Frequency – “Pilot” Review. The Past Does Come Back To Haunt You.

Series Premiere

Air Date: Wednesday, October 5, 2016 at 9/8c on The CW.

Rating: ★★★★★ 4 Stars

Synopsis: Detective Raimy Sullivan (Peyton List) has always wanted to prove that she is nothing like her father. In 1996, when Raimy was eight years old, NYPD Officer Frank Sullivan (Riley Smith) left Raimy and her mother, Julie (Devin Kelley), behind when he went deep undercover, got corrupted, and got himself killed. Or so the story has always gone. Few people knew about the secret undercover sting operation Frank was really charged with, led by Stan Moreno (Anthony Ruivivar), who has now risen to Deputy Chief of Police. Frank’s former partner, Lieutenant Satch Reyna (Mekhi Phifer), is now Raimy’s mentor and friend, and he has urged her to let go of the hurt and anger she still feels about Frank’s disappearance and death, but the old pain still lingers. Raimy can barely bring herself to discuss Frank, even with her devoted boyfriend, Daniel (Daniel Bonjour), or her childhood friend, Gordo (Lenny Jacobson). Now, twenty years later, Raimy is stunned when a voice suddenly crackles through her father’s old, long-broken ham radio – it’s Frank, somehow transmitting over the airwaves and through the decades from 1996. They’re both shocked and confused, but Raimy shakes Frank to the core when she warns him that the secret sting he is undertaking will lead to his death. Armed with that knowledge, Frank survives the attempt on his life. But changing history has dramatically affected Raimy’s life in the present – and there have been tragic consequences. Separated by twenty years, father and daughter have reunited on a frequency only they can hear, but can they rewrite the story of their lives without risking everyone they love?

The CW’s newest series Frequency, based on the film of the same name, does a superb job of updating an already amazing premise by injecting new faces, and a bit of a twist. In the film version, the two main characters are men – Frank Sullivan (Dennis Quaid) and his son John Sullivan (Jim Caviezel) – one a fireman, the other a policeman, respectively. In the television series, the son is now a daughter, named Raimy portrayed by Peyton List. Aside from that obvious variation, the other slight changes are the timing―the film has a 30 year difference versus 20 on the show―and both father and daughter are cops.

Raimy believes she may be talking to her deceased father through the ham radio.
Pictured: Peyton List as Raimy — Photo: Bettina Strauss/The CW — © 2016 The CW Network, LLC. All rights reserved

As we dive into the series, “Pilot” introduces us to Raimy, her father Frank Sullivan (Riley Smith), her mother Julie Sullivan (Devin Kelley), her boyfriend Daniel (Daniel Bonjour), childhood friend Gordo (Lenny Jacobson), and Lt. Satch DeLeon* (Mehki Phifer). During Raimy’s 28^th birthday party, Daniel discovers an old ham radio in the garage, the very same radio Raimy and her father used to tinker with when she was a child. As a thunderstorm approaches, a bolt of lightning hits the antenna outside the garage, powering up the ancient radio, giving it preternatural life. Throughout “Pilot,” Raimy tries to explain away the strange voice on the other end of the radio until she simply can’t. Somehow, someway, 20 years of time is being bridged from the year 1996, the same year her father died, to present day 2016. But, as we all know from a plethora of movies and shows about time travel, bad things can happen when you meddle with time.

What I loved about the film is the connection John had with his father during his childhood. The CW’s Frequency channels that same wavelength with Frank and a young Raimy (Emma Greenwood). You become invested in their lives and want to know more about the circumstances surrounding Frank’s untimely demise. As noted in the synopsis above, Frank was deep undercover. In “Pilot,” the chain of events leading to his death is revealed. The contradiction in the varied timelines happens when Raimy tells her father about some of the details regarding that fateful night.

L-R: Satch talks to Frank about his lengthy undercover stint. Pictured (L-R): Mekhi Phifer as Satch and Riley Smith as Frank — Photo: Bettina Strauss/The CW — © 2016 The CW Network, LLC. All rights reserved.

What I hope the writers continue to do is explore the various timeline disruptions, and the consequences that result from Raimy and Frank changing history. One of the interesting aspects is Raimy’s ability to remember multiple timelines, which may or may not become confusing to both the character and the audience, if not written with transparency and well-rounded detail. My suggestion to viewers is to pay close attention to the intricate plot introduced in “Pilot” for future reference.

Aside from trying to figure out which timeline they’re in from scene to scene, Frequency captures your attention from the moment it starts. As Raimy tries to explain the ham radio and talking to her dead father, you’re immediately captivated by the mysterious supernatural nature of the story. Another big plot point that will keep the series momentum rolling is the exploration of the “Nightingale” serial killer’s escapades. In the film, the concept is introduced but is quickly wrapped up in the span of the film’s 118 minutes. With a weekly television series, this plot can be further expanded upon, in correlation to Raimy and Frank’s interactions, to keep viewers tuning in week after week.

If you haven’t seen the original movie version, you’ll be just fine watching the television series on its own. Frequency provides plenty of detail and background in “Pilot” to keep you on track. If you are a fan of the film, as I am, it’s a great juxtaposition to see the varying contrasts in the source material to the small screen. Frequency is a promising new series and I’ll be sure to tune in each week to see how they shake up the past, present, and future.

(*Side note: There’s conflicting reports on Satch’s last name – the original synopsis says Satch Reyna, while IMDB shows Satch DeLeon.)

Let me know what you think of “Pilot.” Leave me a comment here or tweet me at @judybopp. I love talking TV!

Tune into the series premiere of Frequency on Wednesday, October 5, 2016 at 9/8c. Watch weekly on Wednesdays at 9/8c on The CW.

For more on the show, go to http://www.cwtv.com/shows/frequency/

Frequency Social Media:

Follow on Twitter @CWFrequency

Like on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/CWFrequency

Follow on Instagram @CWFrequency

Save

Biography of the Author(Read Below)..
Latest Posts (view them )..

Judy Manning

Dream chaser extraordinaire! Judy tends to be a tad sarcastic and kind of goofy! She is an avid admirer of all things supernatural, paranormal, celestial and mystical. She loves to read, write, and watches way too much TV. She enjoys many genres of film and music (and let's be honest, most music from the 80s). She also has a wicked sweet tooth. Cupcakes beware.