The Beast

I can't understand how you could possibly think The Beast was a lousy show. Patrick Swayze is awesome in this role and Travis Fimmel brings a surprising strength to the show as Swayze's new partner. Each show reals me in even more and I can't wait for the next episode to find out where the two are next. I like the way the The Beast is filmed and enjoy seeing Chicago and its' various neighborhoods showcased brilliantly. It is refreshing to have a new crime drama that sets itself apart from all the other Law and Orders, CSIs, etc (so tired of those shows, ick). The story behind the story is what really interests me and it is fabulous to see Swayze's comeback. I root for Travis as well because not only is he easy to look at, he is turning into quite the actor.

Watch the show, it is totally worth it! Disregard the other comment. Seriously.

I should start by highlighting that I am biased, Patrick Swayze is a legend in my eyes and his untimely death robbed the world of a hugely talented actor, may his soul rest in peace.

I don't think bias is necessarily a bad thing though, of course that is for you to judge. This TV series was cut short at the news of Patrick's death, which while understandable, maybe the biggest mistake ever made. Its an amazing show. If you think that weekend TV such as law and order, csi etc is good viewing, you will be blown away by this show. The script is nothing short of a masterclass, it takes you to the very last minute of every episode and never has you guessing what's going to happen, because, well simply you just don't want to, it leaves you wanting more.

Its gritty and realistic and while sometimes pushes the boundaries of what may be believable for some, Sir Swayze always makes it feel real. The tension builds from the first episode and rumbles all the way through, so you're never disappointed. If you like hard hitting feel good TV, this is ideal for you, and if you like Patrick Swayze, this is a must see TV series.

I saw the airing on 15 January 10:00 - 10:52 PM EST (this unusual time slot is what was scheduled). It was tight, well edited, grim, brilliant. I went to watch it with a friend and his cut was completely different. We both recorded another upcoming showing (17 January 6:00 - 7:00 PM EST and PST).

The showing on the 17th was far inferior; out of order, dumbed-down, slowed down, important points left out, and truly disappointing after the brilliant cut I had seen.

And if you are going to craft a show like this, don't decapitate it by blanking out every other word! Which versions did people see? Did anyone else catch two different versions of this? Which did you like better?

Now in this new A&E TV show... Patrick Swayze plays veteran FBI agent Charles Barker, and for sometime he has been working with a young protégé named Ellis Dove (Travis Fimmel). As more cases have to be solved, and more crime has to be addressed, Ellis comes to find out that he was actually recruited as a double agent to investigate Charles Barker's unorthodox work style, and activities.

And so far that is the plot.

Now after watching the first episode I will admit that this show is very good. Now I know some people will say that this show just looks typical, and it looks like your standard one hour drama, but to be honest with folks.. I believe it's better than most standard drama's that are currently running. I mean this show is very gritty, and ballsy. And I must say that this show really echoes the film Training Day (2001) with Denzel Washington, and Ethan Hawke. So if you saw that film then you can really get an idea on how this show flows.

Now getting to the characters....Patrick Swayze does a great job as Charles Barker. Now I know for Swayze to play this role, it's going to be kind of hard to reach the heights of his past roles in such films like Dirty Dancing, Road House, and Point Break. But Patrick Swayze pulls it off as Charles Barker, and he's really convincing as this unorthodox FBI agent.

Travis Fimmel does a good job. Now I've never heard of Travis Fimmel until I saw him in the first episode of The Beast, and like I said he did a good job. It's not the best acting performance, but it's not the worst I've seen. I just thought he did good.

And overall this show is good so far. I think it has potential. I believe it's different from your standard drama's that are currently running now like CSI:Miami, Without A Trace, and The Closer. The Beast is a drama that really pulls in your focus, and it's a good drama with the mix of some action, good mystery, and entertaining crime/corruption elements.

First off, the show is good, and the reviews don't seem to indicate that. The cast is fantastic, the episodes are well written, and plot thickens with every episode. It's probably more of a guys show than girls, but i can see the cool girls liking it. (If you watch American Idol with your wife every week, good luck!) I feel the best part of a the show is the alacrity of plot development. Every show starts out with no real direction, then 180's to a complicated plot, then throws a 3rd or 4th plot in the mix to confuse you, then it all comes together, but still leaves the overall plot exposed. (If you watch the show, you'll know what that meant.)