This blog was originally published on elkharttruth.com on April 12, 2016.
Another movie takes a turn to the TV screen.
“Rush Hour” the TV show premiered March 31, more than 15 years after the first movie in the series premiered.
And while the show isn’t bad, it’s not as good as the movie.
Both are advertised as a comedy, but the TV show has more drama edge and doesn’t have the kitsch of the movie.
The pilot of CBS’ “Rush Hour” is mostly a play-by-play of the movie. One big difference is the relationships. In the movie, Hong Kong detective Lee comes to America to protect a consul’s daughter, but in the TV show, he comes to figure out what’s happened to his sister, Kim, who was thought to be dead but actually has joined a group who kills people.
Other relationship differences are at LA cop Carter’s work. I love that a woman (Wendie Malick, “Hot in Cleveland”) is in charge instead of another white male in the TV show. I wish there was a woman out in the field, but hey, it’s a start.
And in the movie, Carter flirts with a woman who works with bombs and has more of a desk job. But on the show, Carter is friends with a woman who used to be his partner (Aimee Garcia, “The George Lopez Show”), but he covered for her when she wanted to move to a desk job for her kid’s sake. I’m guessing that relationship will go somewhere romantically as the series progresses.
The chemistry isn’t quite there between Justin Hires and Jon Foo, the stars of the CBS show. In the original movie, Carter (Chris Tucker) and Lee (Jackie Chan) get into a groove of working together. They poke fun at each other while solving problems.
Hires and Foo have this bossy, who’s-better-than-who vibe that’s not as enjoyable to watch. I thought that would subside after the pilot, but it hasn’t so far.
Chan and Tucker had natural chemistry, playing off each other’s comedic chops. It worked in the movie, which also included jokes and music/dance bits (“War,” anyone?).
In both versions of “Rush Hour,” the Hong Kong detective took some time to adjust — not speaking English right away, etc. But in the TV show, Lee/Foo plays it straight, but it’s so mechanical that it doesn’t come off funny.
CBS’ “Rush Hour” lacks the playful vibe of the movie, which makes the cheesiness of the martial arts extra sounds/slow motion takes seem extra silly. In time, that might change, but I’m not sure I have high hopes for it. Stick to the movie.
“Rush Hour” airs at 10 p.m. Thursdays on CBS.