Human Target - TV Fanatic

Fox Fall Schedule: Five Shows Canceled, Two Added

matt@mediavine.com (Matt Richenthal) — Wed, 11 May 2011 07:54:34 EST

Even before it presents its official 2011-2012 schedule next week, Fox has made it clear there won't be a lot of room on its upcoming calendar. The network committed months ago to new programs The X-Factor and Terra Nova.

Therefore, it didn't come as a major surprise last night when five shows were axed. With apologies to fans of the following, the canceled series are:

Human Target
Breaking In
Traffic Light
Lie to Me
The Chicago Code

Cal Lightman and Jarek Wysocki: Solid characters on unpopular shows.

Fox also picked up a pair of highly-anticipated dramas. They are:

Alcatraz: Produced by J.J. Abrams, starring Jorge Garcia.
The Finder: A Bones spin-off, featuring Geoff Stults as a former military policeman, aired as a back-door pilot last month.

Fox will announce its complete schedule on Monday, May 16.

Human Target Review: "The Other Side of the Mall"

jennifer@tvfanatic.com (Jennifer Walker) — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 06:52:14 EST

This week's episode of Human Target had me reaching for my remote to see what else was on television. Previously, I actually had faith the new writers might have come up with a way to save this failing show, and now I know I was wrong.

On “The Other Side of the Mall,” Chance and his team are hired to protect a family that has been targeted for murder. He must figure out who is after the family and why.

I must say that the first 30 minutes of the episode covered all that there was of the storyline. The show could have simply ended there, and it might have made more sense to me.

The second half, when they were sending the Applebaum son in to save the day by returning the laptop, was a complete waste of time. It almost seemed as if the writers were trying to finish the story just to complete their allotted timeslot. Definitely one of the worst episodes I have ever watched on television!

Chance connects with the Swedish thugs trying to murder the Applebaum family and works out a deal: their safety in exchange for Joel’s laptop. Everyone agrees that this is the only way to stop the thugs and allow the Applebaum family to get their life back.

Joel musters up the courage to help Chance save the day and protect his family. After all, he was the one that hacked into the Swedes’ online computer and erase their programs.

At the mall things get a bit crazy, and the next thing you see is Chance flying across the mall on Santa’s sleigh to knock out the thug and retrieve the laptop. The same exact laptop that was supposed to be traded for the family’s freedom. Why did Chance change his mind all of a sudden and want the computer back?

The worst part of the confusing ending? The team and Chance can’t even give enough information to properly explain the conclusion to this case. Did they say Michem was working alone and that Richard got his old job back? So Michem was someway in cohorts with the Swedes and the Zombie Bots program was secretly embedded in his company’s computers? Why on earth would Michem do that? What did this Michem have to gain? Why would a successful pharmaceutical company CEO get in bed with a crooked computer hacker?

Joel seems like an average shy teenager, so reserved he can't even ask a girl out. Why would he all of a sudden become so vengeful, out to piss people off solely on “not liking a game?" Seems a bit strange if you ask me.

Human Target Review: "Dead Head"

jennifer@tvfanatic.com (Jennifer Walker) — Thu, 16 Dec 2010 07:14:06 EST

How can you help someone that doesn’t remember who he is? This small obstacle is no match for our hero in Human Target, as Chance is able to save the day, even with the police after him.

On “Dead Head,” Chance is hired to protect a man with retrograde amnesia. John Doe wants help in figuring out who he is and why the cops are after him. Doe wants to figure out if he really is a criminal.

Winston personally gets involved in the case, by first knowing the crooked cop that is after Doe and also by having to visit his ex-wife to get a hold of old evidence. We learned a lot about our hero’s sidekick this week. Winston lost his job by being obsessed with busting Lieutenant Broward, which eventually ended his career and also his marriage.

Next, a bad ass biker gang tries to kill Ames and John Doe, which leads Chance to create a Molotov cocktail to save his buddies. Thankfully, no one is hurt and the team quickly figures out the true identity of John Doe. He's a the Laundry Man, known to help crooked cops get rid of dirty money. All along we were secretly hoping Doe would turn out to be a good guy!

Lieutenant Broward wants to get rid of Doe because he not only knows about his transgressions, but also has seemed to switch sides. Only problem with this story is that Doe has amnesia. How can John Doe cause any trouble for Broward if he can’t even remember who he is?

In the end, Winston gets to bust his long time adversary and Chance helps John Doe start a new life. Seems like the entire team was made up of people looking for a second chance to make their life mean something.

Maybe that is why this show is so entertaining, seeing a once bad guy now fight crime in a very unorthodox way. Chance and his team don’t exactly follow the rules. They do whatever they want along the way to stop the bad guys, even if that means blowing up a motel room in the process.

Yet in the end, good always prevails over evil. Kind of predictable don’t you think?

Human Target Review: "Taking Ames"

jennifer@tvfanatic.com (Jennifer Walker) — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 07:33:10 EST

This week saw Christopher Chance scrambling to save one of his own, the newest member of his team.

