This show could be amazing. It could become an incredible hit. It could be groundbreaking.
Alas, Fox, being the idiots that they are, brutally murdered it. There is no other way to describe what they did to "Backstrom". They barely marketed it. They put it in the worst possible time slot. And, to top it all, they made sure to air the episodes in the wrong order. And that, my friends, ruined the show's continuity. Of course, given the fact that the episodes are more or less stand alone, that is not such a big deal, but it sends a lot of the character development right down the toilet. Two Backstrom's team members fall in love, but instead of seeing their feelings gradually developing during the course of the season, in one episode we see them kissing and sharing deep secrets and in a later episode they act as if they just barely know each other. The same with Backstrom's self destructing nature. In one episode he can be a complete wreck and in the next one he can be a relatively normal, although flawed man.
And so on. Fox really messed the continuity of the show up, which is why it won't be surprising if some people think it doesn't make sense. And this is a pity, because "Backstrom" is a real jewel. It is laugh out loud funny and heartbreakingly sad, it is optimistic and pessimistic, it is... It is just that good. Backstrom is an incredible character, flawed and mean, but good at heart and with the soul of a child. The members of his team are all interesting characters with distinct personalities. The cases are well written, although very unrealistic. The dialogue is witty and funny, and the acting is great.
And, at least, the show does not end with a cliffhanger. Yes, Backstrom's final words are, "Now what?" but we are given a nice closure.
But, yes, Fox messed up. Badly. That is what they do. They either milk a show until it dies, and a few years after that, like they did with "Bones" and "House M. D.", or they actively sabotage it and eventually axe it, like they did with "Firefly", "Almost Human", "Dollhouse"... Why? Just... Why?
