It was the return heard around the world. Poised to pull double duty as identical twins Siobhan and Bridget, Sarah Michelle Gellar re-entered the television universe last night in the new CW thriller 'Ringer'.
The show, which many have considered as one of the strongest new series to be premiering this fall, shows promise for the cult favorite actress. Combining the likes of Hitchcock with a complex soap opera feel, 'Ringer' lays the groundwork for an intriguing story filled with twists, turns, and as the advertisements say ... double crosses. But that isn't to say it is perfect. Mixed within the unique blend of genres lies countless over the top antics that beg to be ignored.
The pilot episode starts off with a flash-forward where we witness Bridget being attacked in an under-construction loft by a masked intruder. I immediately began to question the validity of such an altercation as I would never expect a middle-aged female to venture to a construction site in the middle of the night without the guard of another being. But then we are taken back nine days and my mind is left without an answer ... at least not yet.
Our reversal of time lands us in the middle of nowhere (Wyoming) at an AA meeting. Bridget is in attendance, and boy is she sad. Her story is ultra depressing as we listen to her confide in the other members. To make matters worse she is the key witness in a stripper's murder. For fear of being lost at the bottom of the ocean (we will get to that a bit later) Bridget opts to bypass the trial and go on the run. So where is a girl to head when she is being chased by both the cops and a drug lord? The Hamptons of course!
The reason behind the trip is Bridget's identical twin sister Siobhan ... and by identical I mean looks the same minus the pulled back hair and rich-bitch attitude. (You know, the personality that comes when one collects their first million.)
The girls haven't spoken for six years, and while their estrangement is never fully explained, we do catch wind of a Sean who looks to have torn the pair apart. While I originally thought it to be the doing of none other than Sean 'P Diddy' Combs we eventually learn that Sean is a small child. All other details are left for future episodes.
Fast forward a bit and we get introduced to Siobhan's home (complete with a ridiculously large photograph of her zoomed in face). Her life appears perfect as the ladies walk along hardwood floors and peer out over the ocean. The rooms are impeccable as each blanket is folder crisply and the white carpets don't show a speck of dirt.
But things eventually get dirty when the duo venture out into the ocean in what will forever be known as 'The Ringer Boat Montage'. Holy Green Screen Batman! I have never in my life seen such a ridiculous on-screen antic. If I didn't know better I'd think that the producers found a Groupon deal for 100% off the cost of special effects. The scene alone nearly shipwrecks the entire episode ... nearly.
The girls party the afternoon away and play a little catch up to pass the time - you know, typical girl talk. As the sodas get deeper and the conversation hits its eventual dead end Bridget falls asleep. Sometime later she awakes to find the boat empty. Siobhan is gone!
Bridget immediately figures her sister dead and assumes her identity in an effort to live a better life. Overnight Bridget infiltrates her sister's every move, taking home at her luxury apartment and being cordial with her metro husband Andrew. She uncovers her sister's affair with her best friend's husband (yes, rich girls are sluts too) and a call from her doctor informs her that she is now carrying his child. Suddenly Bridget is beginning to wonder whether this whole identity switch was a good idea after all. One word: NO!
When Siobhan's best friend Gemma calls to ask for a late night meeting at the loft to discuss her husband's affair things look to be getting a bit juicy. But Gemma isn't at the loft. Instead we are reintroduced to our scuffle with the masked intruder. The altercation includes a few flips and turns that would likely make Buffy's aerobic teacher proud, but a wall busting push through was a bit of a let down for the high stakes fighter.
Luckily Bridget hid a gun at the loft prior to the night in question and finds in just in time to empty a single round into the masked man. In search for an answer she searches his pocket to find a picture of ... Siobhan!?! That's right. It appears that our former stripper isn't the only sister with a 'X' on her forehead.
But that isn't all. During the final seconds of the premiere we are shown a shot of Siobhan, alive and well, as she sits causing smoking in Paris while looking into a mirror idolizing her own reflection. She gets a phone call: "Siobhan, there's a problem." And then the bitch hangs up. Not only does she have zero phone etiquette but she leaves us all hanging as we ponder just why she faked her own death and why she chose to hide out in Paris.
What did you guys think? Which is your favorite twin and has Gellar found a rival TV personality for Buffy? Could Bridget kick Buffy's ass? Oh, and what did you all think about that ridiculously awesome boat scene? Come on now, we want to hear it!
