Battle Creek - General Discussion

[CoderLady]

This has become a favorite of mine.  I've always liked both lead actors, and I think the show is taking them in interesting directions instead of sticking rigidly with cookie-cutter rough around the edges detective and straight as an arrow FBI guy.  Instead they're kind of playing with those tropes, at least as I see it, and there's kind of a playful tone to the whole thing as opposed to, say, Law & Order (any iteration).

 

Speaking of overturned tropes, have you noticed that even though she's just an office drone and not a detective, it's usually Holly who comes up with the most important insight into the current case? And it's no big thing when she does it? I've started watching for it, and I haven't been disappointed yet.

[mjc570]

Speaking of overturned tropes, have you noticed that even though she's just an office drone and not a detective, it's usually Holly who comes up with the most important insight into the current case?

 

 

That's one of the things I dislike the most about her.  Russ and Milt (and the other detectives) are good detectives, they don't always have to be bailed out by the Snowflake princess.

[shapeshifter]

That's one of the things I dislike the most about her.  Russ and Milt (and the other detectives) are good detectives, they don't always have to be bailed out by the Snowflake princess.

Isn't she Snowflack Princess Law Student?

[DeLurker]

Yup.

Yup.

[mindymessina]

I'm going to be really disappointed when this show is cancelled. One of the best parts about it is that Russ shows real emotion when called for. Usually you have wooden detectives who are hardened all the time. And the more I watch, the more attractive Milt becomes. I love their changing dynamic. But nobody is watching this apparently, so we'll continue to be subjected to more NCIS's and CSI's with canned dialogue and moving mannequins instead.

 

Did anyone else think it was ironic that Mayhem got burned with coffee... in a car? :)

[DeLurker]

Not until you mentioned it - bwahaha!

[Mabinogia]

The only change I would make to the show if it does get a second season is less with the Russ/Holly thing. I don't mind them being a couple/liking each other, but I'm sick of every single character pointing it out. Either shit or get off the pot you two! And Holly should ask him out. I think it would be fun to see his reaction. Other than that, I love these guys.

 

I love that the show can make shrapnel in the back of the head funny one minute, then serious the next. I LOVED how Russ was at the hospital. These people are his family. And I hadn't noticed before but are two of the detectives Erin and Aaron? Love that. I like the light humor on the show. It's not over the top sitcom humor, it's real life humor.

 

I like this little show enough to assume it will get cancelled like all the other shows I liked this past season. I miss shows being given more than one season to try to find their audience.

[jelaine]

 

Did anyone else think it was ironic that Mayhem got burned with coffee... in a car? :)

I didn't notice that specifically, but have noticed that he's banged up in some minor way almost every episode.  That can't be a coincidence.

[thuganomics85]

Per TVBytheNumbers, Battle Creek is done for.

[zxy556575]

Bummer! But it's not like networks give shows a damned chance these days.

[shapeshifter]

Per TVBytheNumbers, Battle Creek is done for.

:>(

[kirinan]

Per TVBytheNumbers, Battle Creek is done for.

 

Aww, no. Even when you expect it, it still hurts. Echoing lordonia, I miss the days when TV networks actually had a little bit of patience. 

Edited May 9, 2015 by kirinan

[pelicanlover]

Well, dammit, the time slot did it in.  In the prime demographic you can't compete with a show like this airing opposite HBO's Sunday night offerings.

 

I would love to see "Battle Creek" picked up by AMC (home of "Better Call Saul") or TNT (home of "Rizzoli and Isles").  Either network would be a better fit for this show, I think.  Given the quality of the writing and acting, it needs another chance. 

[Medicine Crow]

I loved this show.  Smart & funny & the right amount of violence.  Too bad!!

[Irlandesa]

Well, dammit, the time slot did it in.  In the prime demographic you can't compete with a show like this airing opposite HBO's Sunday night offerings.

It wasn't HBO.  The Good Wife goes against the big ratings grabber on HBO.  The HBO comedies that air opposite Battle Creek get about a million viewers.  Mad Men also gets only a couple of million.

The problem is that The Good Wife is an awful lead-in.  I would think this show would have done better on any other night on CBS. Or even if it wasn't a mid-season show.

I am so bummed it was cancelled.

