Limitless (2015)

:

Season 1
  • Network: CBS
  • Series Premiere Date: Sep 22, 2015
User Score
7.5

Generally favorable reviews- based on 240 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 190 out of 240
  2. Mixed: 21 out of 240
  3. Negative: 29 out of 240
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User Reviews

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  1. raavin
    Oct 19, 2015
    4
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. This show had so much potential but seems to almost entirely fail in its delivery. There was an opportunity to go much deeper into character and story development than the movie could in a couple of hours and seems to have gone down the path of an episodic show with a crime and a solution rather than the intense serial drama it could have been. The first episode copies the movie too much in my opinion. In a reboot maybe this is OK but this the same universe and characters. In the movie we have a writer with writer's block who meets a friend from his past who is subsequently killed for his NZT stash. (SPOILER ALERT!!) In the first episode we have a musician who hasn't written a song in a year, who meets a successful friend from his past who is subsequently killed for his NXT stash. There are quite a few other nods, or just plain rip offs from the movie that are distracting at best. The idea that our star can hold a bank hostage, terrorising the customers for no apparent reason, then be asked to work for the FBI just seems crazy. It is schmaltz upon schmaltz. A Huuuuge disappointment. Sorry :(… Expand
  2. MythicRare
    Sep 22, 2015
    4
    Although the concept is alright, the writing for the show is a bit lacking (specifically the dialogue, some of it which is cringe-worthy), and some of the casting choices weren't very well thought out. Past the beginning, though, there isn't much worth watching here, as the show does little to expand upon the framework laid down by the movie, and the fact that later episodes will work in aAlthough the concept is alright, the writing for the show is a bit lacking (specifically the dialogue, some of it which is cringe-worthy), and some of the casting choices weren't very well thought out. Past the beginning, though, there isn't much worth watching here, as the show does little to expand upon the framework laid down by the movie, and the fact that later episodes will work in a way that is basically just a glorified buddy cop movie (Man who can unlock his potential with a superdrug, paired with a female FBI agent with a tragic past!) didn't really help this show stand out. Overall, I wouldn't recommend it.… Expand
  3. Knighthawk81
    Sep 23, 2015
    6
    Adaptations of movies are tricky, and in some ways "Limitless" falls into that trap. It has to do a lot to build the concept and world, then makes a hard pivot and introduces Bradley Cooper reprising his role from the film. I wasn't wild about the original film, but I think this series could be more interesting. That being said, it will certainly fall into the familiar trap of case of theAdaptations of movies are tricky, and in some ways "Limitless" falls into that trap. It has to do a lot to build the concept and world, then makes a hard pivot and introduces Bradley Cooper reprising his role from the film. I wasn't wild about the original film, but I think this series could be more interesting. That being said, it will certainly fall into the familiar trap of case of the week action. That's not a bad thing, but it's not the most original concept. That said, I liked the cast and was pleasantly surprised with the pilot.… Expand
  4. MatthewWinston
    Oct 7, 2015
    5
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Limitless, an excellent movie, an excellent premise, a show with great potential... if... they would actually have him be smarter than the audience, and smarter than those around him.

    My experience of watching Limitless is that its "Awfully... Good". Three episodes in, and I both enjoy the overall show, yet cringe every 3-5 minutes. If Brian Finch is the "smartest man in the room" while on NZT, then why are other people pointing things out to him that he didn't think of?

    The writers need to consider the implications of his choices, as he would, not as they would. The audience must not be able to see pit falls before Brain does. The rest of the cast must rarely be able to as well.

    In season 1 episode 3 Brian, on the way to work while on NZT, meets his x-girlfriend from 3 years prior. To an average person meeting an X, while single, while "on top of your game", when they left you at "the bottom of your game" is a great opportunity. Right? No. Not Really. Sure there's a bit of ego gratification in the "I can win back what I lost" game.
    If your intellect was "limitless" you would be kind and generous, but would not likely try to rekindle an old relationship. Why statistics, and realism.

    Brian Finch isn't a different person, and is smart enough to know he's not a different person. When I watched the seen I immediately thought, would I be interested in a relationship where the person was attracted to me only at my best? It was obvious to me (not as smart as he's supposed to be) that there was an NZT based fling possible, yet it would be cruel and pointless. It was equally obvious to me (not as smart as he's supposed to be) that an actual relationship would not work as she's attracted to Brian on NZT. SO hes attractive when at work, and average on evenings and weekends, which are the time she would get to see him.

    The larger issue is that this occurred to me (not as smart as he's supposed to be) while he was chatting her up on the train. It never occurred to Brian. Instead, once he had made a date with her for 9PM, after the NZT wears off, "Mike" one of his assigned agents had to point it out to him. Now "Mike" is not on NZT, so what happened?

