Unforgettable: The First Season

No stranger to NYC-set crime-drama series', former Without a Trace mainstay Poppy Montgomery takes center stage for this 2011-12 debut season of Unforgettable, inspired by a 2008 short story by J. Robert Lennon. Montgomery is thirtysomething former detective Carrie Wells, who has a rare medical condition called hyperthymesia, which gives her highly superior memory. Sometimes this comes in handy; at other times, it can be a nightmare (especially regarding the unsolved killing of Carrie's sister when they were young). In the pilot, Carrie's discovery of the brutal murder of a passing acquaintance neighbor leads her to offer eyewitness testimony to her ex-boyfriend, Al Burns (Dylan Walsh), a Queens detective who remembers how valuable Carrie's gift is and uses her as a consultant for the case (and later, as part of the team). Although Unforgettable features the always über-cool Boroughs backdrop, it also suffers from numerous genre clichés, and viewers will see plenty of scenes of Carrie standing around looking intense as she uses her expert recall to piece together crime information. The rest of the cast is fairly unmemorable, although bigger names include guest star and consultant Marilu Henner (who actually has a real-life form of the memory condition) and Jane Curtin as a brusque medical examiner. A mildly interesting story arc finds a serial killer taunting our heroine into a tangled web that pushes her into jeopardy as a suspect, while also offering up tidbits about her sister's murder. Compiling all 22 episodes, extras include episode commentaries, behind-the-scenes featurettes, and a gag reel. A strong optional purchase. (J. Williams-Wood)