RAINES 1.7 – "Closure"

Writer: David Andron
Director: Guy Ferland

Cast: Jeff Goldblum (Detective Michael Raines), Nicole Sullivan (Carolyn Crumley), Matt Craven (Captain Daniel Lewis), Cynthia Watros (Sarah Carver), Malik Yoba (Charlie Lincoln), Linda Park (Sally Lance), Dov Davidoff (Remi Boyer), Geoffrey Blake (Richard Billings), Jodi Lyn O'Keefe (Angelina Billings), Richard Cox (Richard Billings), Michael Mantell (Marshall Bracken), Stephen Lee (Joe Podalski), David Jean Thomas (Pilot #1), Christopher Goodman (Pilot #2), Rachel Vacca (Assistant Kara), Ben Bonnet (Guy), Chris Diamantopoulos (Andrew Carver) & James Martin Kelly (California Highway Patrolman Jones)

Michael has some soul-searching to do when his ex-wife requests his help in proving her husband was murdered...

"I know what you're looking for. Some sort of closure. Something
to ease your pain. But closure doesn't exist. You're gonna feel this
in some form or another forever -- 'cause that's how it feels when
you lose the love of your life..."

-- Detective Michael Raines (Jeff Goldblum)

Raines comes to its untimely end by providing welcome insight into Raines' private life; mixed with a mildly-engaging investigation into a plane crash that ensures this axed drama series leaves the airwaves with some semblance of closure...

This week's case is more personal for Raines (Jeff Goldblum), as it concerns his ex-wife Sarah (Cynthia Watros) personally requesting his help to investigate her husband's death aboard a plane that crashed into the ocean, after the 4 passengers and crew were knocked unconscious by fumes. Three months later, Sarah still suspects foul play. The crash also has a degree of fame, as one of the deceased (and owner of the aircraft) was millionaire Richard Billings (Richard Cox).

Raines agrees to take on Sarah's case; despite the fact his imagination immediately "resurrects" his ex's lawyer now-dead husband Andrew Carver (Chris Diamantopoulos) to be his new "partner". As Raines delves into specifics regarding the air-crash, including any chance of sabotage before it took off, Andrew's presence begins to reawaken feelings and grievances Raines has kept buried since his divorce.

David Andron's script benefits from its involvement of more unique "murder scene", while the multiple deaths certainly ups the stakes for Raines. There's also a juiciness to everything when it becomes clear the plot involves millionaires, tragic romances, and Raines' own buttoned-up emotions. It's also great fun to spot Lost's Cynthia Watros (involved in another airline disaster story!) and Prison Break's Jodi Lyn O'Keefe as Angelina Billings, another of those beautifully sneery bitches O'Keefe seems to specialize in. Fans will enjoy her poolside swimsuit scene, too.

This is the first episode where the subplot is more interesting than the main story, primarily because investigative TV shows (particularly US ones) are rather formulaic and neatly wrapped up. Raines had the interesting device of fleshing out its victims' personalities via Raines' imaginings, themselves based on accumulated facts, but the presence of vision-Andrew isn't really required here. Sarah is a much better source of knowledge (regarding her husband's death and her relationships with Raines and Andrew), so my attention naturally settled on her.

But, that's not to say the aircraft investigation is totally boring. It's not. It's just nowhere near as exciting as you imagine it will be. It all pans out quit well and resolves itself unexpectedly, but I found more to savour watching Raines and Sarah in their brief scenes, and gaining more insight into why Raines' marriage fell apart.

Overall, Closure was an okay episode with a more interesting character-based subplot for Raines. In some ways, it's a shame Raines can't move out of its "detective drama" to pursue other things, as Goldblum ensures you want to spend more time getting to know how Raines ticks, and find youeself increasingly less enthusiastic about the investigations. But it’s not worth getting worked up about now, as Closure was the last episode produced before NBC pulled the plug on Raines' imagination.

After 7 fairly enjoyable episodes (but no truly memorable ones), I can understand why it didn't attract a sizeable crowd. Goldblum's an acquired taste, but I think he did well to show subtle depths in-between more kooky mannerisms and always seemed very truthful. Madeleine Stowe (absent here) was also pretty solid as his shrink, in a recurring role.

Sadly, all the supporting cast were totally wasted, meaning the series was always a one-man show for Goldblum (accompanied by hallucinations that served their purpose for an episode, and vanished forever.) Every other detective series involves a two-person partnership to build camaraderie and friendship around, but Raines could never have that luxury, by virtue of the show's premise. It was necessary, but I don’t think Jeff Goldblum quite had the strength of presence to make up for it.

The storylines were generally effective enough and occasionally hit emotive moments, but most lacked punch and pace. The hallucinations idea worked well most of the time (sometimes quite brilliantly), but there were times when the imagined victims were redundant and useless, or the writers used them to stray into areas of bad-taste, or just paste over cracks in an otherwise humdrum procedural.

But I'm glad I stuck with Raines for its measly 7 episodes, if only for Jeff Goldblum's solid performance -- although the show's premise would have made a better movie. The novelty of the hallucinations wore off by episode 4 and there wasn't too much to get excited about plot-wise each week. Ultimately, Raines was a great premise, given okay treatment by its writers. It had potential to improve, certainly – but that will sadly go unexplored now...


10 March 2008
ITV3, 9.00 pm