    In season 1 episode 2 a similar thing happens where he plays trivial pursuit with his family. Instead of just winning, he destroys them. Smartest man in the room? First, he would have been able to anticipate the various outcomes of "performing well", "winning", or "being a jerk and sticking it in there face just how smart he was." The result would be a tempering of his behavior due to discretion. Second, his perception is suppose to be very heightened. Even if he hadn't anticipated it he would have quickly perceived the shift from "fun, joy and play" to "annoyance, boredom, and frustration". Its called being a good sport. Its not some rare phenomenon. Hasn't he ever had his face rubbed in someone else success.

    The audience must not be able to feel smug about the situation. The idea that he is smart but we are wise and experienced, is a poor excuse. If he was between the ages of 8 and 13 it would be more believable that he had zero social or emotional intelligence. Yet how quickly could he study that.

    Wait didn't he read an article in "Psy Today" on Emotional Intelligence, while waiting in the dentists office...

    Thank YOU, Its so much easier to criticize than create. My feedback is an expression of support.
    Great show. Please fix it.    … Expand
  5. Spleens
    Oct 26, 2017
    4
    The show has great promise, but it's lightheartedness is taken too far to the point of being cartoonish. The main character is typecasted as an art+craft stoner that thinks everything is a joke, and the shows maint content presumes the viewer is intellectually incompetent.
  6. MushroomTip
    Oct 10, 2015
    4
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. I'm a big fan of the movie, but the tv show doesn't do justice to it. The appeal of the movie for me was that a person can overcome any obstacle in their way and rise to great heights. After watching the first three episodes, Brian is very limited. As other reviewers have stated he misses the obvious (9pm date after NZT wears off, stoking suspicions in his father after owning his family in trivial pursuit, the surprise home visit from the nurse). Worst of all, at the end of the third episode he's now Colin Salmon's **** Things just seem to happen to Brian, he anticipates very little. He's also the FBI's **** since they control his NZT supply. How hard can it be to get NZT? Others who are far less intelligent are getting it. Wouldn't it be an easy matter to hack the FBI's network to locate their supplier and divert some? And on a side note, why can't he remember anything he learned after the NZT wears off? I can accept that he might forget most of it, but he literally goes back to being dumb as dirt. With Bradley Cooper's character we saw personal progression. I also don't like that they wrote him in as a class clown. This dude has the potential to run the FBI, not be their court jester. This show is basically iZombie with a pill instead of brains.… Expand
  7. JadR
    Jul 3, 2017
    4
    This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Average with significant evidence of lazy writing, couldn't make it past the middle of Episode 3...I just really wanted this show to be good. The idea has so much potential. The whole Genghis Khan dominant trait plot direction is full of problems. If as mentioned 1/200 people share this trait, then 0.5% of the population that contracts this cold will have a stroke - logically a lot more than 3 people given the density of the urban setting. Second, and this may seem like nitpicking but this was the nail in the coffin for me, the red Porsche in the Garage (in Episode 2) is a 356C whose last year of manufacture was in 1965, when the 911 came out. It is neither a 911, nor a 1975 as stated rather clearly - all credibility was lost in an instant given the importance of that scene in uncovering Taurus - no Porsche Parts? What do you know about Porsche parts? Credibility lost. For a show heavily banking on intelligent writing, they need to find some intelligent writers and/or eradicate the obvious presence of Groupthink.… Expand

Awards & Rankings

27
#27 Most Discussed TV Season of 2015
44
#44 Most Shared TV Season of 2015

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
57

Mixed or average reviews - based on 30 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 12 out of 30
  2. Mixed: 16 out of 30
  3. Negative: 2 out of 30
  1. The Salt Lake Tribune
    Reviewed by: Scott D. Pierce
    Sep 25, 2015
    50
    It's hard to judge where Limitless is going based on the premiere, which takes the hour setting up the premise. But CBS has had so much success with procedural crime dramas, don't discount the possibility that this one could turn into the latest in a long line of hits.
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  2. The Atlantic
    Reviewed by: David Sims
    Sep 25, 2015
    40
    Like many CBS dramas, Limitless is made with aggressive competence.... But there’s a depressing lack of originality to Limitless, which quickly positions itself as a dull cop show despite its wackier sci-fi origins.
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  3. We Got This Covered
    Reviewed by: Mitchel Broussard
    Sep 23, 2015
    70
    Although we’re far from seeing how well this will all play out, there’s enough mystery laid down--who created NZT? How does Rebecca’s dad play into this? Can Bradley Cooper stick around, please?--that the future of the show has true potential, perhaps the most of any drama series so far this season.
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