Since I gave such glowing reviews to the first few episodes of ABC’s new summer series “Traveler”–about the two good-guy Yale graduate students, Jay and Tyler, who are framed by their “friend” Will Traveler for bombing a New York City art museum–I feel the need to at least comment briefly on the season finale, which aired this week.
Unfortunately, though “Traveler” held a “24”-like relentlessness initially–sparking that intense, nail-biting, white-nuckle, gripping compulsion to keep watching even though it makes you stressed–the thrill of Jay and Tyler being chased by the FBI all over the Northeast and New York City eventually wore off. The show suffered from a lack of “reveals”–or perhaps a lack of real plot. It had occasional “oooh” moments–like the second-to-last episode, when Will Traveler finally reveals himself again, not only to Jay and Tyler but right at the moment when Jay and Tyler are about to finally be nabbed by the FBI.
But aside from the chase, from Jay and Tyler’s need to clear their names, I’m still trying to figure out what makes “Traveler” tick. Nothing was really tied up in the finale, which was utterly frustrating. The only thing the producers’ gave the faithful: the promise that “this is just the beginnning.” Of what? More bombings? A massive U.S. Government terrorist plot? (The only real reveal was that the U.S. government was behind the terrorist attack–at least it seems that way.)
Whether or not I’m a true believer and will be back next season remains to be seen.