Critical Condition: Prodigal Son

Prodigal Son | TVNZ OnDemand, from Tuesday

☆☆☆☆ “Fox’s newest crime procedural that has a delicious twist: Our titular hero Malcolm Bright (Tom Payne) is a brainy, frenetic serial killer profiler who also happens to be the son of one of New York’s most infamous murderers, Martin Whitly (Michael Sheen), aka The Surgeon … Together, they are magnetic as their conversations are filled with gamesmanship.” — TV Guide.

☆☆☆☆ “It’s a programme that provides a creepy jolt while never revelling in darkness for its sake — perpetually asking what it takes, and what it means, to take control of the potential for evil in oneself, and to each day beat it back.” — Variety.

☆☆☆☆ “It’s a standard-issue, formulaic drama that never quite kicks into gear, and I can’t help but think that Prodigal Son could have been much more riveting, given its subject matter and the presence of Sheen. He doesn’t have enough to do, but he has his moments and gets the juiciest lines.” — New York Post.

☆☆☆☆ “Prodigal Son is, at the outset, a dark show that doesn’t take its darkness seriously enough. By episode 2 matters settle down, and pilots are always misleading, so there’s hope the programme will find a groove.” — Wall Street Journal.

☆☆☆☆ “The show itself is not as provocative or violent as The Following or Hannibal, nor are the characters as compelling as those in Bates Motel or Dexter. In the littered landscape of dead serial killer dramas, Prodigal Son may well struggle to stay alive this fall if doesn’t succeed in being as sharp as its premise.” — ScreenSpy.