Director: David Semel
"Did you ever bring home a souvenir from a dream Doc?"-- Christian Slater (Henry Spivey)
After his unsuccessful involvement with the Bionic Woman remake earlier this year, writer-producer Jason Smilovic (Kidnapped) tries his hand at another high-concept espionage thriller for NBC. My Own Worst Enemy fuses Jekyll & Hyde to James Bond, with Christian Slater starring as split-personalities Henry Spivey (an amiable office worker with a wife and two kids) and Edward Albright (a ruthless secret agent with a womanising streak)…
The "evil twin" concept may be old ground, but it's still a fertile source of emotive drama and existential crisis. To its credit, My Own Worst Enemy sidesteps a few of this sub-genre's clichés, too (Edward isn't an "evil" alter-ego per se, and fully aware of his bodyshare existence.) It's also interesting to learn the situation wasn't due to genetic mutation or a scientific mishap, but an intentional experiment by a top-secret spy organization called Janus, who continue to monitor both men's lives and maintain Edward's "cover" as Henry by memory-patching after Edward's missions are over.
However, there are core problems with the concept that scratch at your brain, preventing you fully embracing events. It's difficult to buy into the idea that a super-spy like Edward would require a divergent personality, or agree to have one implanted. It's certainly the ultimate cover and secret identity (villains can't extract information from Edward when Henry's in residence), but don't the con's outweigh the pro's? The Janus agency have to continually manipulate Henry's life, to prevent him realizing the truth of his existence! Still, that's the concept, so you'll either accept it, or you won't.
The pilot's biggest success is Christian Slater, who manages to make Edward and Henry exist as separate people without simply amplifying his performance for one. True, he once again trots out his Jack Nicholson impression for womanising prick Edward, but it's a more restrained Id/Ego balance than is typical for this genre. Even the superior BBC mini-series Jekyll couldn't resist having James Nebsit chew scenery as Hyde -- but My Own Worst Enemy's characterizations are more realistic and believable. Less fun, too.
Alfre Woodard co-stars as Edward's boss Mavis Heller, and making a woman the plain-speaking leader gives the show more freshness than it perhaps should. She's the pilot's biggest draw beyond Slater, and the girl power continues with roles for Mädchen Amick (Henry's wife Angie) and Saffron Burrows (Henry's psychologist Dr. Skinner -- named after psychologist B.F Skinner. Her office is even box-like!) Unfortunately, Amick and Burrows' roles are limited here, but I'm hopeful they'll have more to do in the future.
Jason Smilovic's script gets down to business quickly; imparting its information and demonstrating its concept, while telling a worthwhile story. Edward's mission (to steal an attaché case containing precious "marbles") inevitably intrudes into Henry's quiet life, and the unassuming family man is terrorized by Russian mobster Uzi Kafelnikof (Mark Ivanir). Will Henry be forced to deal with the dangerous situation himself, or must he work in partnership with his shadow self to save the day? The one-man odd couple scenario is mildly enjoyable and should get much better, but this pilot didn't have enough time to push the situation anywhere very interesting.
Overall, the concept isn't watertight, the story dragged at times, and it was nowhere near as fun, exciting and inventive as it should have been -- but "Breakdown" otherwise did a decent job of establishing this series. Christian Slater is on rare form, the cane-wielding Alfre Woodard is great casting, there's huge scope with the premise if you enter into the spirit of things, and a few intriguing questions were allowed to linger in the air. My expectations were high and weren't met, but My Own Worst Enemy showed enough promise to keep you on the hook.
13 October 2008
NBC, 10/9c
Cast: Christian Slater (Henry Spivey/Edward Albright), Mädchen Amick (Angie Spivey), Alfre Woodard (Mavis Heller), Saffron Burrows (Dr. Norah Skinner), Mike O'Malley (Tom), Omid Abtahi (Tony), Mark Ivanir (Uzi Kafelnikof), Taylor Lautner (Jack Spivey), Bella Thorne (Ruthy Spivey), Cierra Ramirez (Mother), Erica Ferlito (A.J Sun Employee), Roy Hausmann (Russian Agent), Delaina Mitchell (Mother), Dimitri Diatchenko (Gold Teeth), Michael Enright (Interrogator #1) & Konstantin Lavysh (Interrigator #2)
