Painkiller Jane on Sci Fi

Well, I've just finished watching the third of the first three episodes of Painkiller Jane.

The jury's still out.

It's based on a comic book, and I'll keep watching it (yes; my standards are high), but I'm not completely blown away. It's pretty good - I'm just not sure it's that great. Kristanna Loken is decent as Jane, and the supporting cast is passable, though no one really stands out (except maybe the computer hacker, Riley). The writing is ok, but leaves a bit to be desired. It's a little predictable and the foreshadowing is a bit heavy handed (how much a part will be played by her father, or the girl across the hall?). The show tries to be fancy with it's camera work and direction; and succeeds - for the most part. Take a look at it if you're a comic book fan.

I guess the comparisons with Heroes are inevitable. I've heard it called a Heroes ripoff, but that's blatant crap. If it's a Heroes ripoff, then Heroes is an X-Men ripoff - Heroes has more in common with X-Men then this does with Heroes. I can see the similar premises, but the structure of the show is completely different.

What I'd really like to see is a show based on the Painkiller Jane movie Sci Fi aired in 2005. I realize it's even more distanced from the comic book than this series, but I really liked the premise, and was impressed with the way they handled her abilities. But, I'll watch this one for awhile. We'll see how long it lasts...