I watched Human Target from the beginning. Well, really, I watched it even before the beginning -- I got an advance screener of the series premiere and reviewed it (a positive one, too!). I watched all through the first season and loved almost every minute of it. It is only regretfully that I admit, five episodes into the show's sophomore season, that I will no longer be watching Human Target.
Now, I've only seen three of the five aired episodes of the second season (episode 2.06 airs Wednesday night on FOX). I watched the first two episodes, then episode 2.04. The title of episode 2.03, "Taking Ames," was enough to dissuade me from watching that episode -- I hate the new character of Ames with a passion. Really, she's awful.
And that's the heart of the problem with Human Target's second season: there's too much change for change's sake. For instance, take the show's music. After the first episode of the season, I posted a rather angry diatribe against the shift from Bear McCreary's brilliantly cinematic score to the lower quality incidental/mood music that permeated the beginning of the second season. I thought I could watch the show and live with the shift. I couldn't. The mood of the show has completely changed for the worse. Instead of feeling like I'm watching a mini-movie, I feel like I'm watching a mediocre show on FOX. McCreary's music made up for the story's weakness with pure atmosphere: now that atmosphere's gone, and my love for the show has significantly diminished.
There's also the inclusion of the two new totally unecessary female characters, Pucci and Ames, who were obviously thrown in the show to go after a demographic that doesn't seem to be watching. Those two weigh the show down considerably, making me miss the old dynamic of Valley, McBride, and Haley. Those three were fine going it solo. In fact, if a new main cast member was to be added, I would have rather it be Lennie James.
I love Lennie James. I loved him in Snatch, and he was absolutely brilliant in the first episode of The Walking Dead. In fact, he's the only reason I came back to watch episode 2.04, which was temptingly titled "The Return of Baptiste." Baptiste, James's character, is easily the most interesting character on the show, perhaps along with Haley's Guerrero. He's funny, he's magnetic, and he has pretty great chemistry with anyone he shares the screen with. "The Return of Baptiste" was a blast until he was returned to the Russian prison at the end of the episode. And that, friends, was when I decided it was time for Human Target and I to start seeing other people.
I deliberately quit watching after "The Return of Baptiste," because it had been the only enjoyable episode of the season for me, and that was thanks to James. Knowing that the next episode would be a return to the sloppy, bland newness of the second season, I decided to cut my ties following "The Return of Baptiste," and end my Human Target experience on a relative high note.
I think it was a pretty good decision. After all, better to have fewer fond memories than more bad ones, right?
If you want to stick around with Chance and the Human Target crew, you can tune in to FOX Wednesday night at 8/7c for the episode "The Other Side of the Mall."
I'll leave you all with a Human Target breakup haiku, just to make this article that much more melodramatic:
Goodbye, Chance and co.
Ta, Winston and Guerrero
I won't miss you, Ames
Ok, it's not just me then. I started watching the 5th episode and quit in the middle and am not watching anymore. I agree with you on all of your points.
I'm still watching Human Target, but it's becoming painful. Pucci and Ames have not improved the show in any way; and it's too light hearted. It needs to go back to its dark and mysterious roots.
I totally agree! I tried giving Season 2 a chance but I just don't care for the new additions. They add no value to the show. I watched one more time, to see the brilliant Lennie James in episode four and I will continue to scan upcoming shows to see if he comes back but otherwise, I have no interest in the show. And that's a shame because I adored the show and the guys. Way to muck up a good show.
Episode 8 was a doozy…. Come back!! Enjoy!!
I blame Matt Miller an his execution of season2 was horrible. Hopefully he never given Showrunner responsibilities again
Good review – I wish I'd stopped watching, but like a car crash I couldn't tear my eyes away.
I wanted to cry at what Matt Miller did to the character of Guerrero. Watching it was worse than any torture that could have been inflicted by … well, Guerrero. The Guerrero of Season 1 anyway. I heard it adequately described that Ames's purpose in the show (other than to get oiled up in her underwear) was to carry around Guerrero's balls in her handbag. They were not wrong.
A truly mind-boggling exercise in how to completely ruin a great show. Tragic.