Stream It Or Skip It: ‘Frequency’

Ah, yes, another time travel show. This time it’s being tackled by The CW, and it’s not just your ordinary time travel show – it’s a time travel-cop show hybrid. Starring Peyton List, best known for her work on Mad Men, Frequency gives List her first real starring role on television. Created by Supernatural vet Jeremy Carver, the show is inspired by the 2000 film of the same name starring Dennis Quaid, We watched the pilot and we’re here to let you know if it’s a show worth frequenting (sorry). 

A Guide to Our Rating System

Opening Shot: The opening of a pilot can set a mood for the entire show (think Six Feet Under); thus, we examine the first shot of each pilot.
The Gist: The “who, what, where, when, why?” of the pilot.
Our Take: What did we think? Are we desperate for more or desperate to get that hour back?
Sex and Skin: That’s all you care about anyway, right? We let you know how quickly the show gets down and dirty.
Parting Shot: Where does the pilot leave us? Hanging off a cliff, or running for the hills?
Sleeper Star: Basically, someone in the cast who is not the top-billed star who shows great promise.
Most Pilot-y Line: Pilots have a lot of work to do: world building, character establishing, and stakes raising. Sometimes that results in some pretty clunky dialogue.
Our Call: We’ll let you know if you should, ahem, Stream It or Skip It.

FREQUENCY

Opening Shot: Raimy Sullivan (List) describes her father Frank (Riley Smith) via voiceover as we learn he was deep undercover for the NYPD and watch him get chased down, shot, and killed.

The Gist: Raimy is a detective with the NYPD, having followed in her father’s footsteps, and we first meet her in a soaked state as she explains that she spoke to her deceased father the night before. We flash back to 72 hours prior, her birthday, when her father’s old ham radio is brought to life by a lightening charge and begins acting up in her garage after her boyfriend Daniel attempts to fix it. She is suddenly able to communicate with her father, still existing in 1996, over the ham radio – and she can also prevent his death. What she doesn’t expect, however, are the unforeseen consequences of meddling with time – and now she must come to terms with what she’s changed.

Our Take: While the premise initially seems promising, the show evidently proves itself to be among the ranks of many other cop procedurals. The twist here is interesting, and List really shines as Raimy, but whether or not the twist will pan out to make the show unique remains to be seen. It looks as though the series will end up following a serial killer storyline going forward, and while the sci-fi spin on things certainly has the potential to shake things up, whether or not it will be utilized may make or break the show.

Regardless of the chance of predictability here, we’re hooked – the cast is strong, and the fact that their version of time travel is not about changing the world, but rather about smaller events and emotional intimacy, sets the show apart from all of the others out there this season. While the closeness in age of Raimy and her dad as she remembers growing up with him is a little weird (their chemistry is strong), it still works. The consequences are real here, and they sting – and that’s what will hopefully propel the show forward as we proceed through and feel the aftermath of the butterfly effect.

Sex and Skin: The episode kicks off with Raimy making out with hot British boyfriend Daniel in bed while he wishes her a happy birthday. Not much sexiness besides this to be found in the pilot, however, since they’re more focused on the family dynamics at play.

Parting Shot: After telling her younger self to bring the ham radio to her father in the hospital, present day Raimy watches her garage window and waits for the light to turn on so that she can speak to her father again – and help prevent her mother’s murder.

Sleeper Star: Mekhi Phifer, while no stranger to television, delivers a comforting, pleasant performance as Satch Rayna, Frank’s partner in 1996 and Raimy’s boss in 2016. Every good cop story needs a good mentor, and Phifer certainly seems to be up to the task – we look forward to seeing what else he’s capable of this season.

Most Pilot-y Line: “It’s been 20 years. At some point you’re gonna have to catch the man a break. Make peace.” One of the many lines designed to deliver exposition comes out fairly clunky as Raimy is urged to let go of the grudge she carries against her father and move on.

Our Call: Stream it. While we questioned whether or not the premise might be hokey or overplayed, the show actually delivers on multiple levels. There is real emotional sincerity here, as well as smart writing and strong acting. We hope that the show can hold on to the momentum it’s kicked off with and continue to keep us asking questions and sitting on the edge of our seats.

[Stream the pilot for Frequency on The CW]

Jade Budowski is an indecisive sometimes-writer with a knack for ruining punchlines and harboring dad-aged celebrity crushes. Follow her on Twitter: @jadebudowski.