Battle Creek
By Kari Croop,
Common Sense Media Reviewer
Common Sense Media Reviewers
Odd-couple cops deliver laughs and drama, with some blood.
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Battle Creek
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What's the Story?
Scruffy cynic Det. Russ Agnew (Dean Winters) starts to question his old-school approach to crime solving when criminally handsome FBI agent Milt Chamberlain (Josh Duhamel) sets up a satellite office across the hall to help keep BATTLE CREEK crime at bay. Milt might have powerful tools at his disposal, including disarmingly good looks and easy access to the latest technology. But Russ has the advantage of local connections and hard-boiled instincts that never -- OK, maybe sometimes -- lead him astray.
Is It Any Good?
Hard to define but ultimately easy to love, Battle Creek is one part police procedural and one part lighthearted buddy comedy, a mash-up of genres spun from the minds of Vince Gilligan (Breaking Bad) and David Shore (House). On the surface, it's a setup we've seen plenty of times before, pairing two cops at opposite ends of the spectrum and forcing them to work together -- or not. But Battle Creek transcends that familiar formula by injecting laughs -- and a surprising amount of heart -- into the equation.
Kids likely won't be drawn to Battle Creek, but if they are it wouldn't be the worst place for them to spend an hour. After all, in addition to likable leads and a quirky ensemble (including Oscar nominee Janet McTeer, plus Kal Penn of the Harold and Kumar franchise), the series also boasts some unexpectedly thoughtful themes, such as how a flagging economy affects local crime and police funding and whether the high-tech gadgetry seen on shows such as CSI is the only way to get the job done.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about one of Battle Creek's ongoing themes: exploring the economics of crime solving and determining which techniques -- high-tech or low-tech -- work better. What are the pros and cons of each approach? Does the show take sides?
How does Battle Creek compare with other cop shows on TV? What's it doing differently, and do you like it?
How well do Russ and Milt work as a team in spite of their differences, and how do they handle conflict? What are the challenges of working closely with someone whose perspective is radically different from your own?
TV Details
- Premiere date: March 1, 2015
- Cast: Josh Duhamel , Dean Winters , Kal Penn
- Network: CBS
- Genre: Drama
- Topics: Friendship
- TV rating: TV-14
- Last updated: October 14, 2022
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