The Seer (2008)
Review by Theron Neel
Hey guys, I know you’ve been missing me, right? Sorry I’ve been gone so long. I’ve been away on a journey of self-discovery… yes, I had to find myself. And don’t worry, because I did find myself. I was sitting on a barstool at The Tic-Toc Lounge in San Jose, which is weird because although I’ve never even been to San Jose, apparently I’m a regular there. Anyway, when I found myself, I bought me a drink, but sadly I asked myself not bother me. So I drank my own drink myself and returned home – a wistful, though much wiser, man.
And now I’m here. And I have news. There’s a hot new TV pilot making the rounds. It’s called The Seer, and it’s garnering a lot of buzz. Written and directed by Linda Andersson, The Seer is the story of a psychic named Guin Marcus (Deborah Stewart). Formerly a cop, Guin is now a private detective, using her sixth sense to solve crimes and navigate an increasingly tangled personal life.
Called to consult with the police on a case involving a murder, Guin is thrown together with her ex-lover, Det. April Reese (Michelle Tomlinson). Yes, you read right: her ex-lover. Two of the main characters are lesbians. The great thing about this is that the producers don’t feel it’s necessary to exploit the characters’ sexuality. This is somewhat unusual for Hollywood, where lesbians are code for either sexually voracious nymphos or sexually voracious psycho-bitches. Here, they are neither. Of course the creators aren’t crazy. There is enough girl-on-girl action and attractive female flesh on display to set some tongues a’wagging.
Part Medium, part The L Word, The Seer is a well-made show, considering its small budget. The production values are solid, and most of the performances are good. Deborah Stewart plays Guin Marcus as somewhat world-weary and not easily surprised, which makes sense since, well, she’s a psychic. Michelle Tomlinson (from last year’s horror fave The Cellar Door) gives a full-bodied performance. Any project she’s in is instantly improved by her presence, and The Seer no exception. And as psycho-killer Jeremy Rains, Landall Goolsby is batshit nuts (that’s a compliment, btw).
The Seer is a new look at the police procedural/drama, and it’s entertaining but not perfect. Some of the performances are pitched a bit over the top and, while the storyline is intriguing, some of the dialogue could use a polish. But, overall, The Seer deserves the buzz it’s getting. While I’m sure the thought is to push it to some of the gay networks, such as Q Television or Logo, I think that would be a mistake. Personally, I feel The Seer would be at home late-night on the Sci-Fi Channel or on Showtime Beyond.
You can find The Seer’s trailer and some stills from the pilot at its MySpace site (http://www.myspace.com/atlastfilms). Please drop by and check it out. You’re already welcome because The Seer knows you’re coming…
Popularity: 12% [?]
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