"Most Wicked Speed" actually has a somewhat original mystery floating around the heart of it, which is a small plus. On the downside, however, I found it hard to keep track of the particulars of the case, or to maintain my interest in any of the characters. A problematic aspect right off the bat is that the viewer's entrée into the story, which begins with the discovery of a murder and the arrest of a suspect, is via an American P. I. named Joe Venice, who dresses and talks like he's in a 1940's hard-boiled film noir, with occasional lapses into sounding like Rod Serling introducing an episode of "The Twilight Zone". Whichever way, his line readings strongly suggest that he's doing a parody of the P. I. genre - which might have worked if the rest of the episode had followed suit. Nothing outside his scenes stays in that vein, though - everything else is played in a straight, contemporary and naturalistic style, serious for the most part, except for Frank's interactions with Jason (a shady sort he's had run-ins with before), which veer into slapstick comedy, and Lu's interactions with handsome race car driver Reece Alonso, which veer into rom-com cutesiness. Then the ending, out of nowhere, becomes an emotional family reunion between two of the characters. The result of it all is a rather confused and confusing hodgepodge, both plot wise and stylistically.
It's too bad because some of the actors - Sally Rogers, Caroline O'Neill and Terry Mynott - are very good. The same can't be said for Canadian actor Kerry Shale, who plays Joe Venice. Shale has apparently done a ton of voice acting, and unfortunately it shows in his portrayal here, which seems to be more about displaying vocal mannerisms than depicting a real person. His is not the only performance that's questionable though - the usually reliable Patrick Walshe McBride gives Sebastian's undercover alter-ego (a sort of 1950's beatnik/biker type) an equally bizarre and completely unconvincing accent and characterization.
At least the valuable object everyone is searching for, when finally revealed, is impressively gorgeous. But other than that, this episode is not a memorable one.
It's too bad because some of the actors - Sally Rogers, Caroline O'Neill and Terry Mynott - are very good. The same can't be said for Canadian actor Kerry Shale, who plays Joe Venice. Shale has apparently done a ton of voice acting, and unfortunately it shows in his portrayal here, which seems to be more about displaying vocal mannerisms than depicting a real person. His is not the only performance that's questionable though - the usually reliable Patrick Walshe McBride gives Sebastian's undercover alter-ego (a sort of 1950's beatnik/biker type) an equally bizarre and completely unconvincing accent and characterization.
At least the valuable object everyone is searching for, when finally revealed, is impressively gorgeous. But other than that, this episode is not a memorable one.
