Image Credit: Michael Desmond/ABCIs it just me, or are any of you worried that No Ordinary Family wants to be the Grey’s Anatomy of superhero shows? (I’m filling in for Jeff Jensen this week, so you’ll have to settle for soapy medial drama references instead of comic-book ones.)
Think about it, though: In the halls of Seattle Grace, it seems like no medical case exists that doesn’t shed introspective light into the dark corners of the protagonist physicians’ minds. Similarly, last night’s “criminal of the week” story arc on No Ordinary Family was nothing more than an extended riff to drive home the Very Special Message to Jim that “family > work/hobbies/extracurricular crime-solving activities.” During Jim’s two conversations with the prime suspect, Tortured Vigilante Guy didn’t talk about his shooting crimes in Franklin Park, but rather, discussed his crimes of poor parenting against his late son:
* “One day you’re their hero, the next they want nothing to do with you.” (Get it? “Hero?” The subtlety didn’t slip past anyone, right?)
* “I lost him because I was so busy with work.”
* “I was his father, and I should’ve been there.”
* “I did it. I killed my son.” (Metaphorically, obvs.)
* “You love your kid so much, what the hell are you doing here with me?”
Cue lightbulb over Jim’s head: D’oh! I shouldn’t have canceled my Friday night camping trip with pint-sized, troubled, and curiously coiffed 14-year-old J.J.! (And then he wouldn’t have ended up at a boozy party for high school seniors!)
Such egregious hokum-pocus is a shame, because certain aspects of No Ordinary Family are as spot-on as they are entertaining. I love the fact that four episodes in, the Powell clan is still struggling to master their superpowers — and more importantly, struggling to merge these powers with their mundane lives.
That was certainly the case with Daphne, who used her mind-reading techniques the way you’d expect an insecure sophomore girl might: to discover the super-secret location of a party for upper-classmen. Unfortunately, the plane crash that gave her a direct portal into strangers’ minds couldn’t get her into their good graces, and she wound up getting very publicly crushed under some older mean girls’ boots. “We have a strict ‘no losers’ policy,” declared the blonde she-beast who demanded Daphne’s exit. Plan B — blackmailing the embezzling cashier at the liquor store to let her return to the party with a trunk full of booze — backfired as well. “No problem. You want some meth, too?” the guy asked incredulously, as Daphne brought her shopping basket to the register, then requested a keg of beer (preferably German!). I liked that the writers let Daphne fail so spectacularly on every level, and that she wound up getting escorted home by the police; it would’ve been more predictable, and far less interesting, if she’d at least managed to get the alcohol to the party before she got busted, scored some cool points with her peers. As it stands, Daphne remains at the bottom of the high school food chain, depressing proof that all the brainpower in the world won’t get you to the top of the social network. Not in high school, anyway.
J.J.’s story arc this week was silly fun, too. While he tanked last week in using his grad-student intellect to impress a girl, he had better luck applying it to the playing field after realizing that football is just one big math problem. “An ordinary differential equation supports this!” he told Daphne, as I rolled my eyes. I just wished the writers had given this plot line a little more time to develop. Really, the kid throws a single practice pass and lands a spot on the varsity team? And where’d he develop that power arm? (He is the size of his coach’s dog, after all.) I also don’t understand why Nefarious Eyebrows the Math Teacher has such a crazy obsession with bringing J.J. down. Okay, one out-of-left-field A+ on a test might indicate cheating; but what teacher would respond with vehement rage toward a kid who’d permanently turned his grades around? Either way, I would’ve expected Jim and Stephanie, who are by most counts a pretty devoted pair of parents, to put up more of a fight on their son’s behalf than to casually assume he was taking academic performance-enhancing drugs.
I won’t spend too much time on our superhero parents this week, seeing as how their stories were relegated to the background. Poor Stephanie did show an iron strength not bursting out laughing when her jealous colleague announced “I’ve been around the nucleotide block.” But how come spunky assistant Katie found it so startling that their “genetic spackle” predecessor stopped his research due to a little thing known as death? (Side note: Does anyone really believe the mysterious Dr. Bolton/Volson — I couldn’t make out which — won’t rear his geeky head before May?) And wasn’t it a working thesis that the genetic mutations in Stephanie’s wonder plant might be similar to what was happening in her own body?
As for Jim…he’s proving to be quite possibly the most ineffective crime-fighter ever, which is a realistic touch, considering his experience is in sketching, not catching, criminals. He managed to get spotted by the potential perp as he came out of the lineup room, made extended and direct eye contact with those passers-by in a darkened park, and did nothing to disguise himself dropping off that mugger at the emergency room (which you know has to be crawling with security cameras). As George pointed out, “If enough people say they got busted by Mr. Clean…” On paper, watching Jim’s crime-fighting learning curve holds all kinds of dramatic/comedic possibilities, but the writers will have to do better than that wretched scene of Jim feigning allergies and hiding his face with a tissue while sketching himself for those park walkers. I mean, extended games of peek-a-boo are a blast, but only if you’re under the age of three.
