Crashdown.com’s B+T Pilot Review
Edited by Tina
The TV camp for grown ups aka ATX Television Festival in Austin Texas was the perfect place to premiere a pilot that is not only a heartfelt project of co-creators Majandra Delfino and Brendan Fehr it was supported and fought for by fans.
The Beginning
It all started with a promo photo of the new paranormal duo in leather in front of the infamous rock formation that played a big role in Roswell and it led to a fast-paced, mystery-driven, easter-egg filled, feel-good episode, which hopefully serves as a door opener for much more time with those characters on screen.
Fans of the actors grew up to be adults with them and are definitely ready for this non-teenish sci-fi experience that combines original unique nostalgia with an all new mystery.
The first promo for “Baron And Toluca” showed that the chemistry between the main characters is as sizzling as the heat in the New Mexico desert, and it definitely made fans thirsty for more. The second promo went one step further, hinting at the paranormal power that our two characters are facing and setting our minds racing at warp speed in order to figure out what exactly it is that’s going on.
Both times we’ve seen them together it promised a great battle of words, candy chemistry and it left viewers craving for more.
After watching the pilot, we can say:
The good news: The wait and the fight was worth it.
The bad news: again, they left viewers craving for more.
Can we have a premiere date of a full season please?
When you watch the pilot, you notice that the two promos that were released before are stand alone mini episodes, but of course things overlap like the mysterious disappearances we’ve witnessed in promo number two.
We meet Toluca Mendez and Jake Baron in their everyday life struggles after their success and lost fame as actors on the now forgotten cheesy 90’s cult hit “Alien Advocates”, a sci-fi show with X-Files vibes. Their former show and an invite to a “second rate Comic Con” – they both can need the money – brings them back together and we weren’t that wrong that a triangle plays a part in this little mystery.
Jake and Toluca stand out against each other to avoid spending time together or even sharing a car seems to be a horror for those former lovers, but they are ”forced to work together because their life depends on it, and they couldn’t be more annoyed by that”, said Majandra in the Entertainment Weekly interview they both gave after their project was revealed and it was amazing to see this coming to screen.
The pilot is inviting audiences to join Jake Baron and Toluca Mendez on their journey as a X-Files-y paranormal team and while there are many Roswell easter eggs and sci-fi references hidden this will clearly be a show for everyone who loves a good mystery.
In over 60 minutes, viewers get a look at their past as a couple and a preview of Jake and Toluca as Agents with quite familiar names – hello easter eggs [watch a deleted scene on YouTube now!] – and of course their love hate relationship in the present while they are trying to save themselves and the planet – that is if they don’t kill each other first.
Without ruining the watch experience:
Yes. We can confirm that familiar faces show up on screen literally and digitally. One indicates a major role in the mystery and another cameo in a continuation of upcoming episodes. Other sci-fi references and Easter eggs are perfectly placed for you to discover during your watch and many rewatches once it is available for all the fans who can not wait to finally watch it.
The cherry on top for many fans who supported the Indiegogo fund of the pilot episode with gracious donations and made it in the episode as extras or even with speaking roles and due to social media and friendships made because of the community you could even recognize a few of them. By the way… you all did a great job!
Relatives of Majandra and Brendan were also acting in their heartfelt project. All we will reveal is that Majandra’s husband shared the screen with her. We learned that David Walton is a cast member when he was originally announced to show up as a panelist in Austin, but we won’t give away his role on the show.
Snooki, who is a big Roswell fan and asked the “Do you believe in aliens?” question at the Roswell Reunion panel at the 15th Anniversary and was on the Panel at the ATX TV Festival in Austin, Texas in 2014 got a chance to act in the Pilot as well.
The pilot episode with a special festival soundtrack features a good amount of music. The next screening of the pilot might bring an all new music experience since some songs had a special license for this festival screening. [Here’s a little goodie: We made a list of all songs we identified on Spotify. Check it out here: BARON + TOLUCA: ATX Festival Soundmix]
Once B+T are on the road with that shiny motorcycle you’ve seen in the promotional poster you would like to follow them and their journey to unveil the paranormal mystery that can be deadly.
No spoilers, but … three things we liked and didn’t like.
Things We Loved & Hated
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… this time, it’s not Baron walking down a street with a 285 street sign
… scenes play at the Roswell High school and the UFO Museum
… there’s a hello to the Dans easter egg–
… no appearance of the beloved Hot Dog shirt
… no theme song or opening credits, but hey it’s the Pilot
… 78 minutes… not enough
Keep up the excitement and enjoy your first watch of the B+T pilot and if you have the chance to watch it, please be sure to share your opinions with us @crashdowncom and @bandtfans. If you are living in Europe, don’t miss the chance to attend the international premiere in Paris.
Read Laura’s review here and please share your ATX TV Festival experiences with us! Make contact @crashdowncom on social media or e-mail us: crashdowncom@gmail.com! Thank you!