Written by Jesus Figueroa
Reviews are in and "Rosewood" isn't the cop/procedural show that people were expecting from FOX.
Having to be before the critically acclaimed hit "Empire" makes for a tough spot t fill, but the premise for this show is good.
The most brilliant private pathologist in Miami uses his highly sophisticated autopsy lab to perform for-hire autopsies to uncover clues that the Miami PD can’t see.
Some reviews have called out the show for cheesy dialogue and lack of attention to detail, but if people dismiss a show based on a pilot many phenomenal shows would be off the air — "True Detective," season one had a bizarre start, "Fear the Walking Dead," which has a hard time because it's compared to "The Walking Dead," or even critically acclaimed "Breaking Bad," which began with a very boring introduction to Walter.
"Rosewood" introduced and developed characters, brought in backstory and set a pace for the season.
Actor Morris Chestnut, who plays Dr. Beaumont Rosewood, Jr., leads the magnificent cast which is diverse.
"It's been great (Jaina Lee Ortiz) is a great actress. We are really cool with each other. It's a pleasure working with her," Chestnut said.
Ortiz plays Detective Villa who recently lost her husband in the show.
"Villa is a very interesting character," Ortiz said. "She's bad ass, she's from Miami. She's smart, she's loyal. She has a few personal issues. She's struggling emotionally in her personal life. While she's trying to succeed as a detective she is constantly bumping heads with Rosewood and his optimistic point of view on everything."
Although they bump heads, Villa is a loyal detective and is there to solve the crime.
The clash between the two could unite them, but the lack of understanding each other puts them on a different path. Even as the cat and mouse relationship works.
The show includes a lesbian relationship between Rosewood's sister Pippy, played by Gabrielle Dennis, and lab assistant TMI, played by Anna Konkle, but does not exploit it.
The relationship is acknowledged, but not pushed upon the audience.
"You are kind of just following the times and tribulations of two gay women who are engaged and in love and kind of bicker like an old married couple and work together," Konkle said. "It doesn't feel at all like these two characters being gay is flashy or exploited or easy, it just feel like two human beings that are in love."
The strong cast is well rounded with new actors to primetime and veteran stars.
Lorraine Toussaint plays Rosewood's mother adding a strong African-American mother character that is a positive representation.
"She's flawed, she's terrifically flawed," Toussaint said. "That's the other exciting thing about the new renaissance for black women, we don't have to be the strong earth mothers that we had been relied on to be, the voice of reason, we are the moral compass. We are just like everybody else."
Rounding out the cast is Domenick Lambardozzi who came in late to the project, but adds an element which the show lacked and which gets on Rosewood's case.
Lambardozzi said he is kind of a mentor to Villa, but he is a character who is comical and dramatic.
"It's a lot of different angles," Lambardozzi said. "Everything is sprinkled a little with comedy."
"Rosewood" on FOX Wednesday 8 p.m. PST.
Leave a comment with your reaction to the show.
