“Smith”: The Recycled Heist
By Bonnie Shelton, 09.20.06

Potentially a clever spoof between work and family life, “Smith” turned out to be disappointingly unoriginal.

Recycled from the big screen, the new pilot is one of CBS’ latest productions. Although “Smith” offers a refreshing new light on grand theft as a petty crime, holding viewers’ interest will be its biggest concern.

The show centers around Bobby Stevens, a good-hearted family man with a crooked hobby played by Emmy Award winner Ray Liotta (Identity, Field of Dreams and Goodfellas). The episode began with a carefully orchestrated heist of Rembrandt paintings from a Pittsburgh gallery by Stevens and his loyal team.

Just like “The Italian Job” and “Ocean’s Eleven,” the latest and greatest in technology are used effortlessly. Within the first five minutes of the show, the viewer sees that something has gone wrong with their plan. Someone has been shot leaving viewers to solve the mystery of whom.

Yet, despite the action, “Smith” simply didn’t have enough thrill or engagement to hold viewer interest. But there is hope for the show. The producers seem to realize that they can’t possibly pull off a jaw-dropping, white-knuckle heist every week and so emphasizing relationships within the show seems to be their alternative.

With nothing original to show for itself, the direction the next episode takes will most likely make or break the series.