television

TV review: ‘The Librarians’ feels like too little, too late

Image
Christian Kane, Lindy Booth and John Kim (from left) are the new Librarians.

Two and a half stars

The Librarians Sundays, 8 p.m., TNT.

TNT aired the first TV movie in its The Librarian franchise in 2004 and the last in 2008, so the new TV-series version seems a little belated. On top of that, Noah Wyle, who starred as the title character in the three movies, is busy appearing on fellow TNT series Falling Skies, so the main role in The Librarians falls to Rebecca Romijn, leading a new team of recruits working for the mystical library that houses the world’s magical artifacts. The concept is a cross between Indiana Jones and Syfy’s Warehouse 13, with the librarians traveling the world to prevent powerful objects from falling into the wrong hands.

Wyle and original co-stars Bob Newhart and Jane Curtin make appearances in the two-part pilot (and are set to pop up occasionally throughout the season), and Wyle’s role is so significant that it’s a little tough to tell how the show will proceed without him.

The goofy pulp tone is mildly entertaining, but the three team members meant to stand in for Wyle’s Flynn Carsen are a little bland, especially compared to Wyle’s enjoyably hammy performance. Romijn and co-star John Larroquette are reliable players, but The Librarians seems like a faded copy of an idea that had probably already run its course.

Share
Top of Story