Karen Sisco

Network: ABC; Genre: Crime/Mystery, Action, Drama; Content Rating: TV-PG (violence and some language); Available: reruns on Sluth; Perspective: Contemporary (star range: 1 -4);

Seasons Reviewed: Complete Series (1 season , 10 episodes)

In 1998, out-of-the-blue, ABC delivered a criminally unseen and wondrously entertaining little (6 episodes) masterpiece called "Maximum Bob". "Bob" was a flawless translation, a free-roaming piece of quirky TV magic, better than just about every Leonard adaptation big or small screen to date. "Karen Sisco" is the network and producers Danny DeVito and Barry Sonnenfeld's 2nd attempt to wrestle an Elmore Leonard novel onto the small screen and the results this time are not nearly as impressive. "Sisco" spins off "Out of Sight" Federal Marshal Karen Sisco (Carla Gugino, "Spin City") as she tracks down parole jumpers in Miami, Florida.

Compared to "Bob", "Sisco" restrains itself into a TV crime/mystery template and for the most part lacks the wild non-linear storytelling and, with the exception of "Dumb Bunnies" (featuring DeVito, Rhea Pearlman, Kevin Dillon, a series of gruff henchmen and a grenade), the quirky hobby pre-occupied characters of a Leonard novel. For such a light, colorful series, "Sisco" remains flat pretty consistently. It is too serious to be quirky and too quirky to be serious, a balance that it never comes to grips with. The mysteries aren't particularly clever, the action routine, the dialog uninspired - although you wouldn't know that just watching Robert Forster who gives a wily performance as Karen's retired father Marshall. Yes, Marshal Marshall Sisco. Credit also goes to Gary Cole and Xander Berkley who guest star in memorable, colorful characters.

Propping up the series is Gugino who lends a casual sexiness – that smartly isn't too played up - to Karen's tough-gal attitude. But the show makes the death-blow mistake of under-writing our lead which makes Karen a pretty dry and uninteresting heroine. The only way the show can think to humanize her is to end each episode with a moment of bonding between her and her "daddy". Forster and Gugino sell the hell out of the chemistry but I can't shake the feeling I'm being manipulated into a happy ending for all the families out there. "Sisco" follows "Alias" as another show with a butt-kicking heroine who needs her in-the-business dad's shoulder to lean on.

Maybe I'm wrong to be so tough on "Karen Sisco". It isn't bad. It just never revs up. It never quite finds itself, and wasn't on the air long enough to reach the quirky crime series nirvana it should have. I expected so much more and was, personally, profoundly disappointed.

* * / 4

Karen Sisco (Carla Gugino) is a US Marshal in Miami. Her father Marshall Sisco (Robert Forster) is the only one she unequivocally trusts. Amos Andrews (Bill Duke) is her boss.

Based on the character portrayed by Jennifer Lopez in Elmore Leonard's Out of Sight, Karen Sisco is a smart, sexy, and tough character. Carla Gugino plays her with gusto. It never really took off and lasted only 7 episodes with 3 unaired remaining. I think there were two main problems.

The first is they shot this is L.A. If they could do it in Miami, it would add so much more local flavor. There is a difference and the audience can feel it. The second is the need for edginess. Seeing the successful 'Justified' (another Elmore Leonard adaptation), it seems obvious that Karen Sisco just doesn't have the grittiness in both style and substance. It just isn't Elmore Leonard enough.

After having seen and greatly enjoyed Carla Gugino in various limited parts in relatively minor movies, I was overjoyed to see that she finally got some real recognition and was given her own TV show. And when I saw it, I wasn't disappointed. The show is smart, attractive and funny; clearly aimed at a fairly youthful, intelligent and predominantly male demographic. In short, it's everything a show should be in order to succeed. Only, for some inscrutable reason, it failed. What a great pity. What's wrong with audiences today? In a just world, this show would have rocketed Carla to true stardom.

For me, being a huge Carla Gugino fan, watching this show is pure joy. The writers and/or producers clearly adore Carla as much as I do, and put her squarely in the limelight, both in terms of loving camera angles, story and dialog. For someone of Carla's talents and charms, it's long overdue. At least with these 10 episodes, a devoted fan of Carla Gugino can get his fix, losing himself in a witty and charismatic action show captained by one of the dreamiest actresses currently working. What more can anyone ask?

It took me years to track down a digital copy so I cold watch these as I beleive its never been on DVD. I was told to look on YouTube. The show was wonderful, smart, entertaining great cast, why only 10 episodes? Gugino went on to do the limited series Threshold, which was great also.

This was a very hard to find Carla Gugino show. I could not find this show to stream or release on disc or VHS. I was lucky enough to buy a homemade DVD copy of this show off someone on EBay who recorded it back in 2003 off their TiVo. Spent a pretty $50 for it....later I found that this series is available to view on the "internet archives" (if anyone is wanting to watch this).

After watching the show, I found it a little vanilla and bland. If it wasn't for Carla Gugino I'm not sure I'd watch it the first time. I know I won't watch it a second time. Carla looks great and any fan of hers can appreciate her. But the writing, dialogue and mechanics of police, investigations and Marshalls are unrealistic. For example, police do not make outlines of bodies at crime scenes.

Also, why is her father called "Marshall sisco"? I mean, does he not have a first name or is his name Marshall? If he's no longer a Marshall, why go by Marshall? A bit confusing but the father daughter relationship was cute.

And while I loved Carla gugino, I'm not sure I was a fan of the character Karen Sisco (ignoring that Karen is now a slur, basically). I'm not a fan how the writers always gave her a new boyfriend she was romantic with each episode! Can't we have a female character not being romantically involved with men and being a horn-dog? Kinda lost respect for her and yeah it added filler but yawn.

For a Carla gugino show I recommend leopard skin, threshold, wayward pines, haunting of hill house, etc. This show was not worth $50 and not worth searching for.