‘Karen Sisco’ a solid action drama

An action drama featuring crackling dialogue and a strong female lead, set in Miami.

Elmore Leonard must be involved somehow.

Well, he is, kind of before the fact, a part of “Karen Sisco,” debuting at 10 tonight on ABC. The show is loosely based on his novel “Out of Sight,” which had previously been made into a 1998 movie that brought Jennifer Lopez and George Clooney to national attention (for better or worse).

Taking over the Lopez role is Carla Gugino. This talented actress is badly in need of a showy role after playing the mom in the “Spy Kids” movie and a neurosurgeon tied down to sad-sack Adam Arkin in “Chicago Hope,” and she gets that in “Karen Sisco.”

Karen is a tough, smart U.S. marshal. She’s following in the footsteps of her father, Marshall (Robert Forster, “Jackie Brown”), a former lawman who’s a semi-retired private investigator. He’s her rock and confidant. She’s also earned the respect of her boss, Amos (Bill Duke).

Karen drinks a little too much, and has a bad track record with men. In fact, in the opener, she finds out that the cute charter fisherman that she’s been dating (played by Turner native Patrick Dempsey) may not be what he seems.

As played by Gugino, Karen is feisty, gives as good as she takes, and does her job well. Now, if only she could get her social life straightened out.

While hardly a novel concept (being an adaptation kinda rules that out), “Karen Sisco” is well-executed and enjoyable, not taking itself too seriously. TV needs more shows in this vein.

Also debuting tonight, at 8:30 on ABC, is “It’s All Relative,” which is not reviewed. The sitcom is about the reaction of two sets of parents, one Irish-Catholic Republican and one gay, when their children become engaged. Jokes based on stereotypes promise to ensue.

Dale McGarrigle is the Bangor Daily News TV critic. He can be reached at dmcgarrigle@bangordailynews.net.