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Review: 'My Own Worst Enemy'

Verne Gay | Off Camera

5:03 PM EDT, October 12, 2008

THE SHOW: "My Own Worst Enemy," NBC/4, Monday at 10

REASON TO WATCH: Christian Slater, redux, and Alfre Woodard

WHAT IT'S ABOUT: Henry Spivey (Slater) is a corporate efficiency consultant -- think Doc Jekyll -- with a really beautiful wife, Angie (Mädchen Amick) and two kids. But sometimes when he goes down the elevator to his office building, something bizarre happens -- he's transformed into a Mr. Hyde: Edward Albright, who's brilliant (speaks umpteen languages), murderously ruthless and the top spy for one of the world's most secret agencies. We learn from his boss, Mavis Heller (Woodard), that "we didn't experiment on you ... you are the experiment." Yeah -- you're thinking "Bourne"-whatever-novel-or-movie, but there's more. One day, something happens to the boundary separating these radically different dudes; Henry turns into Edward at the worst possible moment, and Edward back into Henry at awkward moments, hence the provenance of the title.

BOTTOM LINE: Far, far, far and away NBC's best new pilot of the season and one of the best new shows of the season, on any network -- commercial or cable. Under the direction of ol' TV directing pro David Semel (Jason Smilovic is the other executive producer), "Enemy" is engaging, devious, head-gaming and genuinely fun. But for my money, here's what's most noteworthy: Slater hasn't been a major star for so long that it's easy to forget just how genuinely gifted an actor he is; no need to go into how Slater became his own worst enemy, and then seemed to disappear altogether (to the stage, and I think he might have even voiced some cartoons to pay the rent), but the guy brings this ridiculously conflicted character into full, Technicolor life. Semel lights the face with great skill (deep in shadow, to convey the Mr. Hyde part of this persona) and then Slater does the rest.