What did you think of this week’s No Ordinary Family? Did you like the focus on Daphne and J.J. this week? Do you think there’s more to Nefarious Eyebrows the Match Teacher’s overt hostility? (Could he be in cahoots with Stephanie’s boss or some other baddie?) Did you find the vigilante’s “I shoulda been a better dad” talk as heavy-handed as I did? And were you surprised Michael Chiklis was game enough to play out a scene where he was described as “no spring chicken” with a bowling-ball head? Sound off below.
Slezak on Twitter: @EWMichaelSlezak.
This show is losing me. The mother gets upset at the father for using his power to help people, but has no problem to use hers to break the law. Tired of the whiny kids and the sad sack Dad routine.
I’m barely hanging on, too. Might give it one more episode.
I finally made the call and that this was the final ep for me despite liking JB and MC and the superhero genre as well. I get that the dysfunctional family stuff is supposed to be the main plots, but for me this is where the show is weakest, and the superpower stuff is just generally weak.
Yes, the annoying daughter made me quit this show.
I am getting bored.
It seems there are lots of better story lines then the crap they decided to go with.
The stories I imagined after hearing about the concept seems a lot more entertaining.
I think it is a good show. Shows me that they are an Ordinary Family. They are afraid to take that jump on being Super Heroes, especially after the Dad’s flops and successes. The breaking the law part had to happen, because it would expose the Mom. I don’t condone breaking the law, but it was something that had to happen.
Yeah, but it’s like she looks down on everybody else for using theirs and she’s the one that uses hers the most.
The show is keeps me entertained. Yea I could point out over the top inconsistancies but it is a super hero show. I think JJ doesn’t need to have a strong arm. He uses the perfect amount of force to push the ball or something math can explain (not my strong point so they can convince me it would work). I think eyebrows may be onto the fact that JJ has powers. I never understood why JJ didn’t say if you don’t believe I’m not cheating, write an example on the board and I’ll do it right now in front of you! His plane crash explenation to his new motivation to do well was good though. I’m starting to grow fond of teh characters, it’s pretty well acted too. B+ so far..
I thought baseball would be the better sport for his abilities.
Baseball players don’t get the girls. Trust me!
Plus, while pitching would be an okay position for him, there’s no mathematics involved. Curveballs, sliders, etc. depend more on the hand positions of the throwing hand than arcs and equations that his brain can digest.
This was my last episode. I just find the story arcs to be boring.
Derek Jeter’s done pretty well for himself – Mariah Carey and now the deliscious Minka Kelley, and I’m sure I’m forgetting a number of conquests in his past..
This article achieved exactly what I waetnd it to achieve.
He might not need a super-hero strong arm, but he needs more skill than he’s got. Super smarts might give him the ability to see what he should do, but they don’t give him the ability to physically do it. I’m sure he could calculate the amount of force his body would need to use in order to lift a school bus, but that doesn’t mean he’d be able to come up with that force.
Somebody send this kid to boarding school. He’s ruining a perfectly good show.
How do you know Julia? Are you super smart? The ball didn’t seem to go super fast or anything like when Jim throws a baseball. I was nicely lofted in the air in a perfect spiral. I’m no football expert but I play soccer and I know if you hit a ball in the right place it will go pretty high far without having to use a lot of force.
@Vince: Kicking and throwing are 2 very different things. When you kick the ball (like hitting a fastball), you use the ball’s momentum to propel it farther (physicists out there can add the appropriate jargon). That’s why you can hit a fastball farther than a curve. Throwing a ball is all you. It is ridiculous to think anyone with an advanced knowledge of physics could be a quarterback.
@ Andrew.. I’ll give it to you that you probably have a more advanced knowledge of physics than me. And touche’ on the kicking vs throwing thing. Here are my problems with your statement: “It is ridiculous to think anyone with an advanced knowledge of physics could be a quarterback.”
A. Yes it may be ridiculous but so is a family with super powers. Is it rediculous in a world in which people with super powers really exhist?
B. We are talking about a super human understanding of physics. Perhaps the shape of the ball, with the wind blowing angled at so much will carry it so far. It’s not like the kid threw a 60 yard bomb, it was a 20 yard lob.
physics could be a quarterback. Now how he will be able to take a sack and survive from a 300 pound linebacker will be a whole different story.
ignore “Phyics could be a quarter back in second to last line I double pasted..
I understand how to break bricks but that doesn’t mean i can bring a building down with my bare hands.
Did bother anyone else that the kid made the football team after just one Rep./pass. At least they didnt make him starter right away. This show needs to do something quick bc I think Im losing interest. all of my new shows this season have been dropped from the dvr and been holding on for a few eps but need somethign to happen quick
I stopped watching The Event, Hawaii Five O and No Ordinary Family. Among the new shows, I’m only sticking with Outsourced. I was pleasantly surprised with this show. Funny without being offensive.
I’m losing interest in this show, and it’s all JJ’s fault. What a whiney little future bad-guy. Could they be any more obvious about setting him up to be manipulated by Mom’s evil-genius boss in episodes to come?
If JJ comes clean – or better yet, if his sister outs him to his folks – and if he finally demands an on-the-spot math test immediately followed by a drug test to prove he’s not cheating or on drugs, then they might keep me around. Failing that, I won’t be here come May.
