TV show – Ringer – S01E01

Firstly, Sarah Michelle Gellar back on TV. Who isn’t excited about that? (Robot Chicken doesn’t count – Not as a tv show, it’s amazing. but doesn’t count as a TV return of SMG in my book)

I haven’t heard much about the show, mostly through trying as spoilers well spoil. And as such you may wish to skip to the final paragraph. For cast or professional synopsis visit http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1819654/

We start by meeting a girl in witness protection, bridget, who makes a run from her guardian after recieving a letter from her rich sister that says she can come and stay as long as she likes. Bridget was to testify in a court case in exchange for dropping the charges of prostitution and possession against her. Then it all gets a little Parent Trap meets Freaky Friday as we discover her sister is a twin. Here the pilot does it’s job. We hear a little about past mistakes of the girls, some history of their lives, the criminal is now free and looking for bridget, and that no one in Siobhans life knows she has a twin sister. The two sisters decide to go out on a boat, for no particular reason other than its a good place for a suicide. Bridget wakes up to find Siobhan is no longer there and seeing a change at a new, richer life, bridget takes over her sistrs identity. For me personally here it gets a little tedious as no one notices Siobhan’s changes or why she suddenly misses every appointment and doesnt know anyones name or that friends don’t notice the awkward pauses as bridget forgets the simplest of things. Although tedious it is necessary and handled well here. However things are not as they first appear for Bridget. Siobhan may be rich but her life is anything but simple or easy. Bridget learns that Siobhan has been having an affair with her best friends husband. Something Bridget puts an end too not to the gentlemans delight. Bridget then discovers that Siobhan was pregnant, her step daughter is no angel and is into drugs. And we see that her husband seems to be keeping secrets from her. With all this to straighten out Bridget is caught off guard when her parole officer turns up and does her best to keep him at arms length and maintain the lie that she is Siobhan. As the episode draws to a close the parole officer finds out that she was lying and will be back on her case, and obvious season story arc. The final scenes are the cliffhanger of the pilot as Bridget discovers that someone is out to kill Siobhan and we discover that Siobhan is actually in Paris and and we are left wondering what Siobhans plans are next.

For me the story moves a little fast – but if you know the premise then maybe thats a good thing as they cant create too much suspense if you know the outcome. Ringer so far, to me, seems to be a story about Bridget trying to clean up her sisters mess while out running her past. The cliffhanger has made me want to watch episode 2 and i think that this could be a really good season. There seems to be so many questions regarding the characters that J.J. Abrams would be proud. Definitely a season with potential.