Fall TV First Impression: 666 Park Avenue (ABC)

CAST:

Terry O’Quinn, Vanessa Williams, Rachael Taylor, Dave Annable, Rob Buckley

QUICK SYNOPSIS:

Although beautiful on the outside, there are sinister happenings going on at 999 Park Avenue (or 666 according to some perfect lighting). Trying to make a name for themselves in NYC, couple Jane Van Veen (Taylor) and Henry Martin (Annable) interview for the open Resident Manager position at the building. Armed with Jane’s architectural knowledge, they get the position, and an apartment. Owned by power-couple Gavin and Olivia Doran (O’Quinn and Williams), the residents of The Drake are treated to their heart’s desires – but at what cost to themselves and those around them?

MY TAKE:

The Drake doesn’t seem like a place I want to live, and I don’t want to see Terry O’Quinn smile at me ever for fear of being killed. He’s just creepy. The apartment building is home to some very supernatural things, and I am sure it will become the worst job ever for Jane and Henry. I am sure that Henry will go down the dark, twisted road first. We do not know what the Dorans have in store for them, but they seem to have set their plans into motion in the pilot. Olivia takes Jane shopping for an expensive designer dress, Gavin takes Henry to the driving range, and they invite them to the symphony, extending their “generosity” to suck them in. I call it evil seducing.

We see various things happen to a few residents in the pilot, showing the power Gavin Doran seems to have over people. The first thing we see is what happens to the original Resident Manager, who meets his demise after trying to flee the building after his “10 year deal” was up. He gets sucked back into the building through a square in the door and seemingly deposited in hell. The second person to meet his maker is John Barlow (John Waterston). In order for the grieving widow to have his wife back, Doran makes Barlow kill a judge who we assume Doran didn’t like. In order to further keep his wife “alive”, Doran pushes Barlow further, asking him to murder someone else. Barlow decides he cannot kill again, and when he doesn’t do what he was asked, he gets sucked into the wall of his apartment by some creepy as heck hands. Lastly, playwright Brian Leonard (Rob Buckley) has a super annoying wife who gives him writer’s block she is so irritating. He has the perfect view of a gorgeous woman across the street whose apartment he can see from his workstation. Guess what? Said gorgeous neighbor is hired by his wife as her assistant. Now Brian’s desires for this woman are right in front of his face. You know what happens next? Annoying wife ends up getting crushed in the elevator a few times – and it looked quite painful I might add. It doesn’t appear that she is dead, but she is certainly out of commission. I hope Buckley doesn’t die – everyone from One Tree Hill deserves to be on TV forever.

I am interested to see what Gavin’s overall agenda is. Obviously, Jane’s research into the history of The Drake will probably yield some lovely results, and considering there is a dragon on the floor of the basement, it can’t be good.

RECOMMENDATION:

This show seems promising. It kept me interested, and the final shot made me eager to see what happens to our new Resident Managers. Let’s hope for Taylor’s sake that 666 Park Avenue stays on air longer then her former show…Charlie’s Angels (*crickets*). I will surely be making some return trips to this address this season.

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