On “Taking Ames," the team agrees to help out the newly-reformed Ames. She somehow gets involved with a bad man named Marcus and his attempt to steal three very large diamonds. Marcus is the type of man you don’t want to get mixed up with, someone Chance is usually out to get.

What does our hero do to save the day? He agrees to go undercover as the clean up guy. What does the clean up guy do? He cleans up the mess by killing the people that are not needed anymore.

So Chance's first job as the clean up guy is to kill of the man that was originally responsible for contriving the plan to steal the diamonds. Thankfully, Chance is so awesome he is able to strangle this man and then moments later revive him using electricity to shock his heart.

Honestly, now we can say we've seen it all! Chance really is capable of everything. First, killing a man; then, saving him. He is unstoppable.

The new writers must also want to incorporate sexy naked women into their scenes. Don’t really know how having Ames strip down to her underwear and oil herself up to squeeze through an air vent has anything to do with the storyline. I'm sure skinny Ames could have fit through the vent just fine with her clothes on.

I'm left wondering if we will ever see Chance, Guerrero, or Winston oil their naked bodies to squeeze through a tight space. I doubt it.

Did you notice the way Chance and Mrs. Pucci looked at each other while sharing the celebratory scotch for a job well done? I know these two are headed for the sack, probably sooner than later.

In the end, Ames joins the team, permanently choosing to lead a more honest life. She is fast becoming one of my favorite characters, adding a sense of humor to an otherwise serious cast. She seems to also be the ideal partner for Guerrero.

What did everyone else think of the episode?

Human Target Review: "The Wife's Tale"

jennifer@tvfanatic.com (Jennifer Walker) — Thu, 25 Nov 2010 06:32:42 EST

You never know when the past will make it back to haunt you… and this week a previous mark makes his way back into Chance’s life.

On “The Wife’s Tale” Christopher Chance is hired to protect a beautiful woman. Rebecca Brooks turns to Chance for defense when in reality he was the one responsible for her husband’s death many years ago.

Chance of course does anything to protect Mrs. Brooks, eventually even getting shot by her. But why would she shoot a man that is trying to defend her? She figures out the truth, that Chance was the one that killed her husband.

Mr. Brooks was a smart yet crooked professor who learned how to predict the stock market. That is the reason he was murdered, because someone wanted that significant information.

Chance decides to save the truth about Mr. Brooks from his wife. Why would anyone want to keep this considerable information to himself? Chance is truly out to protect the people he is hired to defend. He would rather Mrs. Brooks hate him than hate her dead dishonest husband.

I enjoyed watching this week’s more female cast, including Ilsa Pucci and Aimes. The writers did a good job adding that missing part of this show. Women out there can more easily relate to the new female cast, and men enjoy the new eye candy!

Aimes is becoming Guerrero’s sidekick, helping the usual mediocre man find a more humorous and humane role. We hope these two can develop some sort of meaningful relationship. Who knows, maybe even one that becomes romantic down the line?

This week, Winston helps the new member of the team Mrs. Pucci get acquainted with Chance’s business. By the end of the episode he even has time to save Chance’s life once again. Sometimes we wonder how Chance would make it without his awesome partner. Winston’s role is immeasurable, and we are sure Chance usually wouldn’t make it out alive without his help.

One thing we learn this week is that Chance seems to have no trouble forgetting his past and becoming the man he is today. Only one thing is important to him, to save and protect the person that has hired him.

Christopher Chance is willing to risk his life to save his client, but what will be his breaking point? Will Chance ever regret choosing good over evil?

Overall, this week's episode entertained yet left me still wanting closure to the storyline of last season. Will we ever know what happened to Chance's old boss and what important information he was willing to kill for? I have a feeling I might be left wondering for a long time.

Until Next week, here are a few of my favorite Human Target quotes:

Winston: Gentlemen clientele.
Chance: Pretty safe to say.
Winston: Noting safe about that place.
Chance: Are you worried about me? | permalink

Guerrero: Who's the dude?
Winston: You're drunk.
Chance: You're not wearing your glasses.
Guerrero: Fell into a meat grinder, new pair won't be ready until tomorrow. | permalink

Guerrero: Obviously I can't drive the elderly in this condition, who's going to take me to Donnelly? | permalink

Chance: Internet dating, it's crazy huh? | permalink

Human Target Season Premiere Review: "Ilsa Pucci"

jennifer@tvfanatic.com (Jennifer Walker) — Thu, 18 Nov 2010 06:54:08 EST

The second season of Human Target begins right where last season left off. Winston is being held hostage by Chance’s former boss, who is after one thingL his infamous book. Chance is somehow able to save his friend and immediately decides to take a much needed hiatus.

But before we get to this week’s plot, I must ask one very important question:

What happened to the storyline that ended season one? Where is Chance’s old boss? What great secrets were in the book that he was after? I was a bit disappointed that the previous story was completely dropped without any proper conclusion. Do you think Chance's old boss will ever seek retribution for losing his hand

In the beginning of "Ilsa Pucci," Chance decides to leave Winston and his job to do a little soul searching. He's tired of constantly putting his dear friend’s life on the line. He just needs a break!

