47/24
Here’s my problem
Chronology
A TV adaptation of James Patterson’s novels about the complex and brilliant detective Alex Cross. In episode 2, Cross tells Sampson that he smells like “mothballs and old spice.” In real life, Isaiah Mustafa appeared in the great Old Spice commercials as “the guy your husband could smell like.” I started following Aldis Hodge’s career when I fell in love with his character in Leverage. His performance as the “hacker” Hardison was brilliant, and I totally buy into his performance as Alex Cross as well. The writing is strong, the performances are excellent throughout, and the direction and editing are top-notch. The lighting stinks.
Three scenes in particular stand out
I don’t know anyone who lives every moment of their inner life in such darkness. I’m only 40 minutes into the first episode, but I’m already having trouble seeing the details of many scenes. The first was the cocktail lounge. I don’t go to cocktail lounges or bars, but the darkest restaurant I’ve ever been to had enough lighting to make out the faces of the other people at the table. The second was a bad guy’s lair.
This isn’t a romantic dinner for two
Would someone working on detailed plans and projects really do that in such dim lighting? A perfectionist would want to be able to see everything they’re doing clearly. The third is the house where Alex shows up for dinner. It’s a gathering of family and friends. The entire house is dark – the hallway, the living room, and the dining room.
Why so dark?
Also, every room in a police station is dark. Wouldn’t a forensic scientist have a well-lit operating room? If they’re trying to create atmosphere, I’m more focused on the visuals than the plot and dialogue. This is a choice I’ve made for a lot of shows in recent years. You know, anyone with poor eyesight simply wouldn’t be able to watch this.
Of course my dad couldn’t
Having said that, I could be wrong about the reason for the darkness. I stopped watching "How I Met Your Father" on another streaming service because it was also so dark that it wasn’t enjoyable. A little internet digging revealed that the problem was with the service, not the show. When the show aired online, the lighting was just fine. A guide to all the new movies and shows streaming on Prime Video in the US this month.