Bradley Cooper might keep ‘Limitless’ from becoming another high-concept film

“We really wanted there to be a similarity between how anyone acts on NZT, no matter your background, whoever you are, when you take that drug, you all go to a certain level of enlightenment”, McDorman shared, adding that Bradley Cooper gave him notes from the movie.

What I’m concerned about is that LIMITLESS, instead of exploring this deep, rich tapestry, will confine itself to tracking down one lead every week, Brian working with the FBI agents to do so. “You’re on the verge of having a life most people can’t begin to imagine”, Mora promises – before telling Brian he’ll have to be his eyes and ears with the FBI if he wants the arrangement to continue. Set four years after the events of the film, it stars Jake McDorman (Greek) as Brian Finch, a slacker extraordinaire who is failing to fulfill his potential. At one point, a character thwarts her pursuer by slashing him in the throat with an ice skate… while the skate is still attached to a very surprised little girl. In spite of this compelling setup, the series finds itself falling into a few self-made traps. He runs down the block and across the busy street with the Federal Bureau of Investigation in pursuit. While this rings back to the narrative of the original movie, the execution plays as mostly convenient. Limitless was undoubtedly in production prior to anyone involved seeing USA’s summer hit, Mr. Robot,* but it still seems to have cosmically borrowed the best of that show: the frenetic techno score, the slick editing and the mentor-mentee relationship between two characters.

For the most part, the writing holds the story together, but there are a few too many moments of convenience. During their call for help, the person on the receiving end of that call seems to already know the location of the wound. NZT is a pill that increases the brain capacity of its user up to 100 percent. This would be nitpicking if these details didn’t prove so distracting. Inevitably, the loan shark comes looking to collect and reveals that he’s found an even more effective way of ensuring a longer high: shooting NZT via needle rather than swallowing it. He conveys a sense of charisma that makes sense for a struggling musician and the cockiness of a man gifted with brilliance. Down on the subway loading platform he is confronted by Agent Rebecca Harris, played by Jennifer Carpenter.

The pilot was directed by Marc Webb (The fantastic Spider-Man), and it’s an appropriate choice, considering how much the episode feels like a superhero origin story. Series premieres Tuesday, September 22 10:00-11:00 PM ET/PT, on the CBS Television Network. Composer Paul Leonard-Morgan returns, bringing an energetic intensity to the show’s score. The appeal of Bradley Cooper (aside from his clearly abundant talent, devastatingly handsome visage and strong sense of humor) is his apparent level of dedication for every role he’s in.

“All in all it was just a very expensive first date”, he jokes. That’s not to say, they’re cutting this thing from a brand new cloth as what works on CBS works on CBS. Brian agrees if they get his father a new liver first.