Painkiller Jane

In a near-future dystopia, Jane Vasco is shanghaied from the DEA into a secretive law enforcement organization out to take out “neuros” — mutant psi talents who usually leave a trail of death and destruction behind them.  An interesting enough premise — but on top of that Jane has, suddenly, mysteriously, become a quick-healer, ultimately immune (so far) to any physical damage she takes, from bullet wounds to 40-story drops.  But not immune to the pain …

After two eps, Painkiller Jane has turned into entertaining, violent, vaguely grim fare.  There’s clearly the normal wheels-within-wheels as to who knows what regarding the neuros, plus how Jane got  her particular talents — talents which regularly get put to use.(Hmmm — room full of mind-controlled cops ready to shoot anyone who tries to get down it?  Send in Jane!)  We have a grim-gritty world that seems like ours only a scosh worse

The series is based on the comic by Jimmy Palmiotti and Joe Quesada (which I’ve not read, though I’ve now ordered).  The acting is fairly decent to date — a few stock characters, no real call for Shakespearean form.  Kristanna Loken, as Jane, gets to emote a bit more than in her previous “hit” role as the TX Terminator in Terminator 3, though that’s not saying much.  The stories have been reasonably imaginative action fare, with heavy (sometimes too heavy) use of the “shaky-cam” to make it all look (along with quick intercutting) “real.”

It’s too early to tell if this will be a must-watch or a let’s-see-what’s-on kind of show, but it’s starting with a modicum of promise.  I’m leaving it on the DVR schedule for the nonce.