Battle Creek might be able to survive on the strengths of its two charismatic lead actors, but the perfunctory mystery in the premiere suggests that the lack of creativity will do them in.
Battle Creek is unlikely to inspire the same kind of praise and devotion as Breaking Bad, but it's an entertaining exercise in typical TV crime-solving.
While the premise sounds overly familiar, the lead duo, along with a cast that includes Kal Penn and Janet McTeer, brings some offbeat energy and hilarity to the proceedings.
This show fits perfectly into the network's mystery/cop-heavy schedule and audiences should be able to blur right through it comfortably. As comfortable blurs go, Battle Creek is indeed a success.
The writers seem to be reaching for the charmingly offbeat than the procedurally groundbreaking. Still, it is a nice addition to a genre that has become all too predictable.
