One of NBC’s newest offerings, My Own Worst Enemy starring Christian Slater, has been getting mixed reviews from all corners of the critics’ room.  We at BuddyTV have our own opinions on the show; according to Don William’s review, the show is “a clever concept wrapped in shoddy packaging.”

Produced by John Eisendrath (Alias) and Jason Smilovic, the show follows a man with dual personalities, whose life turns into a complete chaos when his totally opposite sides start stepping on each other’s toes.  Edward, the slick agent who can speak 13 languages, is now finding himself in bed with counterpart Henry’s wife.  Henry, on the other hand, is a working class father and husband who lives a comfortable life in the suburbs.

The premise of the show is smart and interesting and the New York Times says that the show “has a convoluted premise that is cleverly wrought and holds up well, and Mr. Slater does a remarkable job of only subtly signaling each personality.”

The Los Angeles Times delves deeper into a similar thought, saying in their review, “Although his characters are different, they are also the same, opposing forces of a single psyche.  An exploration of the emotional and psychological diversity that one human brain, and heart, can accumulate and contain during a lifetime is a high calling for a show that also plans to blow things up on a regular basis.”

Of course, it isn’t all praise for the freshman NBC offering, as TV Guide’s Matt Roush describes it as “reminiscent at times of The Bourne Identity or Face/Off, to name a few movie influences it does not improve upon.”

USA Today had a few harsh words for the show, saying, “badly conceived, badly executed, and woefully, ridiculously overcomplicated, Enemy is precisely the show you'd expect from the writer behind NBC's similarly botched Bionic Woman, which really makes you wonder about the network's learning curve.”

Nonetheless for viewers who want to give the show a chance, here’s what to keep in mind.  The New York Times believes that Worst Enemy is a “well-constructed puzzle with many layers. It also has a dark sensibility that suits today’s mood.”

Catch Christian Slater on the series premiere encore of My Own Worst Enemy on Saturday, October 18 at 9pm on NBC.


-Valerie Anne del Castillo, BuddyTV Staff Columnist
Source: The Envelope, New York Times
(Photo courtesy of NBC)