The Cape's pilot tells a typical normal guy goes superhero story. Vince Faraday, great cop and devoted father, gets in the way of Chess (the Villain) aka billionaire Peter Fleming. Fleming frames Vince for being Chess and tries to kill him. Former works, the latter not: Vince survices the explosion, but is believed to be dead. Vince ends up in the hands of bankrobbing circus people (circus people who rob banks). These people become sort of his new family because Chess made it clear he would go after Vince's family (his kryptonite) in case he would remain a threat to him. Vince helps these people rob Fleming and gains their trust. Further, he is forced to take on a new identity. Conveniently, the circus owns a magic cape and after some training Vince becomes The Cape, a superhero from his son's comics. Then there is a showdown, Vince/The Cape crosses Chess's plans for that episode. Chess loses that fight, but survives and escapes. Clearly, he will try to find out who The Cape is and try to destroy him and his loved ones. Not to forget: in the process, Vince finds his sidekick (Summer Glau), an mysterious, investigative blogger who tries to fight against corruption in their city...
What works: It's nothing completely new, but solid entertainment. A superhero story about a guy who takes on a secret, crime-fighting identity. The fight scenes are pretty good and well choreographed. There are comical moments (e.g. a raccoon robbing a bank) that work well, and there are also emotional scenes. Unfortunately, these part stays bland for the most time.
Points of critique: The whole story is rushed and doesn't feel well thought out. It seems like this show doesn't want to decide whether it's funny or not. Circus people are the funny ones. Supervillain: not so much. That doesn't fit well. Plus, most of the dialogues are forced and need improvement. And the magical cape? Yeah...
The worst part: Peter Fleming aka Chess. Chess is a joke. This funny voice and don't let me get started on that contact lenses. While The Dark Knight's Joker impersonation by Heath Ledger showed a crazy anarchist mastermind to perfection, Chess is a bad copy of a copy, not threatening, but ridiculous.
A pilot doesn't have to be perfect. Introducing characters and their motivation, their background and where they are headed, the tone of the show, this is hardly done in one episode. However, a pilot should be a promise that sticking to the show should be rewarded with compelling storys and characters you can relate to, who you can love or hate or be afraid of. To be honest, I don't see that...
I'm sure they set an ambitious aim: a show that integrates the dark atmosphere of the Batman franchise, especially The Dark Knight and a mastermind like The Joker, some special powers like hypnosis (The Shadow) and a cape of spider silk, and lighter, funny moments a la Spiderman. But in the end, it just doesn't fit together.
The Cape is not a total loss and there is room for improvement, but it's not a must see show either. Well, I'm out of here.moreless
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Episode Summary
EDIT
Former police sergeant Vince Faraday is framed as notorious criminal Chess and seemingly dies in an explosion when ARK corporation security forces open fire on him. Mentored by Max Malini among a gang of bank robbers who use carnival talents, Vince must leave behind his wife Dana and son Trip to fight against corruption in Palm City. Villains include Scales and nemesis Chess, whose other persona is ARK billionaire Peter Fleming. Under the guise of The Cape, his son's favorite comic book character, Vince must trust mysterious blogger Orwell to help in the fight.moreless
Watch Full Episode
 David Lyons |
Vince Faraday/The Cape |
 Keith David |
Max Malini |
 Summer Glau |
Orwell |
 James Frain |
Peter Fleming/Chess |
 Jennifer Ferrin |
Dana Faraday |
 Ryan Wynott |
Trip Faraday |
 Nico Cortez |
ARK Officer |
Guest Star |
Eros Biox |
Popo |
Guest Star |
Eric Pierpoint |
Chief Tom Ross |
Guest Star |
Anil Kumar |
Ruvi |
Recurring Role |
Izabella Miko |
Raia |
Recurring Role |
Watch Online
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David Lyons as Vince Faraday / The Cape ...
© 2010 NBC Universal, Inc. -
Summer Glau as Orwell and David Lyons as...
© 2010 NBC Universal, Inc. -
David Lyons as Vince Faraday on The Cape...
© 2010 NBC Universal, Inc. -
Keith David as Max Malini on The Cape fr...
© 2010 NBC Universal, Inc.
