Caffeinated Clint
ABC Family are making good product. “Greek” is probably the standout show of the stable (it’s a little infantile, but Spencer Grammer and Clark Duke are so deliciously good in it you mightn’t even notice the ‘message of the week’ producers may have been forced to inject into each respective episode by the producers), but “Lincoln Heights” and “Kyle XY” – a sort of “Smallville” without the soap elements – are also worth a look.
“XY” is probably the one with the widest, broadest, beefiest audience. It’s the tale of a young boy, found in the woods with no memory of who he is or where he’s from, who discovers, with the help of his new adoptive family, he’s some sort of alien. Yeah, so it’s “Starman” – but sometimes sloppy seconds taste good when warmed up and the first season of this show was familiar, but fun entertainment.
Newcomer Matt Dallas is quite superb as Kyle – yeah, OK, so he looks about 30, and sounds it (turn down the bass bro!), but what doesn’t hurt “Smallville”, doesn’t hurt this – and he’s surrounded by a great team of supporting players, including former “X-Files” villain Nicholas Lea as a ‘good guy’. Most of the more recent episodes have dealt with Kyle discovering more of his powers and abilities, and his plight to stay on the right track after the death of his mentor.
So yes, it has a lot in common with “Smallville”.
Just one difference : that show’s about to be renewed for a ninth (!) season, this one has just been canceled.
Michael Ausiello reports that ABC Family has axed the series. Its big drop in ratings is apparently to blame.
And again, “Smallville” is still on the air!…Why?
