Monday 1 October 2012

Vegas - Review of the series premiere


Premise  (CBS)Dennis Quaid and Michael Chiklis star in this drama inspired by the true story of former Las Vegas Sheriff Ralph Lamb, a fourth-generation rancher tasked with bringing order to Las Vegas in the 1960s, a gambling and entertainment mecca emerging from the tumbleweeds. Ralph Lamb wants to be left in peace to run his ranch, but Las Vegas is now swelling with outsiders and corruption which are intruding on his simple life. Recalling Lamb's command as a military police officer during World War II, the Mayor appeals to his sense of duty to look into a murder of a casino worker - and so begins Lamb's clash with Vincent Savino, a ruthless Chicago gangster who plans to make Vegas his own. Assisting Lamb in keeping law and order are his two deputies: his diplomatic, even-keeled brother, Jack, and his charming but impulsive son, Dixon. Ambitious Assistant District Attorney Katherine O'Connell, who grew up on the ranch next to the Lambs, also lends a hand in preserving justice.  


First impression: CSI meets American Outlaws meets Casino but with less technical jargon, aged cowboys and clean language. I loved it!

Cast:  Dennis Quaid, Michael Chiklis and Carrie-Anne Moss obviously the acting is excellent. With these talented and seasoned actors I’m happy to say they delivered and made the show an enjoyable watch. 

Overall Feel: Set in the 60’s when Vegas was still mostly ranches and deserts I was really worried that this would be too much of a “period piece” to be something that I would enjoy.  Writers Greg Walker and Nicholas Pileggi manage to make this setting current and entertaining while still appealing to a wide audience. 
-          Please note that the mobster violence does rule this out for younger viewers. 

Prediction: We will see a full first season, and I would wager on a second seasons of Vegas.  

Rating (1=low, 10=high): I give this a 7 out of 10

1 comment:

  1. Although Quaid plays a rancher, his shotgun and hat are the only things “cowboy” in this new show. The procedural in disguise was a shock to me since I was expecting a soap opera drama instead. Once I got past all of that though, I really enjoyed Vegas as a new spin on the crime scene investigation series it is. My DISH coworker says it’s getting decent ratings too, which I figure should guarantee even more success and money to keep it a class act show. I found out about it when my Hopper PrimeTime Anytime feature I enabled, automatically recorded it. I like the fact that I find lots of new shows to watch, since every major network show records each day.

    ReplyDelete