David Boreanaz is one of those lucky actors who has never really been out of work. Starting with Buffy The Vampire Slayer in 1997 through to Bones that ended last season, Boreanaz has been a part of the television landscape for twenty years. That trend continues with his new series SEAL Team, a military drama on CBS.
The show's premise is to explore the world of Navy SEALs, their personal lives as well as their missions. Can the members of an elite group balance a home life with a professional one that demands such sacrifice?
The pilot episode, Tip of the Spear, did a good job introducing what the team does and how they work, both in the planning and execution of missions, though most of the characters are still waiting to be fleshed out. Boreanaz plays Jason Hayes, head of the Tier One SEAL team tasked with a variety of clandestine assignments. And while he's good at his job, his home life has suffered. There is also Hayes' second, Ray Perry, played by Neil Brown, Jr and the rookie Clay Spenser played by Max Thieriot. The pilot did a great job on the action side, viewers will certainly get a nice, TV version of what SEAL teams do, and we have a basic picture of Hayes and Spenser in particular as characters.
I do wonder if the show has legs, though. Unlike fighting vampires or solving crimes, I'm not sure the series can show enough of a variety of missions or situations to keep the storytelling fresh, there are only so many stories you can tell about counter-terrorism before it gets stale. The more character driven aspects are only outlined in broad strokes at this point, with the usual suspects when it comes to such tropes: the successful team leader who is disconnected from his home life, the rookie trying to prove himself worthy, etcetera. It will be interesting to see how the series can balance the two, and keep both realistic.
SEAL Team joins fellow rookie military dramas, The Brave and Valor this season, so the question should be asked: is the field too crowded or can all three find an audience? There is potential for SEAL Team to be a major hit for the network, Boreanaz makes good television shows, and CBS has a reputation for producing shows that represent the military in a positive light. If they can overcome the issue of too many missions looking the same, the show could be another long-running winner.
So what did you think? Is SEAL Team the new fall hit, or will it merely fade away?
Written by LadyShelley on Sep 28, 2017
I haven't decided if it is a hit with me or not. I found the start of the show to be jumping around a bit. Once they were overseas the story line seemed to stabilize. It felt, to me, like I was jumping into the middle of a story line. Boreanaz did do a good job acting, as did the other actors. It wasn't the acting that was the problem, it was the continuity for me. Before I decide whether or not to stick with the show, I will watch at least one more episode and see how that goes.
Having watched both intro episodes of SEAL Team and The Brave, I really don't think there's room for both and as for the up-coming series, Valor, I don't think that will last long. SEAL Team was enjoyable enough and, of course, Boreanaz did a great job, as always. If I had to pick one, SEAL Team would win, without a doubt.