This is my issue with the show as well. I feel like I’ve seen this plot a 100 times. JJ is being set up to be someones tool. It will probably end up having something to do with the boss convincing him that his mom is trying to find a way to take away their powers, which he would be opposed to. I’ll watch it play out, but if my various guesses about plot turn out to be spot on, I will probably drop the show. If you can’t surprise me, at least make the “usual” stuff more interesting.
Not as good as Heroes season 1, but I think it has staying power to be better than that show as a whole.
I like where they are taking JJ, and the football “vision” is totally cool.
I got my weekly DVR set and I am on board this crazy train.
I can’t figure out why JJ is getting so much heat from his teacher. All he needs to do is demand a showdown with him with the principal as a witness. The teacher creates 10 math problems on the spot. JJ answers them. End of suspicion of cheating.
Except that the teacher thinks he’s taking focus-enhancing drugs. But the solution is simple there too- just do a drug test.
what if they were to say we dont want a urine sample because that can be faked by oer hydration causing cells to flod out the fat soluble drugs. a blood test could raise suspiscion of genetic anomoly
I like this show. This truly is no ordinary family in terms of superpowers, but are completely normal when trying to use them to fight crime, break into upper-class parties, or just living everyday. Jim looks totally out of place as a crimefighter, which he should, because there’s a huge difference between a sketch artist and a cop. Daphne trying to use her powers this week was a monumental failure, which it should’ve been, cause she’s just a teen who doesn’t know better. Steph uses hers more wisely (indoors), but her criticism of others is annoying and she needs to look in the mirror before doing it again. JJ needs to be outed pronto – I don’t care how, but it really needs to happen cause his ignorance about revealing his abilities is getting on my nerves. It’s nice that he covered for Daphne, but he needs to tell his parents about his power. It just is beyond unfair that he knows about them, but not vice versa. I don’t blame the teacher for being suspicious; I would be too.
I agree: JJ needs to be outed pronto – I don’t care how, but it really needs to happen cause his ignorance about revealing his abilities is getting on my nerves.
I enjoy it so far. The family seems to be transitioning as well as possible. Remember, the time difference for us is a week between episodes, but seems to be days for them so far. And they all were bad in the areas in which they now are super strong. There is a natural period of adjustment. I find myself not liking the mom’s contiual harping on everyone using their new powers. She seems to have no clue whatsever that men need to be a hero to the world and especially to their families. I would like to see some fruit from the therapy sessions we saw in the first episode; to see them all working together, especially since they need to keep their secrets from the rest of the world.
I thought the Vigilante warning was well timed in light of the problems dad has been facing. He really can’t get his act together, but under the circumstances, it is understandable. I would like to see him go through training somehow and become the superpowered hero he seeks to be. I don’t like seeing him continually disrespected by his coworkers like he is.
A transition from dysfunctional to fully functional would be welcome. To see the kids participate with their gifts and all work together to beat the foe that is lurking ominously even as the weekly villains are bombarding their metropolis.
I just love to see good triumph over evil.
I am disappointed in this fall’s new offerings as a whole, but being as this isn’t a procedural/medical drama, I am hanging in for now. However, last night was the first time I watched the episode as it aired on Tuesday night, because it isn’t anywhere near topping Glee on my list of shows to watch.
i just want to the son to tell his parents already. unlike the rest of the family he has no control over his power. mom can walk slow, dad can not get into trouble, and sis can not read minds when she wants to.
he can not help but to think at an accelerated level.
I just don’t understand JJ’s hesitation to not tell his folks about his powers…anyway I didn’t need to be hammered in the head by the perps convo with Mr. Clean…We get it- he should be spending time with his family…Also, I did like that Mr. Clean finally stood up to his wife “I have been here for the family all these years, when is it your turn”
He wants them to be proud of him for him, not for his powers. That’s why he’s not telling them the truth.
But it’s a lie so how can he achieve what he wants when it’s built on a lie?
People are right about the gaping holes in logic: JJ the QB, JJ not challenging eyebrows to a math showdown, etc. Last night: why do the police take the witness’ word that they saw the “killer” when all they saw was “a guy leaning over a body”. Did anyone ask if the guy had a gun? Did they ask why the guy didn’t turn and shoot at them? All way too pat. The show is fun, but not very intelligent.
I am rooting for this show to succeed, but seems like the story lines and plot are just off. Last nights football scene at the end where they kept changing scenes from the football goal to the man being shot in the park in slow motion, was just uncomfortable to watch. This show can be good. The cast is awesome, but the rest of the show is lacking. The show needs some serious tweaking. A clear storyline would be good start, and oh, is it a family show? Men being shot in the chest in slow motion, showing the bullet entering the chest wall doesn’t really sit well with me. Very uncomfortable with my 9 year old son sitting next to me. No Ordinary Family, please decide what type of show you want to be and then develop the storylines from that point of view.
Yeah, definitely losing interest in this show. I may have a few more episodes left in me but something drastic has to happen to get me to stay on board for the long haul.