Review: No Ordinary Family – Pilot

I managed to see a limited release of ABC’s new show “No Ordinary Family” online yesterday. Not sure if it’s still available, but if it is these instructions will get you there.

Given the show’s premise of a family of superheroes, the pilot episode is predictably an origin story. And that’s a good word to use, too: predictable.

It was pleasant to watch, but there were very few surprises (though there were a couple – one major one). Their powers, for instance – with the possible exception of the daughter – were easy to guess well before they manifested. I do like the twist they took with the father’s power, though.

They spend a lot of time in the family dynamic, which I think will be good for the show long term. Here’s a really short synopsis: a dysfunctional, but basically good, family gains superpowers and begins to heal. There are some ‘after-school special’ moments and some cool superpower moments. It looks like they’re taking it a little to the lighter side, which is an interesting move when so much television (especially sci-fi/fantasy) is going down a darker route. Visually, as well, it’s a bright show: lots of color, very little dark and moody. Even the shadowy alleys have plenty of light.

One thing I like quite a bit is that the parents aren’t played as buffoons. Dads especially have gotten placed in the “well-meaning idiot” category a lot on TV in the last decade or two, and this show avoids that. Michael Chiklis’ character is a father who is struggling to keep his vision of his family together – almost against their own wills. The mother, as well, is doing what she thinks she has to in support of her family, even though it means she loses touch with their lives. They are presented as equals, and I really think we need more of this kind of family presentation in our media.

The twist at the end was interesting. I think that woman cop knows more than she’s saying.

I don’t think this will be winning any Emmy nods, but it’s interesting enough that I want to watch it and see where they take it.

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