E-Ring

I think of "E-Ring" is a NBC's version of FOX's "24" but yet a in different style. "E-Ring" is about a former CIA agent, Jim "J.T." Tisnewski (Benjamin Bratt) who is an irreverent and resourceful U.S Army Major who works with Colonel McNulty (Dennis Hopper) in the military team. It's a hub of highly explosive conflicts between American military heroes and the civilians to whom they report -- a world where crises can escalate into life-and-death climaxes, for individuals or entire nations! I'm glad Jerry Bruckheimer decided to do this show instead of making another CSI show because those CSI shows are kind of getting out of line! Plus I wonder if Dennis Hopper's character will die at all? Because vast majority of the characters he plays, most of them die. But if you want a show with good action, you should check out this one! This show premiered on NBC, September 2005.

User Rating: 9/10

BOTTOM LINE: ANOTHER PIECE OF GREAT WORK DONE BY JERRY BRUCKHEIMER!

Overall, I enjoyed the show but the nomenclature got on my nerves. The producers need to research and use the correct terms. Boskowitz was not an "agent". In the intelligence world, an "agent" is a foreign national who provides information to the agency. Boskowitz is a CIA officer. CIA employees take an oath of office. The Chinese "asset" was not an "asset". She was an "agent", a foreign national who provided intelligence. Aside from making all the CIA characters look like bumbling careerist fools, the show was pretty good but, please, use the right names for people, positions and things! It ruins the authenticity of the show when these details are not correct. I'll look forward to future shows.

We want E-Ring returned to it's original prime-time location. It made Wednesday evening something to look forward to. Enjoyed the action & the personal interchange of the characters. Ventures into the Middle East are informative. We considered E-Ring an intelligent introduction into the workings of our military & state departments. A look into our covert shenanigans is helpful in keeping the American people aware of our government's activities in other nations. Excellent & interesting cast! Powerhouses like Dennis Hopper & Benjamin Bratt really added spark! We were also really looking forward to MSgt Jocelyn Pierce's budding romantic relationship. Hopefully, E-Ring will return! Soon!

Been missing Harm, Mac, Bud and Harriet, et al. I think Tisnewski, McNulty and Pierce may be the answer.

Love the rule-breaking for the right reasons and the loyalty. Loyalty is big in my book. Sorry, but there are a lot of us old-fashioned types still out here!

Also, like the bike-riding to the Pentagon! That is GREAT stuff.

The feisty Pierce is probably my favorite character so far. She stands up to the big boys and delivers a lot of tough love.

Hopper surprised me as McNulty. I like him.

Tisnewski is appropriately sexy, completely good and right. In short, he's courageous as a Gryffindor (can't resist the Harry Potter references you know).

The other characters aren't developed enough yet, but I'm convinced so far.

Bring on the white hats.

Critics of this show say there is a fundamental flaw with the concept of E-Ring: the main characters, including the protagonist played by Benjamin Bratt, are not really heroes.

The line of thinking says that characters have to operate completely autonomously to be considered heroic. The comments I've seen point out that Bratt and his colleagues (including boss Dennis Hopper) direct others to do the work but need to get approval from above for that work to be carried out. In other words, they don't DO anything themselves.

I watched the episodes I've seen with a jaundiced eye, the critics' words in mind. But Bratt comes off as, while slightly arrogant and naive, a true crusader who is learning to work the system to get very heroic things done. Along the way he designs some pretty creative military missions.

Jerry Bruckheimer may be stretching himself a little thin, but this one is pretty darn good. I would give it 7 out of 10. For one thing, the acting and writing (discounting a few egregious clichés) is better than CSI: Miami.