Here’s my problem
Tale
A series adaptation of James Patterson’s novels about the complex and brilliant detective Alex Cross. Hodge is the third actor to play Cross, following in the footsteps of Morgan Freeman, who first played him on screen in 1997’s Kiss the Girls and again in the 2001 sequel Along Came a Spider; and Tyler Perry as the titular character Alex Cross in 2012, which bombed at the box office and led Lionsgate to scrap the planned sequel Double Cross. I first started following Aldis Hodge’s career when I fell in love with her character in Leverage. Her performance as the “hacker” Hardison was superb, and I totally buy her performance as Alex Cross as well. The writing is solid, the performances are excellent across the board, and the direction and editing are top-notch.
The lighting stinks
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 in many scenes. Three scenes in particular stand out. The first was the cocktail bar. I don’t frequent cocktail lounges and bars myself, but even the darkest restaurant I’ve ever been to was lit enough that I could see the faces of the other people at the table.
The second was the villain’s lair
Would someone working on detailed plans and designs really do so in such dim lighting? Surely a perfectionist would want to see everything they’re doing clearly. Third, the house where Alex shows up for dinner. This is not a romantic dinner for two. This is a gathering of family and friends.
Why is it so dark?
The entire house is dark: the foyer, the living room, and the dining room. Also, every room in the police building is dark. Wouldn’t a forensic scientist have a very well-lit operating room? If they’re trying to create a mood, I’m more focused on the difficulty of seeing than the plot and dialogue. This is a choice many shows have made in recent years.
My dad certainly couldn’t
You know, anyone with poor eyesight simply couldn’t watch this. That being said, 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 research revealed that the problem was with the service, not the show. When the show aired on the network, the lighting was perfect.
