review - Covert Affairs

"Covert Affairs" is a USA Network spy series starring Piper Perabo and Christopher Gorham. The pliot episode aired this past Tuesday 7/13/10 with "limited commercial interruption". While USA is known for lighter fare ( only if you ignore the endless "Law & Order SVU" reruns), I actually got into this thing. While comparisons to "Alias" (a show I never watched) will be inevitable, "Covert Affairs" carves out its own niche with two likeable leads and a swift narrative which flies by so fast there isn't much time to notice the blurred scenery.

Perabo stars as young CIA trainee, Annie Walker, who is mysteriously sent out into the field. Auggie Anderson (Gorham) is a blind officer and is Annie's guide in her new life. I admit to not knowing much about Piper Perabo, but I have seen Christopher Gorham on other shows and his character is tremendously funny and knowing as Auggie. And what's not to love about a character who is an admitted fan of Charles Mingus?

The show may not win any awards, but the USA Network obviously doesn't seem to care. With the network's ever growing audience, viewership is telling the industry USA is on the right track with their "character" based programming. Dramatic heavy lifting isn't always necessary to make for good entertainment.