From an action standpoint Quibi’s upcoming show The Fugitive does look like it might be worth a few minutes of time to watch. Those that enjoyed seeing Harrison Ford as the titular character might bristle just a bit since the idea that anything could top that movie might be considered fighting words. But then again there are those that remember the show that might feel the same way, so it evens out a bit. All in all though it does appear that it might be worth sitting down for, assuming that one wants to sign up for Quibi, assuming that people have more than one streaming network that they’re using. As of right now the streaming wars are in full swing and when new services start to come out it’s going to be interesting to see which way people lean since like it or not, there will be networks that will have shows that used to be streamed on other sites and it will become a continual dance between them to see just where people are going to land. But in keeping with the show, it’s enough to think that the story of The Fugitive is getting a healthy update since the trailer shows what will obviously be the cause of everyday man Mike Russo, played by Boyd Holbrook, being labeled as a suspect when a bomb explodes in a subway and kills several people. The cell phone he’s using is a sign of the times when it comes to understanding how he might be linked to the disaster, which is a new take on an old story that might make this show worth watching. Denise Petski of Deadline has more to say on the matter.
Of course he’ll be hunted by a famed officer of the law that will be played by Keifer Sutherland, who’s already made a great reputation by playing the role of a law enforcement agent that isn’t easily deterred once he’s on the case. In this instance however it’s obvious that he’s going to be contending with the performance laid down by Tommy Lee Jones in The Fugitive since the movie went along the same line and had an actor that was just as good playing the same role. With the advent of technology however and the looming possibilities of how things could and how the world has moved forward since the days of the movie it’s easy to think that the show will have a lot more options to explore and will be able to go much more high-tech in many ways. Of course given that Holbrook’s character appears to be just an average individual, a working man and not a doctor that might be able to think outside of the box like Richard Kimball, it’s going to be intriguing to see just what level he’s operating at when it comes to running from the law. Dave Trumbore of Collider has a few things to say in his own words about the coming series.
At this moment it’s exciting enough to think that The Fugitive could possibly take on a very different feel since the movie was something that gave people the impression that despite Kimball being on the run and accused of a crime that he didn’t commit, he wasn’t without resources or the means to obtain said resources. This was, after all, a man that was highly trained in his profession and was a fully capable, very intelligent human being that had no trouble thinking outside of the box and coming up with conclusions that led him from one point of the case to the next as he continued to piece together the reason why his wife had been killed and who had really done it. So far in the trailer it looks as though Mike Russo might be the average everyday individual that might have some connections but not enough to really benefit him. Also, until we know more about the series there’s no telling just how intelligent he’s supposed to be, how resourceful, and if he has anything even remotely worth calling a contingency plan that could be used in case of something like this. In reality most people don’t have that kind of contingency ready to go. Even in the movies it’s a bit excessive to think that everyone has a plan of action after being thrust into the very real danger of being mistaken for a person of interest. Ryan Lattanzio of IndieWire has his own opinion when it comes to the show.
But the great thing about thrusting some people into the metaphorical fire like this is that it allows some people to focus even as others fold, and it’s a prediction, my own, at this point that Holbrook’s character will experience a great deal of disorientation and initial fear that keeps him on the move, but will somehow find a hidden reserve of strength that allows him to push forward in order to clear his name and find the real bomber. It should be kind of interesting.
