“Prey” For Us
By Dennis Mahoney,
UltimateTV Reviewer (originally published 1/13/1998)
A new species of the “homo” genus has infiltrated the earth, possibly a product of global warming (Vice President Gore was right). They are smarter than us. They are stronger than us. They have better hair than us (better than mine, anyway). But most importantly, they are out to destroy us.
So goes the premise of “Prey,” ABC’s new sci-fi thriller airing Thursday nights at 8:00 beginning January 15. This new species of superhumans has plans of world domination in the name of evolution. Just as the homo sapien destroyed the neanderthal, so this new species intends to destroy us. How do they plan to destroy us? Well, if the first episode is any hint, they will conquer through serial rape, beheading, and generally creepy behavior.
While investigating the death of her mentor at Southern California’s fictional Whitney University, research scientist Dr. Sloan Parker (Debra Messing — “Ned & Stacey”) stumbled onto the DNA evidence of the new species. Because this new species so closely resembles our own, she faces an uphill battle in convincing the rest of her own species that they are under attack.
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Joining Sloan in her battle is her colleague and friend, Dr. Ed Tate (Vincent Ventresca — “Friends,” “Boston Common”), whose feelings for Sloan appear to go beyond mere friendship. Sloan, however, has eyes for the mysterious Agent Tom Daniels (Adam Storke — “The Stand”), an FBI agent who isn’t quite who he says he is. In fact, he is one of them, though he doesn’t have their relish for violence.
Also fighting the good fight is LAPD Detective Ray Peterson (Frankie Faison — “Do the Right Thing”). Though he finds her story difficult to believe, Peterson nevertheless forms an alliance with Sloan, having investigated the crimes of one of the new breed.
One of Sloan and Ed’s supervisors at the university, Dr. Walter Atwood (Larry Drake — “L.A. Law”), appears to have his own agenda and is not to be trusted. His attempts to manipulate Ed and Sloan at work seem to be geared toward driving a wedge between them.
As a series, “Prey,” like the new species it involves, is a mutant. With elements of “The X-Files” and other shows it inspired, as well as “Buffy the Vampire Slayer” (the inter-species love triangle between heroine, sidekick, and soulful non-human), “Prey” is derivative. But it is also quite effective, especially when dealing with the relationship between Sloan and Daniels. When, during an aborted assassination attempt, Daniels wipes Sloan’s tears from her cheek and his jealousy of her emotions mixes with his growing affection for her, the show becomes almost sublimely affecting. The show could use a lot more of that genuine humanity (which seems to be an important theme) and a little less of the spookiness, which, let’s face it, “The X-Files” does better.
ABC is airing the show opposite “Friends,” a bit of counter-programming that will most likely prove disastrous for “Prey.” This is unfortunate, for what the show lacks in originality, it makes up for in craft. And the performances are uniformly good. Faison has always been a wonderful actor to watch, and here he makes a solid hero. Ventresca was hilarious in last year’s hit “Romy and Michelle’s High School Reunion,” and here displays a charming sense of self-deprecation, a difficult feat when you look like him.
But the heart of the show belongs to Messing and Storke, who both do excellent work here. I found Messing to be fairly grating on the otherwise hilarious “Ned & Stacey.” But she makes a fine heroine here, completely believable as a highly intelligent woman whose drive masks her loneliness. And Storke is touching as the tragic Daniels, torn because he is both more and less than human. Their relationship makes “Prey” more than just another sci-fi drama. It makes it one of the most promising new shows of the mid-season.
