Threat Matrix

I wouldn't be surprised if the newfound spokesman for young conservatives, former WWF wrestling champion, The Ultimate Warrior, wrote the first episode of Threat Matrix. Its just what the doctor ordered for his brand of dramatization of the political process. It says that we need wolf-like sheep to fight the wolves in sheep's clothing. Some other person commenting on this program suggested that this show is not afraid to make the bad guy brown-skinned. This show, on the other hand does cover the brown-skinned bad guy in the innocuous garb of white flesh and short hair with a friar's bald spot to demarcate his piety. In other words, he is a white guy. A white guy with the "evil" spirit of a fundamentalist. The message? An extreme Makeover does not actually change a person's soul. In this case, he is still accountable to Allah. For the neo-con, that Allah canbe translated into english as: Authority. Why suggest that you have faith in George W. Bush, or Donald Rumsfeld when they will be out of office before you are done serving your country? You might as well serve some more abstract authority, like the United States of America. This logic, transposed seems to be closer to what the Islamists do. That is why they are called Fundamentalists. They go to fundamental authorities. Let me just say that this show is stylish without saying much, and its plot is complex enough to allow the actors not to act.

This show is kind of funny, because it suggests that we should be glad to give other people access to our security so that they can make sure that it is, in fact, security. So that means trust no-one, except the Threat Matrix.

Here's the deal: If you don't have any expectations it's worth watching.

Quote from the intro-sequence: "Every morning the President receives a report that updates the most active terrorist threats against the United States. This report is called "The Threat Matrix". The department of Homeland Security handpicked teams of agents from the CIA, FBI and the NSA, to analyze and respond to the Threat Matrix report, now their job is to keep us safe." We follow Special Agent John Kilmer (James Denton) and his team who makes a living out of stopping terrorist in reaching their objectives.

And that is mostly what this show is about. Now I know 24 comes to your mind when you see this but this is not 24 and don't think about 24 when you watch it. You'll be disappointed. This is not a bad show, but it's not a masterpiece. It is, however, entertaining and worth watching if you don't take it all too seriously and think too much about it. The cast is good and the stories are OK. The effects could have been done better, but you buy it. Over all it's well made.

This show is so far away from reality, it can see the top of reality as it starts to dip below the horizon and sail far, far away. Don't watch it unless you want to experience the odd sensation of your brain running a white flag up a pole and trying to escape out of your ear lest it have to watch another episode.

Reading comments that suggest that this is based on real-life makes me realise just how much people's perception of reality has been warped by TV and movies.

Having said that, if you have an iron constitution, you might find it amusing in a precognitive kind of way: people in years to come might look on it the same way we look at King of the Rocket Men and the Batman serials of the 40s for their "realistic" interpretations of science, technology and the then-current affairs. Experience that feeling today with Threat Matrix!

Threat Matrix is the best new show of the season! It's got a kick-ass cast, a great plotline, and a winning attitude. I wish people would give it a chance! It was put in a suicide time slot, up against Friends and Survivor on Thursday nights at 8, which weighs down its ratings, but it is still has the 3rd highest ratings in that time spot! The characters have great depth and charisma, the writers are absolutely amazing, and it never gets repetitive. You couldn't ask for a better show. I sincerely hope ABC realizes that the show is struggling only because of its competition, and decides to renew it for another season and give it a real fighting chance. Threat Matrix is the brightest star out there, only nobody can see it from behind the clouds. the show deserves a chance to shine. I hope they get that chance.

I think that before anyone starts rubbishing this series as being over the top, nationalistic rubbish they might want to think about one thing. What if what we see in these episodes, or similar is actually happening each day in the USA? I mean if it is, and the US Gov certainly ain't going to be announcing it on TV if it is, then I think it paints a whole new picture on this series! Whilst some of the episodes may be a little near the edge, I think many of them show us a world that we don't want to face. A world were individuals rights are infringed, liberties taken away at a whim, and people falsely accused of things they never did. All this because a few guys flew some planes into a building ( a fact that is actually mentioned in one Ep.) I think this is a great idea and I only hope it can take off again some day.