REVIEW

DVD Review: Fastlane - The Complete Series

Written by Regina Avalos
Published July 22, 2008

Back in 2002, Fastlane hit the Fox network, and it was a television series unlike many that appeared on television before. It brought a big screen feeling to the small screen. Hot guys. Beautiful women. Fast cars, and enough bling to blind you. The series was one of my favorites, and I know I am not alone in this.

The show still has fans to this day, and it is because of those fans we have this DVD. The network canceled the series at the end of the first season because bringing the big screen to the small screen cost way too much for the network. Fans were outraged, but nothing changed. Some still call for a movie of some sort to tie up the loose ends left by the sudden cancellation.

Let’s talk about the series. Imagine seeing your partner shot in front of you, and then being told that you can have an opportunity to go after the bad guys responsible if you become a part of a secret police task force. A new identity is yours. The fancy car, the penthouse suite, the clothes and the money are all yours. This is what happens to Officer Van Ray while working undercover for the L.A.P.D. After his partner’s death, he is approached by another officer, Billie Chambers, to come work with her unit. He is given all he needs to go after the people responsible. The Candy Store, as it is called, contains all the items from previous busts, and these items are used to bring down more criminals.

Van Ray becomes Van Strummer, and he is soon joined by a new partner, the younger brother of the one he lost — Deaq Hayes. For the next twenty-two episodes, we are taken into their world where anything goes. They never break cover. They have their friends who know, but one false move and their cover could be blown. They meet criminal after criminal, and they are caught between good and bad. They find love, and they lose it. They lose their cool, but they find it again. As the season ends, we see them trying to find their boss and friend Billie, when she is kidnapped by one of their suspects. We never know what happens to Billie, and this is one of the sore spots when it comes to fans.

This series starred Tiffani Thiessen as Billie, Peter Facinelli as Van, and Bill Bellamy as Deaq. Facinelli was most recently seen in FX’s Damages, and he will hit the big screen as the leader of the Cullen clan in Twilight. Tiffani and Bill haven’t been much in the spotlight since the end of Fastlane. This television series was funny and action packed with great acting. Each and every week, I tuned, and I wasn’t disappointed once. Everything from great guest stars to great character development and dialogue made this series must watch television for me.

The series was created by McG, the man behind Charlie’s Angels' trip to the big screen, and who's now bringing the next Terminator movie to theaters, Terminator Salvation. Can we get him to bring Fastlane to the big screen at some point? I’ve learned in Hollywood never to say it will never happen. Things happen all the time! The DVD itself contains all twenty-two episodes, cast interviews, bloopers and some unaired material from the pilot episode. After a six year wait for this series to hit DVD, this is definitely one that fans of the series will want to pick up.

Blogging since March 2005, Regina Avalos maintains her blog, Inside My Wild Mind, daily with her thoughts on television, movies, literature and life. Currently she also covers the latest in television news, celebrity gossip and movie news for Teevieo and Today.com! Come see what she is talking about now.
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DVD Review: Fastlane - The Complete Series
Published: July 22, 2008
Type: Review
Section: Video
Filed Under: Video: Television, Video: Crime, Video: Adventure, Video: Action
Writer: Regina Avalos
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