TV Review: 'My Own Worst Enemy'

This is the part where I act like an authority on entertainment, and criticize the work of professionals who are, without exception, more successful than I in the industry in which we both work. Some people would say this is proof I have "balls", or "chutzpah" in Jewspeak. Others would say it's proof I'm a "douchebag". To catch up on any old reviews, you can find the link on the right hand side of the page, or just click here.

In ’My Own Worst Enemy’, Christian Slater plays two men –- a family man and super spy. That makes ’Enemy’ feel like two shows -– a family man drama and spy action thriller. That might be fun, except for one thing: Both shows are mediocre. And two mediocre shows do not equal one good one.

The concept could be solid: A man discovers he has two distinct personalities -– one a super spy, the other an ordinary husband and father from the suburbs. Not only has the government figured out a way to give him these personalities, they can switch it on and off whenever they want. Or at least, they can until it malfunctions early in the pilot episode, and begins to come and go at random times with very little warning (but just enough time for either personality to leave a quick video message to the other with vital information/instructions, conveniently enough).

But there's glaring flaw, and not a hard one to identify: Why? Why is it so vital to have a super spy who can double as a family man? If the agent half is so adept at a life of spying, why does he need such an elaborate cover, complete with a wife and kids who's lives are endangered simply by virtue of who their father really is? Is screwing with the lives of innocent women and children just so their agent will have a safe place to crash really the best way the government can come up with to disguise its agents?

The parts which do work – the plot keeps moving, it’s action-packed (though cheesey), and it has a pretty solid ensemble cast –- reminds of ’Prison Break’, only not as juicy. The general rule of thumb is, the cheesier the tone and the more over the top the acting, he further the line can be pushed. Over at the always adventurous FOX, shows like ’Prison Break’ and '24' maximize this rule. This should've been instructive to the minds behind the show -- especially when taking into consideration what '24' did for Slater's contemporary, Keifer Sutherland, when he was in need of a similar career resurgence/re-imagining. But at NBC, where vanilla meets cheese, the storylines don’t ever push the boundaries. That has damaged the milquetoast ’Heroes’, and it does the same to ’Enemy’.

While the entire cast, from Slater on down, seems to be on the same over-the-top page, the writers seem to be stuck in second gear in terms of plot-twists, curveballs, and juicy moments. In short, it’s not pleasurable enough to be a guilty pleasure. There are too many mundane family arguments -- like the wife of Henry, the accountant angry at him for spending $2,000 on a dress for his young daughter, when it was actually super spy Edward’s doing – and what action there is does not make up for the family banalities.

The writing staff (led by creator Jason Smilovich) may not shoulder the blame for the tameness of the show -- often the tone of a show has a lot to do with the studio producing it. Studio notes are mandatory if a show wants to be treated well -– given a good time slot, promoted well, shown patience if early ratings don’t take off. As mentioned earlier, NBC’s current management, doesn’t have a great track record for pushing the envelope, so it’s not very hard to connect the dots.

Slater’s performance is certainly good enough, but comes off badly because the show doesn’t match his intensity. Similarly out of place are Mike O’Malley, as Raymond, Edward’s super spy colleague/handler, and Alfre Woodard, as their superior, Mavis Heller. Only Henry’s wife, Angie, played by Madchen Amick feels the right tone for the show. But again, that says more about the show than it does the actors.

’My Own Worst Enemy’ has a chance to be a good show, but it isn’t yet, and there isn’t any indication the artistic direction behind the show is capable of the kind of change it needs.

Using the age-old Hollywood scale of judgment –- HIGHLY RECOMMEND/RECOMMEND/CONSIDER/PASS (circle one) -– I rate ’My Own Worst Enemy’:

PASS*

* Of course, this doesn't mean I won't have to watch it. My wife likes the show, and I don't have the heart to tell her how wrong she is, so I'll be watching it with her (probably while I'm doing something else -- like writing some future blog post).