Lost/Forgotten Shows: Tru Calling

I just got done watching a marathon on the Sci Fi channel of Tru Calling. For a long time I refused to watch this show because it was the reason why Faith, I mean Eliza Dushku decided not to make a Faith spin-off of Buffy. Eliza wanted to try other opportunities, which apparently resulted in making this series.

The concept is interesting. Tru Davies (played by Dushku) while working at the city morgue realizes she has the ability to talk to dead people. Not like Haley Joel Osmet talking to dead people, more like Pushing Daises talking to dead people, except no touching. The one difference between this mediocre show and Pushing Daises, is that when Tru talks to dead people (well they pretty much talk to her, she just stares at them), the dead person says a message and then Tru and everyone else restart the day. The day begins again and Tru can remember everything that happened the day before (which is technically the current day), but no one else can. Hence, we get a brand new day to prevent the person from dying. whoo!

The writing is boring and the acting is okay, but the premise kept me watching the entire day. I have watched a couple episodes here and there when ever the show has been on, but for some reason today I watched it from start to finish. Well, I pretty much watched the entire first season and all of the second season, well all of the season that was left after Sci Fi stopped airing it earlier. Yes, that means I proceeded to watch this mediocre show on my computer after sitting around watching it all day on the television.

Anyways, the reason I for some reason became invested in the show was because of Jason Priestley's sudden introduction into the series half way through the first season. SPOILER (like you care): Jason's character Jack Harper is the opposing force to Tru's calling (pun) of communicating with the dead. Unlike Tru who helps people live, Jack makes sure they die, ergo we get a villian. Anyone who has an obsession with Brandon Walsh from Beverly Hills 90210 (including wanting to tatoo his face to your body), will understand how crazy it is to see the beloved good guy from West Beverly as a villian. Actually he is the best part of the series. After a while I just wanted to see him screw with people's lives instead of watching Tru save them.

Eliza, I have one question for you: why did you leave Joss for this? I could understand if you were never given the opportunity for your own staring show, but Joss was handing one to you. One with potentially great writing, great acting, and an active fanbase. Well luckily for you, he still thinks you have some attributes. And four years later we get Dollhouse airing January 2009 staring you and created by Joss Whedon (pictured below). In the end, Tru Calling will only be remembered by those who frequent Sci Fi channel during daytime hours or are active disciples of Zach Galifianakis (who suprisingly isn't the funny character on the show), and for that reason Tru Calling is a lost/forgotten show.