Covert Affairs

Annie Walker tackles a new case--but it feels like a distraction as the Ben mystery continues. [3/10 Jun 2011, p.109]

With Covert Affairs, USA has added another slick and likable drama to its summer lineup.

One of the many smart things about Covert Affairs is that the writers have always dangled Annie and Auggie's romantic possibilities before us, but without detracting from the international intrigue that remains the show's primary focus.

This amiable, entertaining show isn't trying to change the world or strain the boundaries of scripted television, and that's just fine.

The series is fun, slick and fast, but cheesier than it needs to be.

I'm punchy after an hour-and-change of lame chases, inane dialogue, ludicrous plot twists and absurdist acting techniques. But by the end of this, I pretty much had a crush on Piper Perabo and Anne Dudek (who plays her sister), so I guess it was worthwhile after all.

What it does have is a sleek but shallow cast that cannot lend any weight to the lighter-than-air writing.