Trivia, Notes, Quotes and Allusions
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TRIVIA (1)
ADD TRIVIA-
Eric Pierpoint's last name is misspelled "Pierpont" in the opening credits.
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QUOTES (9)
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(watching a circus raccoon steal a money bag)
Fleming: Do we think the raccoon acted alone?
Marty: Probably not, sir. -
Vince: No, I'm just a cop.
Max: Wrong answer. Rollo, we hate cops! They arrest people like us!
Raia: Hush. Max, you're screaming.
Max: What? I'm using my stage voice. -
Max: I'm Max Malini!
Vince: Is it possible?
Max: I've broken 92 bones in pursuit of the perfect illusion. Trained a generation of escapists, acrobats, magicians. I specialize in impossible. (using the old cape to snatch a glass) But this... this won't cut it. You need something special. But I do nothing halfway. This will cost you. you'll learn just how much the human body can withstand. And the mind. You give me your soul, Vince Faraday, and I'll make you the greatest circus act that ever lived. -
Max: Spin, spin, spin. And snap it! The cape must retract, free you up to a fight with a fighting form that embraces the cape--British bartitsu, Kodokan judo. The Warrior-Dancers of the Tang Dynasty used their robes as weapons. Again! And so will you. (Vince breaks a wineglass) One day.
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Max: Damn, look at you, son. I could make you a star. Whatever he's paying you, I'll double it.
Scales: I don't think so. (hits him)
Max: Doesn't anyone value showmanship anymore? -
Rollo: So you're Scales, huh?
Scales: Yeah. And the yellow brick road is that way.
Rollo: Not impressed. Let's party. (knocks him out) Say hello to Dorothy, bitch. -
Vince: I got you, Max. Try not to talk.
Max: I'm the one dying here. I like to talk. What you said about your boy, about showing him one man can make a difference. That stayed with me. You take it from a man who never knew his father and never had a son. That bond... it's what makes heroes. Want to say something profound, last words and all, but god, I...I need a drink.
Vince: Max... Max!
Max: (realizing he's not going to die) Damn it, I thought that was it! And I wasted that great speech. -
The Cape: You're Trip Faraday? You read my comic? I knew your father. He was a good cop. And he was framed for those crimes. But I know the guilty, and I will not stop until they know justice. Your father asked me to give you a message. He said "don't lose hope, don't ever... lose hope." And be good to your mother. And--and study your math, you need to work on your math. And he said to tell you that he loves you more than anything. And someday... someday you'll see each other again.
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Vince: What are you, like 12?
Orwell: You're the one wearing long underwear and a cape.
Vince: Fair enough.
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NOTES (5)
ADD NOTES-
Vinnie Jones (Scales) and Martin Klebba (Rollo) originally appeared as guest stars in the pilot episode, as shown in the opening credits. Jones was upped to a starring role in early June, 2010, and Klebba was made a starring cast member shortly thereafter.
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International Airdates:
Canada: January 9, 2011 on Citytv
United Kingdom: July 21, 2011 on Syfy/Syfy HD -
The pilot originally premiered with episode 102 as a "two hour premiere" on a Sunday night. The network billed an "encore premiere" the next night at its regular night and time.
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Originally Palm City was named "Jefferson City". Before the script was written, in September of 2009, Tom Wheeler made a script commitment to the series with the same structure, "set in the fictional Jefferson City ("a Los Angeles-type city where corrupt private industries are taking over everything").
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Vinnie Jone's character was originally named Gator. The character remains the same: a large man who wears RayBans and has a "freakish skin condition that gives him the appearance of green and gold scales."
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ALLUSIONS (2)
ADD ALLUSIONS-
Character Name: Orwell
This references George Orwell, the author of the dystopian novel Nineteen Eighty-Four (1949), which introduced and popularized the concept of a "Big Brother" government agency that monitors the populace through near-omnipresent security cameras.
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Scales: And the Yellow Brick Road is that way...
Rollo: (knocks him out)Say hello to Dorothy...
Scales' allusion to the Yellow Brick Road, along with Rollo's comment about Dorothy, both reference the novel The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum and the 1939 movie The Wizard of Oz, starring Judy Garland, in which Dorothy and her friends follow the Yellow Brick Road to reach the Wizard, who resides in the Emerald City of Oz.
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S 1 : Ep 10
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Ep 9
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Ep 5
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