Let's be realistic.

a film so unique, intoxicating and bizarre that it not only demands another viewing, but is also forgivable as a satirical comedy where the jokes eventually take the back seat.

It is an exhilarating, distressing, funny and profound film, with one of the more memorable film scores in years,

True to its essence, the characters remain on the same line and manage to entertain the viewer, each highlighting their own distinctive qualities or touches.

Another crime drama with an original approach! Solving crimes in TV shows and movies has been done to death! So what does "Raines" add to this genre! Well plenty! First you have Jeff Goldblum! A very charismatic actor who always is convincing as a genius with certain flaws! In "Raines" he is a detective who is literally seeing his murdered victims! He only gets rid of seeing them when he solves their murder! The brilliance of this peculiar matter is that it all is happening in his mind! It is not certain if he is mad or becoming mad! To me it seems like a tool for him dealing with the murders and the death of his partner! It actually helps him solving the cases! Sometimes he has the feeling that he is losing control! And is afraid that people will find out! There is more to this and we sure will find out later! Each episode is full of little twists and turns that will keep you watching! Especially on the drama front! It is nice to see different sides of a murder victim to get a more objective view! And it is fun to watch what is going on with Raines! I like the fact that sometimes he is helping the friends or relatives of the murdered victims! It is noble and touching! Excellent!

I write this review at the early onset of this show's run. I was intrigued by the premise of this show from the get-go: an already neurotic homicide detective named Michael RAines(Jeff Goldblum in a role that seems made for him and ONLY him)has started to lose control of some elements of his mind after he survives a shootout that claims his partner and friend. He can't sleep much(if at all)and has withdrawn into his own mind,where now he can actually "See" the victims of crimes he's investigating,talking to him and giving him clues to solve the cases. While these visions are(made clearly so in,among other venues,the ads for the show)NOT ghosts,just figments of his imagination,they still prove to add insight into the work he's charged with doing. NAturally,most of his peers,friends and even the precinct shrink(MAdeline Stowe)are skeptical and subscribe to the conclusion that most(including Raines himself)would do:that is,that he's cracking up.While Mr.Goldblum still makes movies,I feel like he may've found a better stage for showcasing his quirky,odd and brilliant acting prowess in a TV drama,which allows him the benefit of having a P.O.V. position(i.e.narration)to frame the stories. Blending elements of "Monk" and "Medium"(though NOT to be confused with either),this show has the qualities to be something special,though how far and how well this show runs will largely depend on whether NBC wants to hold on to it,letting it grow,and the commitment to the show's almost retro(read:Raymond Chandler,Philip MArlow-esquire L.A. crime stories,set to the current day)feel and unique style,respectively.

Finally, a very unique, refreshing twist on the crime series genre!! Jeff Goldblum, as always is at his subtle brilliance, yet comes forth with moments of intense emotion that lead you to see an almost palpable fear and vulnerability behind his character's exterior presence.This is the first Crime "Who-done-it" show that is able to keep me thinking "Who-done-it" for more than the first 5 minutes of the show. The twists and evolutions of the plot keep me entertained with moments of humor, poignancy, and a sense of the unsettledness that Raines deals with every day by just being himself.The writing is brilliant, and Jeff is just stunning. I would like to see more use of Matt Craven...and my opinion is that they could combine the characters of Carolyn Crumley and Sally Lance played by Nicole Sullivan and Linda Park (respectively) into one character. I would love to see Nicole Sullivan take the part of the female Police Detective. I think she has the perfect range to provide a contrast to Jeff's character. I also catch myself wondering about Dov Davidoff's character of Remi Boyer and why he is really there.This is just an outstanding show, and I hope that NBC keeps it going!! They finally have knocked one out of the ballpark!!!

I'm a big fan of Jeff Goldblum's and he was terrific in this. Intelligent writing really sets this apart from much of what is on network television these days. Let's hope this generates a following and maybe it will inspire some other producers to step up their writing a notch. Not to mention originality. So often every viewing choice I've got falls in such a narrow, predictable, repetitive, cookie-cutter slot. It's refreshing to see something original. The characters were wonderful, well defined, intelligent and well acted. It just made for a very fun hour. The pilot has a very touching ending. What a wonderful new project for a great actor.