Human Target ran only two seasons of 12 and 13 episodes from January 2010 to February 2011. It was a terrific action show with some good writing, a neat score by Bear McCreary and sharp and authentic fight sequences featuring its action hero played by TV series vet Mark Valley. MV was 46 when he appeared in HT, but he looked and acted a lot younger. His action work in the pilot episode was spectacular.
The pilot featured MV and his human protection firm working to protect a new bullet train on its run from SF to LA. The train went goes 230 MPH and the bad guys aboard were out to wreck it. After a superior opening, the story moved to a train sequence that included an incredible fight sequence that started in the air conditioning duct and moved to the car below. The CGI effects are another great addition to the 42-minute program.
MV’s partners were Chi McBride playing a former cop, and Jackie Earle Haley as the smart computer savvy and torturous hired hand. They were all tantamount to keep the second episode on par with the first by using a passenger jet moving along at 32,000 feet as the backdrop for a coded mystery and high-flying thrills. Once again, they produced superior TV entertainment and my attachment to the main characters continued to grow.
While the rest of the first season’s episodes were not up to the opening pair, they are worth the cost of the sharp looking Blu-ray edition that is available for less than I paid for it.
Lennie James shows up as the ongoing MV nemesis, Baptiste. A couple of smart ladies played by Indira Varma and Janet Montgomery were added as regulars at the end of the first season and for all of the second.
While the second season was good but not popular enough to keep the show going, it’s the first two episodes of the first season made the show outstanding in its field.
All of the primary actors have moved on to other TV series and movies. MV moved on to Harry’s Law for its 22-episode run as a lawyer working with Kathy Bates. He is now on the crime series Body of Proof. CM is now on the crime show Golden Boy and voices Nick Fury in the Ultimate Spider Man animated series. JEH has four films coming out. He was recently seen in Steven Spielberg’s Lincoln and has played the role of Freddy Krueger in the most recent incarnation of A Nightmare on Elm Street. He was out of acting from 1993 to 2006, and to keep the wolf from the door, delivered pizza, refinished furniture, and was a limo driver. After his 2006 comeback, he earned a Best Supporting Actor nomination for the film Little Children.
Human Target Season One, Episode One and Two. Consider the other 10 as a bonus. You can also get a three-disc set of Bear McCreary’s score from Amazon.com. Hurry. They only have one in stock.
Rated 3.5 out of 4.0 reasons I am hoping for Season Three.
