*Mancandy is the word for the day.
Ya know, a man so delicious you want to eat him like a candy bar…. a la Morris Chestnut, who plays cocksure private pathologist Dr. Beaumont Rosewood Jr. in the upcoming FOX series “Rosewood,” and his appeal alone will certainly be a draw for the ladies, many of whom may not be fans of police crime dramas, but could find that a smartly-dressed Chestnut – accented by the gloss of Miami – makes the business of solving murder sexy.
Rosewood is Miami’s most wanted consultant, he sees clues that the Miami P.D. can’t, and he works in a highly advanced lab alongside his sister (Gabrielle Dennis) and her girlfriend (Anna Konkle).
The pilot episode finds him taking on a murder case at the assistance of his mother (Lorraine Toussaint), while being teamed with the humorless Det. Annalise Villa (Jaina Lee Ortiz). Morris and Ortiz, two sexy and talented actors whose onscreen dynamic is not as engaging as Benson and Stabler (“Law & Order: SVU”), or Mulder and Scully (“The X-Files”).
in New York
Rosewood is attracted to Villa, (a fiery, petite Latina who chases bad guys in high heels and can tackle 200-pound men), and she could be receptive to any advances he weaves her way, (once she sorts out her own demons), but unless these two stars uncover some chemistry under the dead bodies along the way, the question becomes: will viewers care to be teased about them possibly hooking up?
Speaking of which, can he hook up? His heart could explode at anytime (even though he can run like an Olympic champion). Rosie has a lingering, and potentially fatal, health problem, which could be used to end the series if doesn’t resonate with viewers, but this could also be resolved at the first sign that the show is a hit.
The EUR/Electronic Urban Report attended a private “Rosewood” screening of the pilot episode hosted by Lorraine and Gabrielle in Los Angeles. The two actresses expressed their excitement for the series and delighted in the richness of their characters. Dennis plays a lesbian in an interracial relationship with her co-worker, while Lorraine plays Morris’ overprotective mother.
Created by Todd Harthan (“Psych”), “Rosewood” tries to create a colorful atmosphere around dead bodies and in doing so, fails at luring you to the edge of your seat with heightened dramatic moments that you’d expect in such a format. While Chestnut is charming, there’s a hollowness in his approach to solving a case.
Pilots tend to be rushed and this one was certainly flat and predictable but it establishes clearly what motivates our hero, leaving you hopeful that the series will explore how Rosewood’s awareness of his own mortality drives the murder mystery plotlines in a way that entice fans of sophisticated “who done it” serials to tune in every week.
“Rosewood” premieres right before “Empire” tomorrow, Wednesday September 23 at 8/7c on FOX.
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