A Quickie: Will a TV Show Work (Taken)

As a fan of Liam Neeson I thought one or two of you might be wondering my opinions on the announcement of a Taken tv series. I admit I saw the trailer for the tv series and just stared in horrified wonder about what was taking place in front of my eyes. It's been a little over a week since I saw the trailer and now my feelings have settled.

Why I Liked the First Movie

Taken shouldn't have had sequels. It was a great standalone movie that didn't leave you needing more. The story was all tied up and that was the end of it. Or it should have been...so what made it so good?

For starters it was action packed. Liam Neeson as Bryan Mills kicked butt and took names. There was hardly a dull moment and the slow moments were there so you could catch your breath.

Besides the heavy action sequences, Taken was held up by a surprising amount of heart. The main plot of the film revolves around Bryan Mills' love for his daughter Kim (played by Maggie Grace). It is usually the mother that shows love for her child but here was a father showing that same love. He is very masculine and yet his caring heart is shown by how far he goes to save his daughter.
The first Silent Hill movie had a problem with wanting to be feminist and so changed the main character to a woman. In the original Silent Hill game Harry Mason searches the town of Silent Hill for his daughter Cheryl. The makers of the movie adaptation didn't understand that men showing such fatherly affections is just as important as a strong female character.

Anyways...Bryan Mills doesn't just show care for his daughter but for other girls forced into the sex trade. Showing that he is a very caring, kick-ass guy.

Finally, Liam Neeson is talented enough to pull off the roll of Bryan Mills. He is able to go between caring father to killer with ease. Giving a nuanced performance to the character.

And...of course...he is a little hottie. Well...big hottie...and old...still sexy...

My Opinions on the Sequels

Ah...the sequels to a movie that didn't need any. They had Liam Neeson which was their saving grace. He was the reason I saw not one but two Taken sequels. The heart wants what the heart wants. In this case a hot guy kicking ass and the plot didn't matter as much.

One of the many problems of the second Taken movie was the fact that it felt way too short. Even with the uncut edition it was much too short. You get to the ending and it feels like you slammed into a wall. It's just that sudden and jarring.

One good thing about the third Taken movie is the fact that it tried something new. Instead of the formula from the first one that was copied in the second, the third Taken movie goes into a new direction. There are twists and turns in this film instead of it being straightforward like the first two.

Why I'm Not Interested in a TV Series

I don't really care about keeping up with a Taken tv series. As I've said before, Taken should've just been one movie with no sequels. I will give credit to the tv series focusing on the history behind Bryan Mills. It is more interesting than continuing the series past Taken 3.

However...there is no Liam Neeson which basically puts my interest in the Taken tv series on NBC to zero. Neeson is the only reason I cared for seeing where the series went and now that he's not returning...no interest from this little Neeson fangirl.

While I am not interested in the Taken tv series on NBC, I will keep an eye out for reviews. So if you do reviews of the tv series, video or written, please send me them. I would like to know if I am right or wrong for abandoning the series before it starts.