[FormerMod-a1]

I hate Sunday night shows on the network that has football.  They are *always* delayed.  The stupid networks don't know how to allot time for the games.  Seems to me it would be easier to schedule 3.5 hours for football, and then fill in if needed rather than the other way around.  And then, when football season is over I'd find these shows would still be delayed for unknown (to me) reasons.  So, in a nut shell, it's really hard to watch Sunday evening shows because the stupid network refuses to air them on time or even consistently.  There's nothing like turning in to see Battle Creek, for example, and finding yourself on the Good Wife.  I switch off and hope to switch back in time.  And yes, I've used those stupid eye-alerts, but a lot of people won't do that.  You can't even set your DVRs around it, they don't auto-adjust to the actual airing,you have to add time to it, and you could get that wrong too.  Putting a new show on in a time slot that it never adheres to is just stupid or the kiss of death, it seems.  Hard to build a following if people get annoyed when they try to watch and can't find it.

[Trini]

A renewal was probably a long shot from the start, anyway. Sunday at 10pm is one of CBS' "death slots" (for all the reasons stated above), so the fact that they dumped Battle Creek there and premiered it late in the season means they didn't have that much confidence in it.

[DeLurker]

Not unexpected, but still sad about the news.

And quite frustrated that new shows are expected to be insta-hits ratings wise despite poor timeslot placement, no network promotion and no regard for quality vs. quantity (ratings).

Battle Creek will join my other cancelled favorites The Crazy Ones and Enlisted.

[shapeshifter]

I don't know if I really liked this episode because...

• It had a lot of Russ scenes
• It was the first episode to air after the cancellation was announced
• It had a lot of heart

Anyway, I was really glad/relieved when they said, "stay tuned for scenes from the next episode..." I thought maybe this was the finale.

Could AMC pick this up? I'm thinking Vince Gilligan > Breaking Bad > AMC...only 3 degrees of separation.

[Trey]

This show has grown on me so much since I first started watching it.  So, of course, it gets cancelled.

 

Russ really could use a good kick up the arse.

[Calamity Jane]

So disappointed it's been canceled.  Sometimes I hate to love a new show because I seem to have the ability to get any show I care about canceled.  :-(

[SonofaBiscuit]

Aww, Russ hugging Milt during the rescue.  Maybe this knocked some sense into Russ and made him realize that he needs people in his life, because from next week's preview, 

it looks like things are going from zero to sixty with Russ and Holly.

[CoderLady]

I loved how the "idiot" escapee turned out to be the smartest person in the episode. Not only did he manage to dig a hell of a tunnel all by himself (negative points for getting spotted though) but he commandeered a getaway car, correctly identified a house it was safe to break into, misdirected the detectives with Russ's ATM card and phone, and locked Russ up all with a minimum of violence. The insulin thing might not have tripped him up except both he and his hostess were concerned with Russ's health. And I'm a sucker for characters who are determined to do the right thing no matter what odds are against them, so seeing him get to give his niece away was good.

 

I'm sorry he got slapped back into the slammer, though. Five days before release, and now he's probably looking at at least another 5 - 10 years inside. Sad.

Edited May 11, 2015 by CoderLady

[gazebo]

lately I've been wanting to hit Russ for being such an idiot!  This girl likes you back and she's giving all the signals that she would be receptive to your advances, and yet you do nothing!  It's very frustrating!

 

I like this show more than I care to admit.  I am sorry this show might be cancelled and I am hoping against hope that at least there will be some major change in Russ soon, especially concerning his relationship to that certain office co-worker.

[thuganomics85]

Cool seeing James Le Gros as the kidnapper.  He was great as Wade Messer on Justified.  Glad he wasn't evil, but I was curious about his reasons being that he wanted to walk his niece for her wedding.  Maybe it works different for each state and I don't know much about prison life in general, but I could have sworn I heard cases where they would let certain inmates participate in relatives' weddings or events, under police supervision or something.  Assuming he was model inmate, I wonder why they couldn't work something out.  Or maybe it depends on the sentencing.  Since he officially went down for murder (despite it being an accident), maybe there was no legal way to do that.  Eh, probably thinking about it too much.

