Discussing the Spike TV show Kill Point - 7.29.2007.1

I’m not sure how many people were able to see the new cable television show on Spike TV. I like the programs that Spike has made so far, they have good plots, quality production and a diversity that most any other show on television today seems to ignore. Actually the same can be said of FX as well. But this new show really caught my attention.

The show is called The Kill Point. A drama with a lot of tension. Essentially we get to see both sides of a hostage situation. One point of view is held by Mr. John Leguizamo, leader of the would-be bank robbers and hostage takers. The key negotiator for the police is Mr. Donnie Wahlberg. Much of the tension is the manner in which both of these men are making plans to outwit the other and confront each other. Luckily for the hostages, neither man wants harm them. Yet they are the currency that both are using to get the goals before them.

In the introduction to the program things happen quickly. The bank robbery that starts everything is near perfect in execution. Were it not for the efforts of a zealous FBI agent, there would be no story. But her interruption as the robbers leave the bank quickly brings about a gun battle the equal to that of many war movies or scenes from Baghdad. With little delay we find that the robbers include a medic, are accustomed to working scenarios on the fly, and are determined.

We meet our police officers shortly afterwards and the game of chess begins. The robbers need to keep hostages, especially a computer savvy boy and a daughter of a wealthy businessman, while devising a unique plan that will allow them to escape. The police are battling poor decisions from higher ups, little information and the preservation of as many lives as possible.

In between we get to have a bit of current day politics thrown in. You cannot miss the point, and in one scene it thrown down our throats. Of course this is done by Mr. Wolf to gain sympathy from the public, and not an altruistic end. Not that if he were to have that portion of his demands met, along with freedom for him and his men, he wouldn’t be happy.

While this is not a unique storyline, there are elements that separate this program from the others. The would-be bank robbers are all Marines, from the same unit that saw serious fighting in Iraq. Most have seen multiple tours. All are completely loyal to Mr. Wolf, the man responsible for saving their lives, scarred from multiple battles and dishonorably discharged for not taking his men into a battle that would have killed them all. The men are all played as efficient, capable soldiers, who are morally against hurting the hostages, or the police. Yet each has sworn to die rather than go to jail.

For the police we have a lead negotiator that is obsessed with proper grammar in speech and writing. The man is sharp and his obsession (which borders on OCD) plays well for a job title where the nuances of language are critical. It also adds a nice counter point to the tension while not breaking from the storyline.

There are a few wildcards in the program as well. Several members that were in Iraq as well are banding together to help out their besieged comrades. This is something neither the police nor the trapped robbers are aware of. The introduction of the FBI, and politics in the form of the Mayor’s office are other flags in the wind. Not to mention a possible deal with the business tycoon.

As I mentioned earlier, the show is diversified. Unlike the usual solitary non-white character found in broadcast programming, this show has a wide range of ethnicities. It reflects the variations in the military and our cities. It’s a nice touch and adds to the realism of the program. From the hostages, to the police, to the bank robbers there is a mix that makes sense and goes beyond the typical Latino gangmember, poor Black drug addict, and other such demeaning stereotypes.

The acting is better than average and I think this is one of Mr. Leguizamo’s better performances. I feel he has been underrated for some time. Perhaps this show will be the thing he needs to get the upper tier of opportunities. Equally on point is Mr. Wahlberg.

I’m not sure how many episodes there will be, I can’t see this going on to a second season due to the nature of the premise. Given that, I suggest watching this and taking it all in while you can. Good intelligent and entertaining television is hard to find these days.