Kyle XY: John Doe Goes On
Now most widely recognized as the brother of the man with the plan (Michael Scofield, played by Wentworth Miller) in Fox’s hit jailhouse drama Prison Break, Australian Dominic Purcell was first introduced to American television audiences four years ago in Fox’s provocative series John Doe. Although the show lasted just one season, it managed to attract a substantial number of diehard fans intrigued by the mysterious titular character, who awoke naked one day on an island with no recollection of his identity or background, yet possessing an eerie awareness of seemingly every other fact known to mankind.
Before John Doe worked its way to the small screen, another series that could not be more different also carved a space on television for its unique main character over the four-year period from 1989 to 2003. This family drama, Life Goes On, had a stellar cast that included Bill Smitrovich, Patti LuPone, Kellie Martin, and Chris Burke, the last of whom portrayed the endearing middle brother Corky, an ambitious teenager determined to attend high school with his younger sister Becca (Martin) and lead as close to a normal life as possible, despite having Down Syndrome.
Fast forward three years to this summer and ABC Family’s new teen-oriented sci-fi drama Kyle XY, one of the biggest hits of the season. Like John Doe, the puzzling titular character Kyle (Matt Dallas) wakes up buck-naked one day alone in the woods, with no idea who he is or where he’s from, and wanders out into the middle of traffic on a busy street. The police intervene and send him to a juvenile facility, for lack of a more appropriate place to house him, where his case finds its way to the compassionate hands of social worker Nicole Trager (Marguerite MacIntyre).
Captivated by his elusive origins and smitten by his warm and childlike personality, Nicole temporarily takes Kyle into her own home, which includes her husband Stephen (Bruce Thomas) and their typical teenage daughter (April Matson) and son (Jean-Luc Bilodeau), until a better one surfaces. It’s during this assumed brief stay that the Trager family slowly realizes the bellybutton-less Kyle is not only unlike anyone else they’ve ever encountered before, but unlike anyone else on Earth.
As Kyle adapts to life in a social environment and bonds with others, he likewise learns important lessons about what it is to be human and a member of a larger unit outside oneself. Yet, unbeknownst to all in the household, an unidentified man (Nicholas Lea) is keeping a steady watch over them from the shadows, promising danger and more intrigue as the ten-episode debut season winds down.
One of the reasons why Kyle XY has become such a popular program is the charming performance of 23-year-old lead actor Matt Dallas. His wide-eyed innocent expressions skillfully evoke the wonder and curiosity of a teenaged boy who is essentially a blank slate filling up step by step with the little details that help usher human beings out of adolescence and into adulthood. That Kyle turns out to be a genius in many respects comes as no surprise, largely because Dallas’ subtle mannerisms successfully capture the character’s latent intelligence, as well.
After watching the premiere of Kyle XY and observing the natural and realistic rapport between the members of the Trager family and their unexpected guest, it’s easy to understand why the show is a hit. It delivers an abundance of mystery in the style of John Doe, while simultaneously maintaining the appealing atmosphere of a family drama such as Life Goes On. Moreover, just like both the John Doe and Corky characters before him, Kyle serves as the ingenuous centerpiece of a chain of events that consistently enlighten viewers even as they entertain.
The only way Kyle XY can miss right now is to disappoint fans with an incomprehensible or incongruent explanation of Kyle’s origins. Judging from the show’s ability to maintain its momentum thus far, however, that’s about as probable as Kyle discovering something he can’t do.
The Verdict: A
Kyle XY currently airs Mondays at 8pm EST on ABC Family and repeats Fridays at 9pm EST on ABC
Kyle XY photo courtesy of ABC Family
