Valentine (2008): The CW TV Series Review

Valentine is a romantic-comedy TV series airing on the CW. Valentine's premise is a group of ancient Greek Gods try to maintain their importance in the modern world by meddling in mortal love lives. Grace Valentine is actually the Goddess Aphrodite in disguise. Together with her son Danny Valentine (Eros), Leo (Hercules), and Phoebe (a triton), Grace runs a company Valentine, Inc. whose mission is to bring soul mates together.

The premise of Valentine sounds kind of silly. Apparently the network agreed because they cancelled the series after only one episode aired. After watching the first four episodes on the internet last night, I believe the network made a big mistake. Valentine is actually entertaining with funny storylines and great actors and actresses in the cast. I am now hooked and really hope the CW plans on airing the rest of the finished episodes. IMDB.com is reporting 12 episodes are completed so I am hoping all of them are aired and then maybe the CW will change their mind and bring the series back. Yeah right, highly unlikely but I can still hope.

A nice surprise for me was seeing Christine Larkin play Kate Providence, a mortal romance-novelist who is recruited by Grace in the series first episode. I didn't recognize Christine at first but halfway through the episode I was hit with duh...Christine played in my favorite 90's sitcom, Step by Step. Plus she was in my "hate to admit" favorite Paris Hilton movie The Hottie and the Nottie. She is great in Valentine.

At first I wasn't fond of the character Danny Valentine played by Kristoffer Polaha but by the end of the fourth episode, I found him to be the perfect choice for Danny (Eros) the seemly conceited god of love who is more caring then he lets on. The only character that I don't agree with is Leo (Hercules). He is played as a less then intelligent God who is way too happy happy joy joy. Hmmm, perhaps my fondness of the Kevin Sorbo Hercules has tainted my perception but the series Valentine is writing their Hercules character all wrong.

Valentine is a TV Series that should be watched before being judged. I admit I thought it was silly and not worth watching just by listening to the advertising but luckily a friend convinced me to give the show a try and I am so glad I did. Valentine is one of the better romantic series I have seen in a long time. It has just the right mix of Greek folklore, romantic issues, and a hint of mystery to entertain for forty-five minutes. I give the series 5 out of 5 stars.