during the summer of 2001.... we had just moved back to Kansas City and i was in the midst of remodling our soon to be house with Amy.... sadly, we were having to live with my parents at the time.... but they had cable, so it made things a bit easier.... and i kept seeing this ad on TNT for 'Witchblade: The Series'.... and it intrigued me.... i'm not sure why.... i was never a fan of the comic and barely knew anything about it.... but the commercials really sold me on the whole idea of the show, the characters and made me drool over the idea of becoming a fan.... and they didn't make me wait long.... soon it was on the air and from the first pilot movie, i was hooked.... it was what i had been longing for in a TV show.... it was cool, sexy, had some pretty sweet fight scenes and a great storyline.... it was my crack.now before you 'purists' jump all over me about how this was no where near the same quality or storyline as the comic.... i don't care. nothing will ever translate from the page to the screen exactly the way anyone wants it.... it's just not physicially possible.... and i understand this.... all i knew is that i liked the show for what it was and soon became interested in the comics and toys later.... so i guess for all the comic fans, the show did serve a purpose.... it fed the retail sales of the comics.... and built a larger fanbase.... right....?
the story, for those who don't know, revolves around a police officer who finds a bracelet that allows her to weild great power.... primarily in the form of the Witchblade.... now she's not alone in the desire to own this piece of history.... she's constantly pursued by the badguys and has to deal with everyday life and being a cop to boot.... so life isn't easy for Sara.... the backstory on the blade is slowly revealed throughout season one and is played like a violin to the viewer.... it reveals just enough at just the right times to keep you watching.... and the characters she meet are well written and well cast.... they're all perfect fits for the characters they portray.... particularly Ian Nottingham.... granted, he's NOTHING like in the comic.... but i really dig the way they went with him for the television show.... he's a bad ass mo-fo.... so season one ends.... i'm all crazy about the start of season two and can't wait to see where this is all going.... but rumors of Yancy Butler's battle with alcohol addiction starts to impead the shows progress.... and the fate of the show hangs in the balance.... but season 2 starts regardless and this is where the shit hits the fan.... for some reason they basically re-boot the entire series.... and let me tell you.... as much as i love the show and will forever hold it as one of my favortie sci-fi TV shows.... season 2 almost made me quit altogether.... it's not very good.... not very good at all.... it just blows up everything you've grown to love and doesn't seem to care.... it's like if you watched 'I Love Lucy' for a season and then the following season Ricky and Lucy were divorced, Fred and Ethel were dead and Little Ricky was hooked on meth.... it was just that bad.... so i can't forgive them for that.... but i tolerate it, because i love it still.... even if it's the red-headed stepchild of season 1....
the entire series is finally available on DVD now.... and you can rent or buy it just about anywhere.... it's worth it for season 1 alone.... but if you want to submit yourself to the trainwreck of season 2, don't say i didn't warn you.... this is a classic show that lost out on a possible long running series due to some bad timing, bad writing and a bad actress who couldn't stop drinking.... and it's a damn shame.... i gave the series 5 out of 5 stars and proudly own it as part of my DVD collection and watch it often.... i even have a Sara action figure that i cherish along with several comic books.... granted i don't gush too much about TV shows, because frankly there's not that much out there to gush about.... but this is one time i'll let myself off the leash to let rip with a review to show my love.... perhaps i'll get around to 'Six Feet Under' one of these days.... but i don't think you want a 10 page dissertation on that show.... now do ya....? go rent 'Witchblade' and see if you recongnize a certain character from the movie 'Teeth' in a primary role.... have fun....!
if you enjoy this television show, check out: well, there's nothing else like it.... so just enjoy it for what it is.... brillant.
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