Show: Ringer
Grade: A-
Time: Tuesdays at 9 p.m.
Network: CW
Sarah Michelle Gellar (The Wonderful Maladys) makes her long-awaited return to the small screen in Ringer, her first television role since the end of Buffy the Vampire Slayer in 2003.
One of the most anticipated projects of the fall television season, Ringer – which premiered on Sept. 13– tells the story of identical twins Bridget Kelly and Siobhan Martin, both of whom are played by Gellar.
Bridget, who is on the run from the police, visits her sister for the first time in six years – a reunion that ends in Siobhan's apparent suicide. Running out of options, Bridget decides to impersonate her twin in order to trade her troubled life for the seemingly-flawless existence of her other half. Her sibling's life, however, is far from perfect.
As Siobhan's unexpected secrets begin to surface, Bridget desperately attempts to conceal her true identity from her sister's husband Andrew (Ioan Gruffudd, Horrible Bosses), best friend Gemma (Tara Summers, The Lake Effect), and lover Henry (Kristoffer Polaha, Life Unexpected), as well as Victor Machado (Nestor Carbonell, Wilfred), a detective who is desperately searching for Miss Kelly.
The pilot episode, which had enough action and drama to satisfy all viewers, moved at a rapid pace, and introduced a number of intricate plots and complex characters, each of whom has multiple motives for their actions. Everyone, it seems, is not who they seem; everyone has something to hide.
Perfectly cast in the dual role of Bridget and Siobhan, Gellar is finally allowed to demonstrate her excellent acting abilities due to the fact that the women are total opposites: one is a kind-hearted, struggling addict who is attempting to get her life back on track while the other is a cold, calculating manipulator. The actress plays both sides of the spectrum so well it is hard to believe that she has only just begun portraying these two characters.
In a recent interview that appeared in Entertainment Weekly, Gellar believes Ringer is "the perfect balance of what audiences want to see" her do, describing the show as "Cruel Intentions meets Buffy," a comparison that, after viewing the pilot episode, is spot on. From her stares of innocence as Bridget to her icy glares as Siobhan, Gellar, as always, embodies her roles effortlessly and fully.
While the pilot episode had many positives, not all aspects reached perfection. Parts of the hour-long show felt somewhat rushed, which seemed to be the creators' way of introducing the numerous storylines and complex characters.
Their intentions, however, did not exactly translate onto the TV screen, as the show jumped back and forth between a span of different days. The constant movements made the editing appear choppy in some places as the narrative progressed.
No premiere is without flaws, and it seems that Ringer has a clear idea where it is going creatively. It is likely that this show – and Gellar – will establish a welcome spot in the viewing schedules of many audiences with a few minor tweaks. From the looks of it, Ringer has enough stamina to give viewers a season of drama, suspense, and twists at every corner.
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