 

Russ not telling Holly was happen seems like a sort-sighted thing, because I'm sure it is bound to be brought up by someone else.  But since he also refused Milt's offer for drinks, I guess it's showing that he's still being unsocial and not taking the kidnapper's advice.

 

I actually think next week's previews are an example of how CBS can't seem to handle this show.  I really wouldn't blame viewers for not wanting to tune in, since all they showed was Russ/Holly stuff, which I still find to be the weakest part of the show.  It's just too bad it didn't work out.

[Irlandesa]

At least they're taking action on Russ/Holly instead of just showing people talk about them because that's really what drags.  When they let the attraction manifest itself in more subtle ways like the way Holly went in front of Russ to get coffee---that was hot.  And effective.  But the overkill in having everyone point it out if we couldn't pick up on it?  Too much.

 

My favorite part of the episode was the hug.  I was already going to miss this show but that was just a painful reminder of how much more we have to learn about these two as characters and as partners. 

[fastiller]

At least they're taking action on Russ/Holly instead of just showing people talk about them because that's really what drags.  When they let the attraction manifest itself in more subtle ways like the way Holly went in front of Russ to get coffee---that was hot.  And effective.  But the overkill in having everyone point it out if we couldn't pick up on it?  Too much.

 

My favorite part of the episode was the hug.  I was already going to miss this show but that was just a painful reminder of how much more we have to learn about these two as characters and as partners. 

I agree to this whole post, most especially the part about the hug.  You know Russ needed it - really, really needed it - at that point.  Also great was how Milt hled off all the SWAT/commando team so as to let Russ re-gain some semblance of composure.  Milt is truly a good guy I think.

[fastiller]

Typical - I put this on my "Follow" list and a week later: this news.

[shapeshifter]

Entertainment Weekly's website is taking a poll: "Which canceled show will you miss the most?" http://www.ew.com/article/2015/05/12/canceled-shows  People can vote for more than one show...

[shapeshifter]

Is that Dean Winters' voice on the Little Miss Puffytale commercial for Northern toilet paper?

[DeLurker]

I agree to this whole post, most especially the part about the hug.  You know Russ needed it - really, really needed it - at that point.  Also great was how Milt hled off all the SWAT/commando team so as to let Russ re-gain some semblance of composure.  Milt is truly a good guy I think.

Agreed.  Truly the hug and giving Russ some space were the best part of the program.  And despite how abrasive and prickly Russ has been throughout the season (singular - how sad), DW sold me on it.

[DeLurker]

I looked at that list of cancelled shows and the only one I watch is Battle Creek.  There's tons of stuff on the renewed list that I would dump for this.

[jelaine]

Add in the fact that there's supposed to be another Criminal Minds spin-off scheduled for next season and I'm considering just not watching any CBS shows.  Except Person of Interest and Elementary.  But once those are off the air. :-)

 

I really wish TNT would pick up the show or someone somewhere.  I really need to know more about these characters.

Edited May 13, 2015 by jelaine

[Medicine Crow]

I looked at that list of cancelled shows and the only one I watch is Battle Creek.  There's tons of stuff on the renewed list that I would dump for this.

Me too!!

[fastiller]

Add in the fact that there's supposed to be another Criminal Minds spin-off scheduled for next season and I'm considering just not watching any CBS shows.  Except Person of Interest and Elementary.  But once those are off the air. :-)

 

I really wish TNT would pick up the show or someone somewhere.  I really need to know more about these characters.

I'm with you on CBS (POI & Elementary).  (Confession: when I have a down-hour and need something to do/watch - or background noise - I might On-Demand watch an NCIS:LA)

 

Also - AMC would maybe be a good fit - isn't that where Breaking Bad aired?

[shapeshifter]

Rosewood looks promising: http://forums.previously.tv/topic/26415-rosewood-anticipation-rosie-colored-glasses/#entry1141009

It's more light-hearted than Criminal Minds or L&O SVU.

[jelaine]

Mine would be NCIS: New Orleans. CCH Pounder, Scott Bakula and Lucas Black are almost irresistible. 

 

I would definitely take AMC.  The characters on BC are layered and the relationships are complex.  Yeah, Russ can be the stereotypical "break the rules to get the job done" cop, but after meeting his mom, it has context and yet you just know it's not the whole explanation.  I hate missing Russ and Milt and the rest and they aren't even gone yet.

