The Ringer Haunts In Its Premier – review

Buffy the Vampire Slayer fans can rejoice at the fact that Sarah Michelle Gellar is now back on TV. Her new show The Ringer premiered last night, and it was amazing. It started off with Bridget, the twin we discovered who is a recovering addict and is also in legal trouble. She confides in her sponsor that her sister Siobhan wants her to visit. Her detective and sponsor say no, she should not go, but she sneaks out in the middle of the night to New York anyway. Siobhan meets Bridget at the bus station, and tells her that her husband does not know that she (Bridget) exists. This bothers Bridget, but she tries to put that behind her. Once she and Siobhan go on a boat trip, everything changes. Bridget wakes up to find out that Siobhan apparently killed herself by jumping off the boat. This leaves Bridget to pick up the pieces and pretend to be Siobhan for both of their sakes. She quickly learns that Siobhan had as sordid a life as Bridget herself did.

She finds out that Siobhan was pregnant, cheating, in an unhappy marriage, and even being stalked. Bridget thought she was escaping her old life, but it seems as if she landed in a situation that’s even more dangerous. And now she’s left alone with the fact that much of Siobhan’s past is unknown. All we know is that Siobhan is a step-mother, cheater, and a twin. Bridget hurt someone they both cared about, was a former alcoholic, and former exotic dancer. Yet that also leaves out so much about them both. Like we do not know who this detective is, what Bridget is wanted for, or why Siobhan has stayed married to a guy she does not love. Those unknowns kept you waiting on the edge of your seat, which helped shape a show full of suspense. I do wish that they kept Siobhan alive longer. I think then we could have learned a little more about what happened between them. Maybe they could have talked longer on the boat, or maybe they could have stated what happened that made Bridget apologize to Siobhan. Or maybe this will all come out later….

I love this show! I think that it is a nice change of pace from what Gellar has done in the past, and it also really makes you think about what is going on. It is one of the better dramas to come out in a long time that has appeal to both teens and adults. It was packed with drama that sort of made it feel like a soap opera, in a good way. Sarah does a great job at playing two roles, because she is great at making each very different from the other. The writers certainly made an episode that will be remembered for a long time. The fact that both sisters are wanted for one thing or another, like when Bridget thought that guy was seeking her and not Siobhan, only to find out the opposite, is memorable.

What do you think about SMG’s new show?