Welcome to midseason, when smarter-than-usual series get a shot at the audience. Two solid entries premiere Sunday: a witty half-hour comedy for adults called “Episodes,” on Showtime; and a modern superhero drama, “The Cape,” for those who miss “Heroes,” on NBC.
“Episodes,” starring Matt LeBlanc as himself, is the hilarious, knowing tale of how a clever British comedy is ruined by American television, nearly destroying the marriage of its British creators in the process. Every cliche about network executives and Los Angeles is given fresh life as seen through the eyes of the Brits, terrifically played by Stephen Mangan and Tamsin Greig, bantering like a couple out of Noel Coward.
“The Cape,” about a good cop on a corrupt police force forced to go into hiding and assume the identity of his son’s favorite superhero, is homage to comic-book superheroes. It stars David Lyons (“ER”) as Vince Faraday, the good guy of the title, and Summer Glau (“Terminator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles”) as Orwell, an investigative blogger. Every cliche about good versus evil is re-enacted, with digital effects.
One at a time:
“The Cape,” a humor-laced action-adventure series from producers Gail Berman and Lloyd Braun, has a two-hour debut Sunday, 8-10 p.m. on KUSA-Channel 9.
Faraday (Lyons), a police officer, has been set up and has to go underground. That’s when he takes on the name of the caped crusader in his son’s comic book. He sets out to clear his name and clean up Palm City, with help from a gang of carnival workers/bank robbers led by Max, a master illusionist (Keith David), who train him to be “The Cape.”
“Warriors of the Tang Dynasty used their robes as weapons, and so will you!” Max says.
His nemesis is billionaire Peter Fleming (played by James Frain of “True Blood” and “The Tudors”), who moonlights as Chess, a crazy killer.
The retro-comic book premise is, thankfully, saved by often comic dialogue.
“What are you, like, 12?” Faraday asks Orwell (Glau).
“You’re the one wearing long underwear and a cape,” she retorts.
Together they may be able to take the city back! High-tech wizardry, old-school magic and traditional superhero valor combine in this modern take on heroism.
Can Faraday reclaim his family? Will psychopathic Fleming rule Palm City? Will viewers like this superhero tale of good versus evil more than some of the more convoluted global conspiracy shows?
On the plus side, the magic and illusions are a nice break from the supernatural and alien shows. Presto, “The Cape” moves to Mondays on Jan. 17 at 8 p.m.
“Episodes,” premiering 7:30 p.m. Sunday on Showtime, is a smart, seven-episode satire on the workings of the TV industry.
Mangan and Greig are a delight as Brit comedy gurus Sean and Beverly Lincoln. Lured to Hollywood by a fast-talking network boss, they soon learn the boss has never even seen their show about the sage headmaster of an elite boarding school. Moreover, he insists they replace their revered lead actor, an elderly Royal Shakespeare veteran, with LeBlanc. They are aghast: for the wise old headmaster, the network wants Joey? Needless to say, the network decides the show’s concept needs an overhaul, too. The sophisticated “Lyman’s Boys” is remade into a silly mess about a hockey coach, retitled “Pucks!”
Sean is enthralled by L.A.’s sunshine, surgically enhanced women and fast-lane ethos; Beverly is appalled by the insincerity, rudeness and general phoniness of the town and the industry that runs it. Or as creators David Crane (“Friends”) and Jeffrey Klarik (“Mad About You”) put it, he always thinks the glass is half-full, she thinks the glass is an idiot.
Joanne Ostrow: 303-954-1830 or jostrow@denverpost.com
