actors explain everything to the audience, and repeat everything multiple times which kills any flow or dynamic the characters might have. The original actors try so hard to keep the magic of the previous seasons, but the writers don't leave any room for that.

Overall, I'd highly recommend watching seasons 1-2, but do yourself a favor and stop there. Season 3 will only disappoint.