Sins of fathers and mothers not only visit each of the characters, but infest them; the show shimmers with an inner core of volcanic anger that makes it far more interesting than your average family soap.
The Necessary Roughness pilot was enjoyable enough, but half the fun may have come from seeing Dani's adjustment to the big money, high-stakes world of professional sports. Can this show go the distance? It isn't clear yet, but at this admittedly early stage, the latest addition to the USA roster appears to be a promising rookie.
Written by Liz Kruger and Craig Shapiro and directed by Kevin Dowling, Roughness smoothly exploits the winning combination of Thorne--who practically oozes sex appeal, while still conveying an approachable vulnerability--with the macho NFL setting.
If plot is incidental to your enjoyment of a show--and especially if you're already a fan of Ms. Thorne's all-in acting style--then Necessary Roughness offers OK entertainment.
[Thorne's] a likable, charming actress, surrounded by a bunch of familiar, appealing performers (Cohen in particular is someone I've liked a long time, even if the business hasn't known quite what to do with him), and I think there's potential in this idea. But the execution and/or the network aren't right for the idea.
Created by Liz Kruger and Craig Shapiro ("Miami Medical"), the writing is amateurish, the premise as thin as watery gruel, the emotions generally inauthentic, and the cast only minimally engaging.