The Librarians (2014)

This is over-the-top. And extremely fun. And here’s hoping Wyle recurs often.

The Librarians is a charming, engaging addition to the roster of new cable series.

With a tone that swings between action and slapstick comedy, The Librarians isn't likely to show up on any end of 2014 Top 10 lists. But its high energy and good cheer are a comfortable fit for the holiday season.

TNT complies with a delightful series version of its Librarian TV-movie franchise, mixing elements of Indiana Jones, The DaVinci Code and even Warehouse 13 in jaunty and fantastical capers extolling the power and allure, and sometimes danger, of magic.

If The Librarians can balance its elements effectively, it stands to become as charming as it is goofy. But early on, it provokes a different question than most movie-to-series adaptations, asking not if a limited premise can be expanded, but if a perfectly scalable premise should be expanded.

The Librarians lacks the fun of the first film--seeing Flynn learn to be an adventurer --and feels predictable and rote.

While the movies were successful, it’s hard to say spinning off a series based on such lightweight material was in any way overdue.