The Hunting Party
As a reviewer/critic, I try to elevate unique and powerful works. As a person, on the other hand, I am incredibly subject to the lure of a juicy high concept. NBC’s newest procedural, The Hunting Party, created by JJ Bailey, has a doozy of one. The Pit, a so-secret it is literally underground high-security prison, experiences a massive break after a very suspect explosion. As a result, some of the most dangerous criminals now run among the American citizens. To add further complication, most of the escaped criminals are assumed dead by all but a select few. They were seemingly executed by the state, with an audience of officials and victims’ family members. Instead, it was all theater, meant to get everyone looking the other way while the vague, shadowy government types smuggled these human monsters into The Pit for experimentation and observation. It falls to brilliant profiler and former FBI agent Rebecca Henderson (Melissa Roxburgh), CIA agent Jacob Hassani (Patrick Sabongui), and a guard from the secret prison, Shane Florence (Josh McKenzie), to chase down the baddies. Ideally, but sadly not usually, before they crime again. (Never mind that CIA agents aren’t allowed to work on American soil. These are lawless times, after all. Plus, this show either has no idea about that restriction or absolutely doesn’t care.) Continue Reading →