Lincoln Rhyme shows promise without the jaded lead character
Lincoln Rhyme: Hunt for the Bone Collector premiered with mixed reviews. With some cliches, there’s certainly some promise without the jaded lead.
There’s no doubt that Lincoln Rhyme: Hunt for the Bone Collector included some major crime drama cliches. That’s not all that surprising considering the books have some too, even though the show has changed a lot of the storylines from the books. That being said, there’s one crime drama cliche that’s been avoided in the series premiere.
It’s clear that Lincoln Rhyme is a difficult man. Wouldn’t you be if you were left paralyzed and forced out of a job? He is struggling mentally with what happened to him, not even consulting with the police, despite his brilliance. However, it’s clear that while he’s difficult and grouchy, people still like him and not just for his brilliance.
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His team has ground rules. I love that Kate (Brooke Lyons) immediately set up those ground rules, and stuck to them. Most crime dramas would see a character like her shrink away from a man like Rhyme and then resent things lately, but she’s strong-willed and determined; an excellent portrayal for today’s world.
More importantly, Rhyme likes Amelia Sachs and his team. He immediately sees potential in Sachs, but it’s clear that he cares about her. He didn’t want her running off for the assailant after everything that happened to him years earlier. He cared about her sister, trying to help her deal with an anxiety attack over the phone. This wasn’t just for the case, but to help her.
While the dialogue was stilted and there are a lot of cliches, especially surrounding Sachs, I’m thankful that the Lincoln Rhyme writers have avoided the jaded lead male. There’s certainly a Sherlock Holmes vibe to him, but there’s more heart within, and I’m looking forward to seeing how Rhyme and Sachs work together moving forward.
The ending as we found out about his wife and son made me smile. This wasn’t a couple who were separated purely because of Rhyme’s accident. He hasn’t pushed them away because he didn’t want to be around anyone. He’s asked them to stay away for their own safety, sacrificing some of his happiness to make sure they’re alive and well. But there’s clearly more to this story and more to come between Rhyme and the Bone Collector.
There are still plenty of ways the show can improve, but there’s a lot of promise just from this one episode. Die-hard fans of the books may struggle moving forward as so much has changed, but those who can separate books from shows will certainly enjoy Lincoln Rhyme moving forward.
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What did you think of the Lincoln Rhyme premiere? Which cliches did you spot? What do you think of the lead characters? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
Lincoln Rhyme: Hunt for the Bone Collector airs Fridays at 8/7c on NBC. Catch up on the premiere episode through Hulu.