Unforgettable

Unforgettable is the new primetime series brought to us from Sky Living. The show revolves around former police detective Carrie Wells who has a rare (yet handy for the show!) medical condition that allows her to visually remember everything. Everything that is apart from who killed her big sister when they were children. That’s not so handy.

The series started by introducing her hustling in casinos and winning card games left right and centre, thanks to her amazing memory. The she got caught, acted tough and got one over the crooks who owned the casino. In this short space of time we know that she’s one of those don’t-mess-with-me-because-I’m-angry-and-have-a-past-that-makes-me-gloomy type of clichéd women cops.

Anyway, she ends up rejoining the force as a consultant, working for her ex (Dylan Walsh – him from Nip/Tuck) solving crimes the police are obviously too incompetent to do so themselves. It is at this particular moment that I thought, hang on a minute, this is like the Mentalist, but with a tough women, rather than a dandy gentleman.

It isn’t a bad start to the series, it’s just that Sky Living series tend to be quite tame, with a soft focus sheen replacing any gritty realism (the Ringer for instance). When you compare this to other cop shows currently on, such as Southland and the far superior Mentalist, this seems like a stopgap until the mentioned shows return on air.

The whole visual memory hook is quite interesting - shown by her watching herself in slow motion go through crime scenes – but completely unbelievable and overused.

Poppy Montgomery gives a good account of herself in the lead role, constantly wearing a frown, tight tops and wading into crime scenes with the confident swagger of a woman on a mission. But ultimately this is let down by relying too heavily on a one trick premise and the lingering shadow of Patrick Jane.

I know it’s a predictable way to end this review, but Unforgettable is largely forgettable.

Sky Living (Monday 9pm)