A Gifted Man

A Gifted Man is certainly a series with an extraordinary pedigree -- executive producer Jonathan Demme is an Oscar-winning director, and star Wilson has been nominated for Emmy and Tony awards. The talent on hand keeps this high-concept drama from becoming too cliche too frequently. The story of a cold, distant, brilliant surgeon who learns to care again from the ghost of his dead ex-wife has the potential to be incredibly cheesy, but the series avoids maudlin missteps, thanks largely to the talented cast and crew.

It bears repeating -- A Gifted Man is saddled with a concept that has Hallmark Movie of the Week written all over it. But as Michael Holt, Wilson remains edgy and irascible even when confronted with the opportunity to repent and do the right thing. His relationship with his spectral ex is played with complexity as well; the idea that he could be suffering a brain-induced hallucination isn't left entirely off the table. By finding the moments of reality in an unreal premise, A Gifted Man rises above its high-concept peers.