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Take classic swashbuckling movies like Robin Hood, Captain Blood, and The Princess Bride. Throw in a dash of steam-tech, a la Brisco County Jr.. Mix with a liberal helping of James Bond sensibility. Pour over the exotic locales of New Zealand. Serve in half-hour portions.
Fan-favorite Bruce Campbell (Autolycus on both Hercules and Xena) plays Jack Stiles, an American secret agent assigned to the island of Palau Palau in 1801. He is partnered with the beautiful and intelligent English agent Emilia Rothschild, played by Angela Dotchin (best known for playing Nautica the Mermaid on Hercules). Together they work to thwart Emperor Napoleon's plans for world domination. "Wait a minute," I hear you asking. "The historical accuracy of your description is all wrong. The United States was allied with France, not England. And, what possible part could Palau Palau play in this? It's a tiny island in the Pacific. I don't buy it." My response to that comment? "Since when have you expected historical accuracy from Renaissance Pictures?" Like the other shows from this company, Jack of all Trades is concerned with telling a good tale, rather than maintaining historical accuracy. If you get all wrapped up in the inconsistencies of the setting, you will almost certainly miss out on the sheer joy present in this production. Take, for instance, the chemistry between the two leads. In my opinion, not since Bruce Willis and Cybil Shepherd in Moonlighting has there been such obvious energy between two actors. Lucy and Renee are great, but Bruce and Angela are more able to play with the sexual element in their character's relationship. That chemistry is certainly helped by solid writing. Unlike its sister series, Jack seems to be very well suited to the half-hour format. Cleopatra 2525 lacks background development; there are too many missing pieces for the casual viewer to fill in. Jack doesn't suffer this problem, because this is very familiar territory. Anybody who's seen even one episode of Zorro can understand the situation. And this, ultimately, is why I feel Jack of all Trades is the better series - at least at the moment. I think Cleo has greater potential in the long run, but it requires more serious involvement on the part of the viewer. This limits it in terms of mass-market appeal. Go To Page: 1 2
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