It's that time of year again: networks have begun rolling out promos for their upcoming fall shows, meaning now is the time for every television fan to get their first taste of what we can all expect on our favorite channels come September. One of those shows is CBS' Limitless series, which released a trailer on Wedneday. First and foremost, allow me to refresh your memory about what this show actually consisters of: Originally, Limitless was a fun thriller film released in 2011, starring Bradley Cooper. It was by no means a masterpiece, but it is a film I look back on fondly thanks to Cooper's performance. The central concept of the film, which surrounded a drug opening up people's minds to limitless possibilities for a brief window of time (they would ultimately need another hit to get back to that place), was flimsy at best, but as far as popcorn movies go, Limitless was a decent one. Is it a concept that is in any way compelling enough to warrant a television adaptation? That remains to be seen, but CBS seems to think so — and they have even gone all in and scooped up Cooper for a recurring role in Limitless .
Cooper's star power gives Limitless the appearance of a prestige drama, but what can we really expect from the show? While that won't be certain until the series actually premieres in the fall, judging by the trailer, it looks like Limitless might just be every CBS procedural ever made, all rolled into one.
This doesn't speak to whether or not Limitless will be a good series or not: After all, CBS has produced some excellent procedural shows (I'm looking at you, Elementary), so maybe Limitless will be great too.
So, just how does Limitless look like every procedural on CBS? Well, there just so happens to be a procedural recipe — and I'm here to tell you that Limitless fits every category.
Limitless premieres Fall 2015 on CBS.
One Cup Of Person of Interest
Some CBS procedurals are more high concept than others. Person of Interest revolves around a group of people who solve crimes with the help of a super computer so advanced it can predict crimes before they happen. Sometimes, the team is chased by bad guys/law enforcement agents — it depends on the season. The point is, they have a valuable asset that can be used for good or evil, depending on whose hands it falls into.
Limitless is a show about a man named Brian (Jake McDorman) who receives a practically magical pill from a shady source. This pill allows him to open his mind to infinite possibilities...and he uses the opportunity to solve crime. If the pills fall into the wrong hands, they could become incredibly dangerous and put the world at risk.
A Dash Of Intelligence
Josh Holloway's 2014 series Intelligence did not last long, but it must have made an impression on the CBS top brass. The series revolved aroud Holloway's character's brain being connected to all of the world's knowledge via a computer chip. He used these powers to solve crimes.
Brian is another blond cutie with infinite brain power — except instead of a computer, it's thanks to a little help from a government-created product. He will also solve crime, and hope he does not get cancelled.
2 Teaspoons Of The Mentalist
What does every wild card average Joe who suddenly decides he can be a cop without a license need? A straight-laced female partner in law enforcement, of course! Just like Jane had Lisbon on The Mentalist, Jake will have Dexter's sister Deb — I mean, Jennifer Carpenter's totally unrelated character — to help him use his powers for good. I'm predicting they will also probably fall in love whether they have chemistry or not, because that is how television works.
Limitless is also pulling a second page out of The Mentalist's playback by using murder as motivation. Jake's family is safe judging by the trailer trailer, but everyone who takes the fancy brain-enhancing drug ends up dead — and he simply cannot stand for that.
A Sprinkle Of Scorpion
CBS has turned making shows about ridiculously smart people into ratings gold. Limitless is seems similar to Scorpion, just with more drugs and less people.
Pour In Some CSI
Questionable science for the win! Also, I am going to use my fake psychic abilities to predict that every episode after the pilot might start with a new crime.
Top Off With A Handful Of Elementary
Elementary is extremely good at balancing episodic storytelling with an overarching plot. This was especially true in the series' first season as Sherlock pursued Moriarty. Limitless will have to deploy a similar tactic to make its high concept work. Someone is killing off everyone who has anything to do with the pill, but who is it? Is it Cooper's character?
And Bake, Until It Turns Into A Monster Hit
CBS consists of actual geniuses. They know what their viewers like, and even when they make something that looks different, it's really not. Add in Bradley Cooper's stunningly blue eyes, and I can't see this show not being a hit.
Images: CBS; Giphy (7)
