Alaska Daily: What’s working. What’s Not.

Alaska Daily may be the biggest head scratcher of the season. How do you get Hilary Swank as a seasoned reporter out to solve a series of murders wrong? Still, show runners and ABC are giving it their best shot as the show currently sits on an extended winter break following low ratings that have failed to capitalize off of a valuable prime time lead in.

Hilary Swank is still on payroll: Eileen Fitzgerald may be one of the most unlikable protagonists on prime time television since Eric Cartman. But we’ve still got Swank showing up for work and there is always a chance if they can tweak a few things.

Excellent villains: While Eileen gives them a run for their money, the atrocious bad guys are still plenty worthy of taking a hard fall. The corrupt chief. The corrupt state attorney. And especially our woman hating stalker all have it coming. Sadly, the show took down the first two off screen. Where is our satisfaction?

What’s not working?:

Everyone else on the cast: The way Eileen treats her co workers is the way I want to treat this cast. I would carve out a small exception for Claire, played by Meredith Holzman, the only one who manages to be a believable journalist while not making the profession look detestable. Everyone else needs work.

Unbearable preaching: We get it. Local journalism is important. But every week I have to listen to Stanley or Bob telling me to be ethical while their best reporter is making out with the publisher is not a fun experience. Stop telling me how important you are and start showing me.

ABC is treating it like Alaska Yesterday: Why is this show on break for three months, ABC? Alaska Daily was already struggling to find its footing but we got an unexplained pause for a 15 year old movie (Enchanted) and then one new show before throwing it on the shelf for three months. All of this while it’s opposite of NFL football. Not good.

Alaska Daily can be fixed. If it wasn’t I would have “Promised Land” it weeks back. But feature your two time Oscar winner more. “Let her cook” like the kids say. Educate us on the good work reporters do by directly portraying it on screen. Bad guys behind bars. Changes that visibly improve a community. Watchdog work that doesn’t sound like extortion.