{"id":3343,"date":"2016-04-26T06:17:32","date_gmt":"2016-04-26T10:17:32","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/students.com.miami.edu\/reviewing\/?page_id=3343"},"modified":"2016-04-26T06:17:32","modified_gmt":"2016-04-26T10:17:32","slug":"shades-of-blue-leaves-viewers-disappointed","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/students.com.miami.edu\/reviewing\/?page_id=3343","title":{"rendered":"‘Shades of Blue’ leaves viewers disappointed"},"content":{"rendered":"

Posted April 26, 2016<\/em><\/span><\/p>\n

By CLARISSA BUCH<\/p>\n

Television broadcasting network\u00a0NBC is known for its crime dramas, with shows like \u201cThe Blacklist,\u201d \u201cChicago PD,\u201d \u201cLaw and Order SVU\u201d and \u201cBlindspot\u201d generating millions of prime-time viewers across the country.<\/p>\n

This year, another drama was added to the roster, \u201cShades of Blue.\u201d It is unconventional compared to most of the network\u2019s series as it highlights a group of dirty cops mingling with criminals and gangsters that its other shows proudly save people from.<\/p>\n

The show revolves around singer and performer Jennifer Lopez, who is a frequent sight during prime-time television. Instead of critiquing up-and-coming musicians on \u201cAmerican Idol,\u201d she plays Harlee Santos, a corrupt detective who works under Lt.\u00a0Matt Wozniak, played by Ray\u00a0Liotta.<\/p>\n

The drama focuses on Lopez and Liotta\u2019s devoted yet twisted relationship after Lopez gets caught by the FBI. Liotta, who is best known for starring in \u201cGoodfellas\u201d and \u201cField of Dreams\u201d appears to be a father figure to Lopez, though he has no idea that she has been transformed into a confidential informant.<\/p>\n

Created and written by Adi Hasak, who wrote the screenplay for 2014\u2019s \u201c3 Days to Kill,\u201d the first 10 episodes follow Lopez as she struggles with staying loyal to her Brooklyn-based crew, while also trying to protect her daughter and avoid jail time. By turning against her fellow detectives, she has been promised immunity. However, she continues to fight an inner battle within herself for letting her other crew members go down for acts she committed too.<\/p>\n

In terms of crime, Lopez, Liotta and three other detectives engage in illegal trades and bribes with criminals in and out of New York City. Liotta is the ring leader, though every crew member agrees to and is aware of the corruption. It\u2019s important to note that though the crew is dirty, they believe what they\u2019re doing is for the greater good. For example, Lopez puts \u201cdirty\u201d money she received through illegal activities toward her adolescent daughter\u2019s private school tuition.<\/p>\n

Each episode further amplifies Lopez\u2019s conflict with giving the FBI the information it needs to convict Liotta and other corrupt city cops. Lopez considers her crew as family, making the debate between loyalty and safety extremely difficult for her.<\/p>\n

While the story line is engaging, acting in \u201cShades of Blue\u201d is subpar compared to many of NBC\u2019s other prime-time dramas. Besides Lopez and Liotta, the other cast members easily fall beneath the show\u2019s storyline. There\u2019s shootings, steamy hook ups and frequent high-speed chases that, in the moment, grab a viewer\u2019s attention. But, in the long run, fail to leave a long-lasting impression. The story gets old fast doesn’t appear to be able to be sustained for more than a season.<\/p>\n

Though Lopez\u2019s acting is exceedingly better than most of\u00a0the drama’s cast, it is still difficult to take the \u201cI Luh Ya Papi\u201d singer seriously. At times, it really does feel like Lopez is Harlee Santos, a single mother trying to give her daughter the world, no matter the cost. But at other points, Lopez\u2019s \u201cHarlee Santos\u201d fa\u00e7ade fades and viewers are left wondering \u201cWhen will she break out in song and dance?\u201d<\/p>\n

What makes NBC\u2019s prime-time dramas so successful is the everlasting connection viewers make with an actor and its part, something that \u201cShades of Blue\u201d lacks. When a viewer sees Mariksa Hargitay, who plays Victoria Benson in \u201cLaw and Order SVU,\u201d an immediate association between Hargitay and her role as an inner city detective is established.<\/p>\n

But, when one sees Jennifer Lopez, it\u2019s difficult to say whether Harlee Santos comes to mind or another one of her engagements does, like \u201cAmerican Idol,\u201d one of her many pop songs or a recent movie like \u201cThe Boy Next Door.\u201d<\/p>\n

The setback with \u201cShades of Blue\u201d is its central character, which is Lopez, isn\u2019t branded to the show, making it difficult in terms of believability. Is Lopez really a struggling corrupt NYC detective? Or is she an “American Idol” host who happens to be starring in a new drama?<\/p>\n

What makes a crime drama strong and last for countless years like many of its NBC counterparts is the connection viewers make with its characters. The problem with \u201cShades of Blue\u201d is its nearly impossible to forge an organic connection with Lopez because she is connected to too many things. It\u2019s challenging to connect to Lopez\u2019s Harlee Santos character, while maintaining a connection to her role on “American Idol” or her countless radio hits.<\/p>\n

It doesn\u2019t seem as if \u201cShades of Blue\u201d will go down in NBC prime-time history like some of its other dramas, but if viewers simply want a mildly-entertaining show to binge watch, \u201cShades of Blue\u201d fits the bill. But, for those looking to connect to a central character on its journey through a controversial storyline, \u201cShades of Blue\u201d sadly falls short.<\/p>\n