Kojak

The first episode of this show doesn't air until March 25th, but I managed to get my hands on the press kit, which contains (along with the press releases and the extremely creative promotional lolly-pops) the DVD of the 2-hour pilot, and if the subsequent shows are as well-written and absorbing as this initial offering, I will most certainly make damn sure I don't miss any of them.

I've always enjoyed Ving Rhames' work; he manages to bring humanity and substance to any role he undertakes, whether he's portraying a good guy, a bad guy, or anything in-between. Here, as the infamous Kojak, he's perfectly on the mark, managing to be tough without making it an ego thing, genuinely sensitive when it's called for, and thoroughly able to do what needs to be done (even if it's in conflict with the 'rules'). The part is tailor-made for him, and I would go so far as to say that if you'd never seen the original show, with Telly S. in the title role, you would swear the part was created FOR Rhames.

The pilot episode starts out good, gets better and better and still better, and by the time it was over, I was ready to sign up (in fact, I did - went to the USA Network's site and submitted my email so I could get the weekly newsletter). The plot has many traditional elements of the genre, of course, but it's the WAY it's done, the WAY it's written and executed that elevate it above the fray. I only hope the rest of the episodes live up to this initial offering. I have a feeling they will.

It's happened before here at IMDb that I've been the first person to post a comment on a movie or a show, but this is the first time that I've actually gotten to be one of the first 5 voters. It's an honor to be able to cast one of these first 5 votes for such a promising and inspired new venture.

I remember Telly Savalas as Kojak the Greek stylish Detective. Who ruled with an Iron Fist, yet also cared for all he came into contact with. This Is Not Even Close!.

The actors including the lead, were not great, sometimes even poor. The script was extremely weak and did little to help the acting.

I watched it 3 times and it was so bad I eventually gave up.

Thankfully, this mockery of a once extremely well know detective series, headed by a real star of both big & small screen, didn't last very long despite protests from the Woke brigade.

Perhaps, it's best forgotten!.

Did the 6 people who reviewed this see the same show as me? I think not, or they are Ving Rhames' lackeys or possibly family members. This was a real stinker and the 10 episode limit proves it. It also puts those 6 previous reviewers in the "duh" category. First, a black Greek detective. OK whatever. Ving is no actor, I don't know what he did before this but he needs to go back. In the year of the remakes where either every writer in Hollywood was brain dead, or completely devoid of ideas, this was the worst. The supporting cast could not save it. This had disaster written all over it from jump street. It was a lot of things, good or even watchable was not one of them. The first six reviewers were paid lackeys.

Ving Rhames as Kojak? Seriously?

What kind of PC nonsense was that? Might as well cast Charlie Sheen as MLK. Or Samuel Jackson as Gandhi. Or some Swede as Geronimo.

Look, Kojak was an ethnic Greek in a way that was integral to his character. It's just not believable. And the acting was sub par.

This was yet another example of franchise poaching, whereby junk scripts are piled up until a time when the title and character names on one of them can be altered and it be pushed out there.

I like it, not exaggerated or vulgar or boring like other series... and Rosslyn Sanchez adds the latina spice, love it... hopefully they'll bring some more episodes..