CBS’s “Intelligence” ratings plummet after pilot- 3/5 stars

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CBS

CBS’s new sci-fi drama, “Intelligence” confuses audiences with an ambiguous premise and average acting, but makes up for its flaws with its fast-paced storylines and well-known star cast, making it the most-watched new series on television.

The show stars Josh Holloway as Gabriel Vaughn, a highly skilled intelligence operative with a super computer microchip implanted in his brain. In this procedural drama, U.S. Cyber Command utilizes Gabriel’s direct connection to the globalized information grid to help prevent terrorist attacks against the United States. As a result of the power and potential of Gabriel’s capabilities, he is issued an ex-secret service agent to protect him named Riley, played by co-star Meghan Ohry.

Within the first two minutes of the first episode, glitches in the storyline were clear. For one, in addition to his access to the Internet and all international databases, Gabriel also has the ability to “cyber-render,” which somehow allows him to visit and walk around crime scenes in his mind. The only explanation given for this is, “think of it like a dream,” which is not very helpful.

Holloway portrays his character realistically, while Meghan Ohry often looks uncomfortable and expressionless on screen. Holloway’s character proves to be more dynamic by his ability to convey extreme emotion along with his humor in the show’s lighter scenes.

Despite the flaws in the plot, the show received respectable ratings for its series premiere on Jan. 7. The prominent star cast drew large audiences for the pilot episode. Leading actor Josh Holloway is best known for his role as “Sawyer” on the long running hit TV show, Lost. Marg Helgenberger, who plays the Director of the U.S. Cyber Command, is also known for her popular role in “CSI: Crime Scene Investigation,” and Meghan Ohry previously starred on “Once Upon A Time.”

Turn on CBS, and commercials brag: “Intelligence, the number one watched new series on television” with 16.6 million viewers for the first episode. The network conveniently fails to mention the drastic drop in viewership and ratings between the first and second episode, falling to 6.1 million viewers at the show’s new time slot. The show’s new air time, Mondays and 10 p.m, coincides with the popular shows, “Castle” and the “The Blacklist.”

The fourth episode of the season, titled, “Secrets of the Secret Service,” airs on Monday Jan. 27 at 10 p.m.