Painkiller Jane Hits Friday Night TV!

I am a comic newbie, new to the side of comics that doesn't really involve business. I've been working at Star Clipper for around 2 months now, and I've learned a lot from the staff and the regulars who frequent the store. I've even begun to read comics on a regular basis. (Congrats to me!)

One of my new favourites is Painkiller Jane, the story of a woman who is "hard to resist and harder to kill." She is Agent Jane Vasco, a former DEA agent who joins a covert government agency who tracks down and contains "neuros." If you've no idea what neuros are, simply put, neuros are humans who have neurological powers and can influence other innocent people. If that isn't enough, Jane is extremely hard to kill (she's yet to die for real in the comic series), but she can feel pain. Hence, the
clever name - Painkiller Jane.

Whilst I'm a big fan of the comic series (written by Jimmy Palmiotti and illustrated by Lee Moder), the tv show (produced in part by the star) leaves something to be desired.

Painkiller Jane debuted on the SciFi channel (Friday nights at 10/9c after Stargate: Atlantis) on April 13, 2007. Because of the fantastic response to the Painkiller Jane movie (which was an original SciFi movie released in 2005) and various re-runs, Jane Vasco has come to life on the silver screen once again.

The show stars Kristanna Loken (of Terminator 3 and Bloodrayne fame) as the irrestible Jane Vasco. In addition to starring in the show, Loken is also executive producer. The show follows Vasco and the team (one of which has trained under the master of Bruce Lee in real life!) whilst they track neuros, one by one. While the story has a long plotline over the season, each show can be watched on its own...sort of like CSI or Law & Order.

Sigh...and here comes the review. The show is lacking (unfortunately) in explanations. For example: The neuros. Okay, so they raise people from the dead and make people fall out of 46-story windows. But why is it that they are always doing something wrong? Don't tell me that these neuros don't have feelings or compassion. And they never really say what they do with (or to) the neuros. It could be just really confused writing (which happens), or just something they will explain later.

The dialogue is always a big issue with me. I have to have non-sappy, very direct, always-on-top-of-your-game dialogue. Painkiller Jane is a show whose dalogue could use a tuning up. There is absolutely no reason for Painkiller Jane to state the obvious in a hard-core tone, especially when it's happening as she is saying it.

Apart from the plot being a little weak (but I give it a little lee-way cos the series is on it's second show of the season), the dialogue being a bit corny, and the acting having a very rehearsed and akward feel to it...I must say. The photography is INCREDIBLE. I have no idea who is doing the photography for this show, but dammit...someone give them an Oscar...Emmy...Golden Globe. Something. The show takes on a documentary-type feel in the first show and turns colour into an element in the second show.

I'll keep tuning into because a) I really think the show will get stronger with time and b) The photography is very rare on a television show and I get a kick out of how different things look with different techniques.

My advice? If you like beautiful women who kick ass, can take a bullet to the chest, and still get the bad guy...tune in. It'll be a great ride.

Evey