The first episode of X Company was certainly interesting, but while I enjoyed most of it, I feel it still needs a little work.
Things I liked
Setting: Taking place in occupied France during WWII was certainly a concept I never thought I’d see before. (Though the name of the French town — Villemarie — really sounds more Québecois . . .)
Character: There are certainly a lot of interesting characters throughout the episode all with unique and interesting personalities: Harry being the brains of the group, Duncan being a strict, no-nonsense general, and such.
Cinematography: Shots aren’t too tight and really capture a lot of the detail — essential when the plot involves blowing up a bridge and saving an entire town.
Alfred Graves: This character was rather interesting. I quite enjoyed how he processed his thoughts and came up with interesting predictions. How is he going to cope with his extreme anxiety and fear of loud noises? See, we’ve already got a reason to keep watching.
War movie cliché subverted: The stolen boots don’t fit, and the German commander is sharp enough to notice they’ve been cut up.
Things that need improvement
Explosion effect: Wasn’t too believable, could’ve had more debris flying and be a bit less obscure.
Mood: I understand it’s supposed to be during a dark time, but having a cliffhanger/commercial break before someone looks like they’re about to die is a bit extreme for some TV shows in my opinion, especially if the character is extremely innocent.
Miss the pilot? See it here.
(Photo: Gary Blakely)