Human Target is the kind of show that’s always been right up my alley. First off, it’s based on a comic book. Second, it’s got a great cast in the form of Mark Valley who I’ve enjoyed in Boston Public and Fringe, Chi McBride who was great in Waiting and Pushing Daisies and Rorschach himself, Jackie Earle Haley. And third, it’s a seemingly straightforward action show that probably won’t be too involved like a Lost or Fringe.

I’ve never actually read a Human Target comic, but I’m a longtime supporter of shows based on comics regardless of my familiarity with the concept. The basic concept is that Christopher Chance (Valley) works as a bodyguard who puts himself in harm’s way so his clients don’t get killed. He works with McBride who, I think, is the brains behind the operations, and Haley who is the tech guy. At least that’s what I caught from an episode last night called “Rewind.”

It was a pretty solid, though somewhat obvious episode. A hacker discovered a skeleton key for the entire internet and somebody wanted that hacker killed. Someone was flying the hacker somewhere on a public plane, but no one knows what the hacker looks like and someone else on the plane wants to kill the hacker. Okay, SPOILER time, the hacker’s a woman, hence my annoying lack of pronouns in the previous paragraph. I’m not sure who wanted to keep her safe and who was trying to kill her, but the story was told in a non-linear fashion that worked well for the episode. They kind of pulled the same trick with the stewardess who helped Chance put out a fire in the bottom of the plane–by flipping the thing upside down!–turned out to be one of the killers as well. A girl!?

This isn’t mind blowing television by any means, but I was entertained and will probably tune in again assuming it’s not up against anything else I really like. It actually kind of reminded me of all those crazy 90s syndicated shows you’d catch on Saturday and Sunday afternoons like MANTIS or VIPER, but with a better budget. Anyone else watch the show? Thoughts?