Mon 13 Sep 2021
TV Episode Review: SCORPION “Pilot†(2014).
Posted by Steve under Reviews , TV Adventure[6] Comments
SCORPION “Pilot.†CBS, 22 September 2014. Elyes Gabel (Walter O’Brien), Katharine McPhee, Eddie Kaye Thomas, Jadyn Wong, Ari Stidham, Robert Patrick, Riley B. Smith. “Based on the life and case files of Walter O’Brien.” Director: Justin Lin. Currently streaming on Paramount+.
It is no secret that as a series Scorpion was generated by the huge success of Big Bang Theory, also on the same network. Take a diverse bunch of geeky, high-IQ twenty-somethings, add an ordinary female for them to interact with on a weekly basis, but instead of playing for comedic effect, have them solve all kinds of problems the country if not the entire world is facing.
We’re introduced to the team in the first episode, all young and all with IQ’s well over 150. None though have much in the way of people skills: a computer genius, a recently graduated Harvard-trained psychiatrist, a gifted mechanical engineer, and a mathematician/statistician. Add a waitress in a diner which becomes the base for the group’s first adventure together. She’s young, no genius, but her very young son is obviously a budding one.
Their job in this initial episode is to find backup computer code for LAX’s traffic control center. If they fail, planes full of people will soon run out fuel. This they do, but the show is a lot more exciting than watching fingers typing away at keyboards, although there is quite a bit of that, too. A jumbo jet has to fly so low to the ground that a black box can be transferred by hand to a car racing precisely below it at 200 miles per hour. Personally I found that one of more unlikely things I have seen on TV all month, but it was still fun to watch.
The series was on for four years, so others must have enjoyed the show as much as I generally did this one. None of the characters or their players are all that memorable, but they did everything they needed to in this one. Will I keep watching? The jury’s out on that. Right now, my plate of things to watch is overflowing. I’d say the odds are at least fifty-fifty. Maybe better, but maybe less.
September 14th, 2021 at 3:26 am
I hadn’t known about the Big Bang connection.
Or much else about this pilot.
Thank you!
Scorpion was in a TV adventure show tradition. It reminds one of a high tech version of BURN NOTICE, BLINDSPOT, and the revived versions of HAWAII FIVE-0 and MACGYVER. All of these had their heroes pulling off Big Feats. Not plausible, but fun.
Robert Patrick gave a good performance, as the team’s non-genius government contact and unofficial mentor. He plays a nice guy who has his hands full with this team. He’s still best known as that Terminator.
Scorpion had some fun shows. My favorite episodes:
1- 5-15 KILL SCREEN W: Nicholas Wootton & Paul Grellong D: Jace Alexander
2- 9-15 LOVE BOAT W: Elizabeth Beall & Kim Rome D: Sam Hill
3-30-15 CROSSROADS W: David Foster & Rob Pearlstein D: Kevin Hooks
10-12-15 ROBOTS W: David Foster & Nicholas Wootton D: Sylvain White
11-16-15 US VS. UN VS. UK W: Scott Sullivan & Nick Santora D: Omar Madha
3-14-16 TICKER W: Rob Pearlstein D: Mel Damski
September 14th, 2021 at 6:32 am
It was always fairly entertaining and certainly watchable, if not necessarily believable. Not surprisingly, as the series went on they did throw in romance too. And the kid was possible the biggest genius of all.
September 14th, 2021 at 7:40 am
Never thought about the similarity to THE BIG BANG THEORY, but you’re absolutely right. I really enjoyed this show and was sorry when it ended. The plots sometimes got so over the top that when some really far-fetched development would occur, my wife and I would look at each other and say, “Sure. Why not?” That’s still our shorthand for anything we’re watching that’s unbelievable but entertaining.
September 14th, 2021 at 5:44 pm
I’m more interested in heroes than villains.
One of the nice things about Scorpion is that it has seven heroes, all good guys.
The show also has a lot of comedy.
September 14th, 2021 at 7:16 pm
An interesting series that perhaps got a bit to tied up in the hero’s inability to interact normally and threw the usual roadblocks to keep the romance from being consummated, but had an attractive cast and good writing over all, and was fun merely for showing intelligence overcoming brute force despite the flaws of the characters involved.
Eccentric, but most episodes I enjoyed it.
September 14th, 2021 at 7:29 pm
You fellows have me convinced. Thank you all. I will put this series into my regular rotation of evening TV watching!