[DeLurker]

I watch PoI and Elementary too.  I used to enjoy NCIS: Los Angeles because I liked the cast and the pure silliness of it (they don't even pretend something has to be Navy related), but this season I just haven't been able to raise enough interest to turn it on or catch it on On Demand.

 

I'd love to see  this show on another network - any network really.

[fastiller]

I enjoyed it when PoI & Elementary were on back-to-back: all that great NYC location-porn.  In fact I'd wished they could do a cross-over, but I guess that'd be tough to do.

 

ETA: I was also about to start character threads: one would've been: "Russ Agnew: He's Mayhem!"

Edited May 13, 2015 by fastiller

[shapeshifter]

ETA: I was also about to start character threads: one would've been: "Russ Agnew: He's Mayhem!"

*sigh* I would've posted on that thread. *sigh*

[fourPLUSseven]

CBS is notorious for giving new shows only a few episodes to catch-on. That is tragic. Had this show piloted in the fall, it would be a winner. I wish CBS will re-think, and give it the summer to gain an audience. 

[dubbel zout]

The show had ten episodes to find an audience. I doubt this show is super cheap to produce, so I can't really blame CBS from a business standpoint for canceling it.

[dubbel zout]

I think the guy's case would have made more sense if instead of five days away from release he was five days away from a parole hearing where it was likely he'd receive it. He and his ex (?) were arguing about him escaping three months before he actually did, so why not have his lawyer petition to get released early? It was five days. And it's not as if the wedding and groom's deployment couldn't have been checked out.

[DeLurker]

I didn't realize there were two on tonight until I saw this and immediately went to check the tv listings! I would have just popped in at the normal airtime and missed the first.

I

[kirinan]

Same here. Thanks for letting us know, stacey. I'm guessing these are our two final episodes, and our On Demand doesn't show many CBS shows, including this one. I would have hated to miss it.

[formerlyfreedom]

There's actually one more episode, being shown next Sunday, that will finish out the thirteen episodes.

[justjoan]

 

lately I've been wanting to hit Russ for being such an idiot!  This girl likes you back and she's giving all the signals that she would be receptive to your advances, and yet you do nothing!  It's very frustrating!

 

He could definitely ask her out. That said, if she's interested, why doesn't she ask him? It's not 1952; if she wants him, she is fully capable of making a move, and not going out with someone else while staring and hinting and pining at Russ. It's not fair to... Cody? Corey? Whatever his name is, Other Dude. Holly and Russ are being equally dumb about this (and I can't help wishing the show had dropped it back at the start).

 

I may have rewound the hug a few times. I wish Russ had gone for that beer, but maybe in the last episode. Leave it on a hopeful note, like Forever did. Fingers crossed!

[fastiller]

There's actually one more episode, being shown next Sunday, that will finish out the thirteen episodes.

The preview called next week the Season final. Not that it gives me any hope at all,

[shapeshifter]

Who knew Russ was such a romantic? Should we call him LL Russ?

I suspected it was the kid's dad because I recognized the actor (Michael Beach) from when he played the innocent-but-presumed-guilty coach in an episode of The Closer. But wow, he did a great job at the end of describing TBI suffered by so many kids playing football. It may have been a PSA, but at least it worked.

Editing post: Vince Gilligan is not credited with writing this script specifically, but he is credited with writing for the series. Does that mean he has a hand in all the scripts?

I liked Font sticking to his story on his near death experience being nothing but that love is the miracle. Actually, near death experiences like his usually are more interesting due to brain activity caused by the trauma.

Still hoping it will get picked up by another network or outlet, but if not, it looks like we'll get some Milt closure next week.

Edited May 18, 2015 by shapeshifter

[MerBearHou]

I enjoy this show so much tonight and was surprised to see James Roday as the director. Maybe he's directed the show before but tonight was the first time I noticed. I love, love his humor in "Psych" so that explains a bit of the tone of Battle Creek.

Hope that somehow it gets renewed but I think I've heard it's been cancelled.

Michael Beach is a great actor -- he did a terrific job as the athlete's father. Heartbreaking storyline.