PilotWatch: 666 PARK AVENUE

ABC Sundays @ 10/9c

What's it about?
What would you do to have everything you desire?  Step inside 666 PARK AVENUE, New York's most seductive address.  We all have some burning needs, desires and ambitions.  For the residents of The Drake, the premier apartment building on Manhattan's Upper East Side, these will all be met - for a price - courtesy of the building's mysterious owner, Gavin Doran.  But be careful what you wish for, because the price you have to pay is your soul.
(from ABC.com)

You should watch if...
• ...you like a little creep factor in your drama, but were too freaked out by AMERICAN HORROR STORY.
• ...you need another sexy, soapy drama to follow your weekly REVENGE viewing.
• ...you're a Terry O'Quinn or Vanessa Williams fan ("If?" Who am I kidding, of course you are, they're freakin' fantastic.)

So, how was it?
It's becoming more and more clear that the old maxim is true -- that there are no original ideas left.  There can of course be variations and unique executions, but basically everything's already been done.  And Hollywood is one of the biggest culprits in the idea-stealing business.  That's why last season saw the premieres of two fairy-tale themed shows (ONCE UPON A TIME, GRIMM), and this season saw two competing BEAUTY AND THE BEAST projects (only one of which made it to air, but still).  So it's clear with this show that ABC is capitalizing on the huge success of FX's spooky drama AMERICAN HORROR STORY last year.  666 PARK AVENUE is essentially a network-suitable (read: tamer) version of that blood-soaked ghost-sex fest.  (But thank god it's at least not another lawyer/cop/doctor show!)

Fortunately for us, 666 PARK AVENUE is more a variation on the now-popular haunted house theme and less a direct ripoff of AHS.  There is enough here that is different to separate the two shows while still taking advantage of the burgeoning interest in horror as a TV genre.  Where AHS was a chaotic (but fun) mess of spirits and ghosts, all of which seemed to follow different rules, it is clear from the start that there is a very specific story to The Drake and its inhabitants - a mythology that will unfold throughout the course of the season (and series, perhaps - if it lives that long).

In a beautifully-shot, cringe-inducing opening sequence, we are introduced Gavin Doran, owner of The Drake, played by the always-captivating Terry O'Quinn (LOST).  (Side note: Drake means 'Dragon,' and Gavin Doran is an anagram for Vain Dragon. Coincidence?)  We quickly learn he makes a habit of striking faustian bargains with the residents of his building.  We're led to believe that he's basically the devil, or at least an agent of the devil, but I bet there's more to that story (there pretty much has to be).  His wife Olivia is played by the still-gorgeous Vanessa Williams (DESPERATE HOUSEWIVES, UGLY BETT) (she really never ages, does she?); Olivia is, at least in the pilot, a less-important presence than her husband, although her few scenes were some of the most interesting ones, in my opinion.  That's my requirement for the writers going forward: more Vanessa Williams, please!

Our protagonists are a young couple who have just moved into The Drake to be the new building managers.  They are Jane (Rachael Taylor of CHARLIE'S ANGELS and GREY'S ANATOMY) and Henry (Dave Annable of BROTHERS & SISTERS) -- they have moved to NYC for Henry's city planning job and Jane, a former architecture student, is the one who assumes most of the managing duties.  Rachael Taylor makes for a lovely and accessible leading lady, who is both intrigued and slightly disturbed by The Drake's mysterious atmosphere.  Dave Annable is by far the weaker of the two leads, but he's not given much to do in the pilot other than look cute and get in a bathtub with his wife.  And I have to say, his constant half-smirk-talking-through-the-corner-of-his-mouth thing drove me inSANE.  But 3 out of 4 solid leads ain't bad.  We're also introduced to several residents of The Drake, including a peeping-tom playwright, his bossy photographer wife, a recent widower, and a young psychic kleptomaniac (yep, that happens).

Not everything works -- while there are some genuinely creepy moments (a violinist's fingers shredding on his strings, a ghostly visitation in the basement, a tense exchange during the opera), there are also a few moments of over-the-top hokeyness ruined by bad TV special effects.  The writers need to remember going forward that less is always more, and what's scariest is usually what isn't shown.  But if they stick to creepy rather than hokey, and continue to capitalize on their strong cast of performers, there's no reason this show shouldn't become a success, especially given its genius time slot.  Placing this soapy, sexy drama on Sunday nights after last year's most popular soapy, sexy drama (REVENGE, of course), all but guarantees that 666 PARK AVENUE will find an audience.

And the verdict is:
Solid. I'm interested and will definitely keep watching.
With some 300+ residents of The Drake, there's a potential for 666 PARK AVENUE to dip into procedural, faustian-bargain-of-the-week territory.  Here's hoping that, even if this happens, the show will mostly continue to explore the mythology established in the pilot and develop its characters as much as its scare tactics.

Your turn, Fellow Addicts!  Were you seduced by 666 PARK AVENUE?  Or are you already checking out?  Vote in the poll below and then hit the comments!

What did you think of 666 PARK AVENUE?