Sarah Michelle Gellar (Buffy the Vampire Slayer) returns to series TV on the CW Tuesday nights. After being known as Buffy Summers for 7 years, Sarah Michelle Gellar (hereafter known as SMG for the purposes of this article) has re-invented herself, this time in a role as twins. SMG is ready to hit the small screen in a more mature role, as she has grown from a teen Slayer into a beautiful woman who is ready to take on the characters of Siobahn Martin and Bridget Kelly.
The CW has slowly been building a new set of programming that will bring in the ratings. Who has a better built-in fan base than none-other-than the famous Slayer herself? Consider, also, that she has been off of television’s radar for a long enough time that SMG is a sure bet to draw in the curious and the faithful.
Is Gellar up to the task of taking on twin sisters? Time will tell. The characters are, by nature, older and mature in the ways of the world on deep levels. What could be more challenging? This is also going to obviously be another vehicle where she is able to dress in the most fashionable clothes, something that Buffy was known for. This is a great vehicle for her to display her style.
Will it appeal to the younger generation out there? There is a definite niche, there is a sure audience. And maybe there will be new fans that find the whole concept fraught with drama and angst. “Ringer” certainly has plenty of that.
I wish there could have been a few less reveals in the very first episode. Each twin has quite a bit going on. It is too much too soon. The series has been created in a style that will be a bit “Soapy” in some ways. Each character has an elaborate back story in his own right. As each character grows on the audience, there will be appeals for more.
The twin concept is good and the overall plot is original in many ways. The style of having both twins together (aka split screen) is a little too obvious. There is a lot of use of green screen that isn’t quite believable. It was quite distracting.
The way that SMG was able to give each twin their own personality is worthy of applause.
The most fascinating part of this new show is that it reveals that despite our pasts, we’ll choose to be a villain or not. It has nothing to do with wealth or privilege; or if someone has a seedy past as a stripper and an addict. The point is: what will each do when it counts? This show is addressing people’s psyches. It is pointing out that there are many degrees of good and bad. Sometimes it’s not clear to us or even to them. That is what I call relating to its’ audience.
There are so many supporting characters that it is impossible to really connect with any one of them without seeing them more. There is a vague sense that Bridget’s sponsor, Malcolm Ward (played by Mike Colter) and she are more than friends, yet we only see him for a few moments. He is trustworthy, otherwise Bridget would not have confided in him. His character will definitely become pivotal as the season unfolds, as she will need a confidante. Siobhan’s husband, Andrew Martin (portrayed by Ioan Gruffudd) seems cold and un-feeling, but you can also see the conflict when he sees his “new” wife. There is mistrust and animosity from him, but for all we know, it is with good reason. We are already seeing that Siobahn was no princess. She was in a loveless marriage, having an affair with her best friend’s husband (played by Kristoffer Polaha), and is pregnant. On top of this, she has faked her own death and put her sister in harm’s way.
On the other side of the coin is Bridget. She has a sordid past. She is a recovering alcoholic, ex-stripper, fugitive who has run to her estranged sister’s side. It is then that she discovers that her sister has never told anyone of her existence. (This information comes in handy for Bridget later.) Bridget also has to deal with an FBI Agent on her heels. She was a witness in an important case before she fled. Being a very dedicated Agent, Agent Victor Machado (played by Nestor Carbonell) goes to New York to find Siobahn in an attempt to locate Bridget. This adds a constant threat to Bridget’s secret, especially since she has already gotten herself into yet another situation, having shot a potential assassin within days of taking her sister’s identity.
The way in which the information on plot and characters was disseminated in the Pilot was a little challenging. She gives some information via phone calls to Malcolm (her sponsor). Some she is able to discuss in by way of sharing during an AA meeting. It is not so much narrating as finding different ways to send out this information to the viewers. Obviously not many people know her secret, so getting information out there must be done creatively.
As with all new series, it takes a while to warm up to the characters.
Our next edition of the “Ringer” review will explore the supporting characters and their contributions to the show.
There is so much room for growth and development that this will become as addictive as a Soap Opera. Let’s keep watching and see how it goes, shall we?