Pilot Perception: Killer Women

Welcome to Pilot Perception, our feature in which we break down the first episode of each new show in order to help you decide whether it’s worth your time.

The Show: Killer Women, ABC in the U.S. and CityTV in Canada, Tuesdays at 10/9c

The Pedigree: Killer Women, based on an Argentine book and TV series, was created in this incarnation and produced by Hannah Shakespeare (The Whole Truth, The Raven). Other executive producers include Sofia Vergara (Modern Family) and Larry Trilling (Parenthood), who directed the pilot.

The Cast & How You Know Them: The show stars Tricia Helfer (Battlestar Galactica). Other regulars include Marc Blucas (Necessary Roughness, Buffy), Michael Trucco (Fairly Legal, Battlestar Galactica), Alex Fernandez (Dallas), and Marta Milans (Shame).

The Premise: Killer Women is about Molly Parker, the only female Texas Ranger, as she hunts down killers and deals with her complicated personal and professional relationships.

A Taste:

What Works: I like the cast and Helfer’s got good family chemistry with Trucco and chemistry chemistry with Blucas. I also appreciate that the show has a definite (albeit cliched) sense of place, in contrast to the many procedurals that take place in cities that all pretty much seem the same. I was very happy to see that they’re addressing sexism and the challenges of being one of the first female Rangers head-on.

What Doesn’t: Unfortunately, the mystery itself was . . . just not that interesting, and the writing was mostly flat, with a few real clunkers. This is a short eight-week show, with a case a week, so I’ll keep watching because I like the cast and the first episode was pleasant enough, but I wouldn’t call it a must-see.

Our Favorite Line: “You don’t shoot the wife of your soulmate without looking like the one he should have picked.”

You Might Like This if you like the setting of The Bridge (but the tone if very different, though they both deal with border issues) and shows about charismatic, gun-happy, semi-rogue law enforcement agents like Justified.

If You’re Interested: ABC is rerunning the first episode on Saturday at 10/9c, or check their site or app or Hulu. Then tune in next Tuesday at 10/9c for episode two.

(Photo courtesy of ABC.)