Human Target May Be the Next 24 for Fox

Human Target, the new Fox suspense show, debuted last night and it was a great ride. Is Human Target good enough to be the next 24 for the Fox network? Maybe, just maybe. Mark Valley plays Christopher Chance, a freelance human shield with a serious attitude of no fear. He's a lot like Jack Bauer without the very tight timeline and much better dressed. Human Target may very well be the next 24.

Human Target tells the story of a man that does whatever he has to do to protect his clients. Christopher Chance, called just Chance, is a hybrid mix of a specialized bodyguard, gun for hire, security wizard and GQ model. He protects his high-profile clients by assimilating himself into the danger of their lives so that he can find the bad guys that are after the client.

Chance does this by supposedly blending in and becoming very close to his clients. The only problem I see with this scenario is that Chance is so gorgeous that he seems to always stand out no matter what situation you put him in. But that is ok too, it just means that I will certainly keep watching this new action packed show to see how Chance pulls it all off.

It's also very obvious that Chance must have quite a past. How do you get to the point of being as good as he is at being a Human Target? You have to have a very deep and dark past. That may be the real hook, beyond Chance's good looks and great grooming, that keeps us watching each week. His business partner Winston hints lightly at Chance's state of mind a couple of times in this first episode. Almost questioning his sanity to do what he does. That implies serious past events that drive Chance.

Human Target is based on a DC Comics graphic novel and Vertigo Comics of the same name. But don't expect the story to follow the comic very much at all. The name seems to be the only similarity.

The cast is wonderful and for a pilot that alone is pretty amazing. Business partner Winston, played by Chi McBride, is a big teddy bear of a man that seems both frustrated with Chance's risk-taking and yet very respectful of his abilities. Data junkie Guerrero, played by Jackie Earle Haley is surprisingly scary. While his appearance seems somewhat harmless as a geek, he has another side that he shows brilliantly when two thugs come into a diner looking for a fight and leave with their tails between their legs. Brilliant.

With a strong cast and a lead that looks like he could be on the cover of any magazine - I think that Fox has a winning combination in Human Target. Ony time and ratings will tell the story for Human Target.

Sources:

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1439741/news#ni1427211

http://www.givememyremote.com/remote/2010/01/17/human-target-on-fox-first-look/

"Human Target", Fox TV, 1/18/2009