There were three FOX shows that were on the bubble. Fringe has been renewed, so that mystery has been solved, and I’m not sure if that bodes well for Human Target or not. Lie to Me wasn’t technically canceled, but didn’t get a back nine pick up — only 13 episodes for their season three. That doesn’t sound good any way you read it … so does that leave room for Human Target‘s renewal?
That’s yet to be determined, but if Mark Valley and friends should be honored with another season, I’ll be watching … at least at the beginning. Here’s why:
The Trio
I’ve said it before: Chance, Winston and Guerrero are my favorite all-male trio to hit the small screen since Magnum, P.I.‘s Magnum, Rick and TC. Keep the trio together, give me some banter and bromance, I’ll be watching and celebrating. I’m really rather easy to please … most of the time.
More specifically, Guerrero
With lines like this:
“This will render him compliant?” – Ilsa, asking about the sodium pentathol
“This will render him mush — at least for a little while. Chatty, disoriented, incapable of concealing the truth. Essentially, he’ll be Ames.” – Guerrero
this:
“All I know is I’d rather be tortured, by, uh, well — by me, than ever have to go back there again. The suburbs blow.” – Guerrero
and this:
“I’ll forget more about Cadillacs when I go to sleep tonight than you’ll ever know.” – Guerrero to Ames
and episodes like “Cool Hand Guerrero,” one thing Human Target is still doing right is playing to Guerrero’s strengths. While we watched Chance get emasculated, Guerrero remained the same badass we got in the series premiere and they’ve continued to write him well.
FOX has responded to some of the fan concerns
I’m not at all bloodthirsty when it comes to TV violence, but there was a certain charm to the efficient killing in season one that disappeared when season two debuted. FOX definitely brought some of it back in, and managed to make it look like Chance, Guerrero and Winston have actually used firearms before.
They called out to season one just enough to remind us that it’s the same show: Maria coming back (and with her, the whole Indiana Jones / Chance comparison), Baptiste coming back and all of the lovely aunts and uncles and cousins that are code for the plans the trio has pulled off in the past and need to pull out of their rear ends once again.
They definitely tried to work some better fighting scenes in as the second season progressed (I had read that they were purposely cut because they were expensive to shoot), like bar shootout in “A Problem Like Maria” and the tussle in the jail in “Cool Hand Guerrero.”
Based on the above, I’m willing to trust FOX (but just a little) to incorporate more of the things the fans loved about season one back into season three. They set a precedent, now let’s hope they don’t screw the pooch.
Ilsa and Chance don’t get together
If Ilsa and Chance just continue to dance, Bones-style, I might actually be able to handle it. Honestly, Hart Hanson, you can come on over and write for Human Target anytime. If you do, we’ll be assured that Ilsa and Chance will never have a romance, and for that Human Target will have one more viewer. If they get together, uh-uh.
Funny moments
They really did hit it right quite often. From the tongue-in-cheek episodes about suburbia and marriage to the Guerrero-Winston banter reminiscent of season one (Bert and Ernie at their finest), they gave a little something to both the old fans and the new ones they were supposedly attracting with the reboot. Even though it was so un-Human Target, I couldn’t help but love Chance gliding through the mall on the display sleigh. I know it made my mother smile.
Mark Valley gets to play to his strengths
Smirky and quirky, I like to call him. As Chance, he doesn’t have to say much, because he says it with his dimples. When he does say something, it’s mostly awesome. A few of my favorites this season were:
I like to see Mark Valley in an action role, and aside from Chance’s unfortunate estrogen levels at times this season, his batshit crazy really comes through in Mark Valley’s portrayal. Jumping on Ames’ friend, Brody, to save him from the bomb? Epic. Dropping from the ceiling and taking out everyone in the room with one clip? That’s what I’m talkin’ about. Don’t stick Mark Valley behind a desk in a law office or in a supernatural coma … this is the type of role where he shines, and I want to keep watching.
I’m hoping that the simple act of writing this post doesn’t somehow contribute to Human Target getting canceled. It’s not like I’m Bob, destroyer of shows. Human Target still has a chance, and a chance to be good; I’m banking on it.
Incidentally, the content of this post is endorsed by the official president (we’re talking Matt Miller endorsed) of the Human Target Fan Club. Yeah, that’s right, Brittany agrees with me.
Clacked by Debbie McDuffee
on May 02, 2011 @ 11:00 EST5EDT
If it’s renewed I’ll definitely watch, but if I were the one to pick whether “Human Target” or “Lie To Me” were renewed I’d pick the latter without hesitation. It’s been consistent and Tim Roth is always fun to watch, while “Target” has had enough troubles that I’m not really pining for it like I used to.
Personally, I’d like to see both back, but I just feel like neither will return. I hope I’m wrong.
I have to disagree. The character of Guerrero was completely neutered by the presence of Ames who upstaged him and ridiculed him at every opportunity in a pathetic attempt by the writers to make her character “cool” at the expense of his. To all those who are whining about the addition of women – it’s not necessarily the addition of women that was bad about Season 2, only that they were such badly written cliched women and, ultimately, there was no reason for them to be there at all. Ilsa was slightly more rounded out – she provided unlimited resources – but then the writers shoehorned her into a chemistry-free romance with Chance and ruined it. There was no reason for Ames at all who provided nothing but continual whining, screwing up and undermining Guerrero. Oh yeah, and she looked good in her underwear.
I loved Human Target but ultimately I think cancellation has just put it out of its misery. The show died for me in the first five minutes of Season 2 and I put the blame squarely on the atrocious writing.
Human Target was my favorite tv show ever.. enough said. I’m going to be hot if they don’t bring it back.