November 25, 2024
BANGOR DAILY NEWS (BANGOR, MAINE

‘GvsE’ offsets morality with humor

At last! A show about the big questions that doesn’t take itself too seriously.

Actually, “GvsE,” which debuts at 8 p.m. Sunday on USA, tackles the largest of moral issues — good versus evil — with its tongue planted firmly in cheek.

“GvsE,” the creation of independent filmmakers Josh and Jonas Pate, has a supernatural setting, but that shouldn’t put off viewers, because it’s just as much a comedy. The Pates understand a concept that producers of many paranormal shows, except for “The X-Files,” have forgotten — humor is necessary to offset the scary moments.

In “GvsE,” Clayton Rohner (“Murder One”) stars as Chandler Smythe, a man who gets drafted into a battle against the forces of the dark side after his untimely death. Smythe is partnered with Henry McNeil (Richard Brooks), a veteran agent who must have been enlisted back in the ’70s, judging from his sky-high ‘fro.

As members of The Corp (essentially bounty hunters for God), their goal is to locate those citizens foolish enough to have made a Faustian bargain with the agents of evil within their beat, Hollywood. (They charge off to battle in Henry’s Orange Volvo, his Commodores tape cranking in the background.) Upon finding these lost souls, they must decide whether to rehabilitate, or eliminate.

Those who have already crossed over to evil are known as Morlocks. Among those famous people who said to be Morlocks: Orrin Hatch, LeAnn Rimes, Gavin McLeod, Emmanuel “Webster” Lewis.

Rohner is intriguing as Smythe, the ex-reporter who joins The Corp to atone for not paying enough attention to his son, Ben, now a budding juvenile delinquent. Brooks, formerly a straight-laced ADA on “Law & Order,” seems to relish the opportunity to cut loose as Smythe’s wily mentor.

A surprise among the supporting cast is Deacon Jones, the NFL Hall of Fame defensive lineman, who acts as narrator and guide for members of The Corp.

A cross between “Men in Black” and last season’s overly grim Fox failure “Brimstone,” “GvsE” is a goofy tale of a group seeking to save souls by whatever means necessary. All things considered, it was pretty cheeky of USA to schedule this to air after Sunday night services.


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