Where does the man of the hour end up? Meditating in an Ashram for months. Thankfully, Ilsa Pucci shows up to break Chance’s trance and things go back as they should be.

Pucci then hires Chance to figure out who killed her husband and also to protect her. At first things don’t go exactly as Chance would like, but by the end Chance is able to save the day.

Chance even acquires a new benefactor, the gorgeous Mrs. Pucci herself. She wants to give Chance the ability to help people all over the world. With her power and wealth, we see great things ahead for Chance and his team. This new endless supply of money and power should definitely make for an entertaining second season.

And now that Mrs. Pucci is a widow, we predict things heating up quickly between her and Chance. Is she the partner and lover Chance has been waiting for since Katherine’s death?

One thing is for certain, if you are looking for a wild, entertaining hour of television you have come to the right place. Human Target might not have the greatest storylines, but it definitely has the action and adventure you crave.

Chance isn’t afraid to jump out of a twelve-story building into a canal of water or lay his life on the line for someone he hardly knows. He is simply a hero, willing to do whatever it takes to save the day.

Until next week, here are a few of our favorite Human Target quotes to keep you smiling:

Chance: Winston, I'm sorry for getting you into this mess. I'm sorry for whatever torture you had to endure because of me. Most of all, I'm sorry about Aunt Suzy.
Winston: Aunt Suzy? No man, not Aunt Suzy (then he shoots Winston). | permalink

Ilsa: You know, I thought you'd be different.
Chance: Taller?
Ilsa: No.
Chance: Younger?
Ilsa: No, braver. | permalink

Chance: Nice dress, it's going to make targeting you a breeze.
Ilsa: Just trying to make your job easier. | permalink

Ilsa: There are a lot of smarter ways to earn a dollar.
Chance: I'm not very bright.
Ilsa: You are brave. You must have a lot to be redeemed for.
Chance: I do. | permalink

Chance: No more hiding, I'm not going anywhere. | permalink

Mark Valley Previews Season Two of Human Target

matt@mediavine.com (Matt Richenthal) — Sun, 14 Nov 2010 13:53:48 EST

Human Target returns to Fox this Wednesday with a couple changes. A couple beautiful changes, that is.

Indira Varma and Janet Montgomer will play key roles on the series. How does star Mark Valley feel about that?

"It’s really not veering off in any different direction, it’s still the same show, same people and same team,” Valley told TV Addict. “We have a couple of new characters who are going to make things interesting, but I’m pretty happy and from what we’ve been shooting thus far, it’s been a lot of fun.”

Varma will play Ilsa Pucci, Christopher Chance's new boss. Naturally, Valley already must answer questions about any romance in this area.

“Chemistry is as chemistry does so I think it’s going to depend on where our writers want to take it and what they see happening and where they see some potential,” said Valley. “I just really want to make a good TV show and if they decide that that’s something that’s going to enhance the story or teach us more about Chance or the other characters, I’m all for it.”

Human Target premieres its second season on Wednesday and remember: TV Fanatic will cover this show in depth, via weekly recaps, reviews, photos and more!

Human Target Season Two Premiere Promo: "Ilsa Pucci"

matt@mediavine.com (Matt Richenthal) — Sun, 26 Sep 2010 09:49:14 EST

** UPDATE: The premiere has been moved to Wednesday, November 17.

This past Friday, Blue Bloods, Smallville and Supernatural all premiered new seasons.

But Fox is waiting until October 1 to debut Human Target, rolling that series out with an episode that finds Chance contemplating retirement. Call us crazy, but we doubt he'll choose that route.

Check out the official promo for the episode "Ilsa Pucci" now:

Second Season Premiere Preview

Tracie Thoms to Guest Star on Human Target

matt@mediavine.com (Matt Richenthal) — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 14:24:31 EST

Tracie Thoms has landed a potentially recurring role on Human Target.

The actress (Cold Case, Private Practice) will appear on the show's fifth episode this November, coming on board as the ex-wife of Chi McBride's Winston. EW reports her character will reluctantly agree to help her ex.

Rogert Bart (CSI: Miami, Desperate Housewives) will guest star on this same episode.

Human Target premieres its new season on Friday, October 1.

Indira Varma Joins Cast of Human Target

matt@mediavine.com (Matt Richenthal) — Fri, 23 Jul 2010 13:38:19 EST

Indira Varma has joined the regular cast of Human Target.

The British actress - who appeared on Torchwood as Suzie Costello; and on and Bones as Cate Pritchard - will take on the role of new team leader Ilsa.

When Fox initially sent out its casting notice for this character, it described her as follows:

Sophisticated, driven and principled. She is a widow with a vast fortune that she uses to help better the world. Ilsa finds Chance’s lethal methods and his past deeds unacceptable, but she will learn to appreciate (slowly) the altruistic benefits that he has to offer. Ilsa is witty, sexy, clearly in charge and doesn’t take any nonsense from anyone. Chance has met his match.

Human Target will return with new episodes at 8 p.m. on September 24.