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My Own Worst Enemy only ran for half a season, late
in 2008. NBC gave the show the axe after nine episodes.
Stars of the show include Christian Slater (Gleaming the
Cube), Madchen Amick (Twin Peaks), Taylor Lautner (Twilight),
Bella Thorne (Stuck On You), Saffron Burrows (Enigma), James
Cromwell ( Spider-Man 3), and Mike O’Malley (Yes Dear.)
***
My Own Worst Enemy is the story of a secret agent (Slater)
living a double life. He has a computer chip in his head,
which allows him to switch between the identities without
either half knowing about the other. Unfortunately, the
chip malfunctions, and it isn’t long before he is erratically
switching back and forth against his will. ***
This is one of those “brilliant but cancelled” shows
that NBC gave a premature cancellation. With a great cast
and intriguing plots, the show was one of the finest the
network had shelled out in recent years…. So why did it
get the axe? Oh well. At least Universal is giving the show
a second chance on home video. ***
By far the best thing about this show is Christian
Slater. I thought this guy disappeared off the face of the
earth after the eighties ended, but I guess I was wrong.
He steals every scene he’s in here. My Own Worst Enemy was
entirely Slater’s show, but his performances were complemented
nicely by supporting cast members including the underrated
Mike O’Malley. ***
This two-disc set comprises all nine episodes of the
series, and puts them on two discs. Each episode is approximately
forty-five minutes in length (they ran in hour-long time
slots.) ***
In the end, so much of the show was never resolved
– there were plenty of subplots and cliffhangers about.
Long story short, the show never got the proper conclusion.
That said, for what it is, it’s a brilliant and comical
thriller. It slipped under many a viewer’s radar during
its all-too-short run. But now that it is on home video,
it’s time to discover or rediscover this little gem. The
set comes highly recommended. ---
Image and Sound:
The show looks and sounds pretty good for its home video
release. Presented in anamorphic widescreen, the image is
generally free of any negative anomalies, and detail is
strong. Color and black levels are solid. The stereo mix
is above average for a TV show on the DVD format, though
don’t expect it to be a full-blown mix that is going to
compete with Hollywood blockbusters. ---
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