This drama from producer Jerry Bruckheimer concerning the inner-workings of the Pentagon premieres tonight at 9/8 central on NBC. Anyone think it'll be any good?

Did anyone catch the underwhelming premiere? Despite good performances from Hopper and Bratt, it came across as too cliche for my liking. It is basically your standard military drama, much like "JAG." In fact, it might benefit from disgruntled fans of the aforementioned show looking for another military drama to take its place. The show lacks action and even when there's the potential for it, we end up watching orange dots slowly move on a screen instead of actually being thrust into the action. Seriously, the climax involves Bratt, Hopper, and others watching orange dots representing comrades move across a computerized map to an extraction point. Boy, did Taylor Hackford (Director of Ray who helmed the pilot) botch it. Maybe the show is low on funds so they had to cut corners? That doesn't seem likely since its a Jerry Bruckheimer production.

In conclusion, "E-Ring" is a tepid military drama that definitely is anything but appointment viewing, although it is better than "Head Cases", another underwhelming (to say the least) new series.

Tonight's ep. involved apprehending a Middle Eastern terrorist. Once again, the show suffered from the fact that the ostensible leads (Benjamin Bratt and Dennis Hopper) never really do anything. Instead, they just stand around and watch a computer screen as the action unfolds thousands of miles away. No wonder Hopper and Bratt took their roles; it doesn't require much of them other than looking worried and occasionally shouting.

Tonight's ep. involved apprehending a Middle Eastern terrorist. Once again, the show suffered from the fact that the ostensible leads (Benjamin Bratt and Dennis Hopper) never really do anything. Instead, they just stand around and watch a computer screen as the action unfolds thousands of miles away. No wonder Hopper and Bratt took their roles; it doesn't require much of them other than looking worried and occasionally shouting.