Television Review: the American Embassy
A Vice Consul in London, Growing Up Quickly
New York Times, March 11, 2002

By Jule Salamon

Upon hearing about ''The American Embassy,'' yet another television series about yet another government entity, you might think: What next? The Bureau of Engraving and Printing? Department of Agriculture? Federal Trade Commission? Clearly, programmers sense a desire for reassurance (not always confirmed by reality) that federal institutions are run by generally competent and honorable people trying to do the right thing. Fox, having already scored with ''24,'' its smart C.I.A. drama, is again capitalizing on that urge with another smart, stylish and compelling series.

The appealing Arija Bareikis is Emma Brody, a bright new vice consul at the United States Embassy in London. Emma left her home in Toledo, Ohio, and law school to take the London job after she caught her fiancé cheating on her. Her main motivation was to escape him and her mother, whose twin ambitions for her 29-year-old daughter are that she be a ''good girl'' and a married one -- in Toledo. But by the haunting end of the first episode, an act of terrorism eclipses Emma's problems, and she becomes deadly aware of how serious her work is.

The show beautifully captures how instantly her private anxiety becomes global, a sensation that feels intensely familiar these days. Beginning with a voice-over narration by Ms. Bareikis and an elegantly filmed dream image, the show's creator, James Parriott, immediately establishes an engaging tone for his heroine. She's running through the woods, in the snow, in a lavender sweatsuit: a splotch of color in a white and gray landscape. Describing the dream, Emma says, ''I don't know if I'm running to something or from something.''

With a series of cleverly edited scenes, Mr. Parriott lets his audience know who Emma is. But it is Ms. Bareikis who will make viewers especially happy that Emma is subbing for Ally McBeal, whose spot ''The American Embassy'' is holding through April 8. Ms. Bareikis's Emma could be this generation's Doris Day -- another deceptively fresh-faced and perky girl from Ohio -- comfortable wearing a baseball cap or an elegant chignon, but too smart not to be racked with anxiety. Writing an e-mail message to her sister, she says: ''There's a direct correlation between temptation, humiliation and self-doubt. More on that later.'' (It's not surprising to discover that Ms. Bareikis, despite her exotic name, is herself a product of both Bloomington, Ind., and Stanford. The brainy blond wholesomeness has authentic roots.)

In the first two episodes, made available for preview, the show quickly develops a comfortable rhythm and lively visual approach, and it should do wonders for tourism to London, which looks both stately and sparkling. That doesn't mean the show doesn't rely on standard devices. Like its bureaucratic cousins on television, the embassy has an abundance of distinctive personalities, forever enmeshed in amusing, embarrassing or traumatic situations. Emma embarks on a serious flirtation with a handsome C.I.A. officer (David Cubitt) before her plane has even landed in London. In short order, more adorable men -- with British accents and without -- stumble across her path, paving the way for future entanglements. Yes, it's television, but not necessarily predictable and often quite moving and endearing.

Emma's inaugural duty involves dealing with an American citizen who wants to return home but doesn't have any money. Hoping to be deported, he takes his clothes off and sits in the embassy rotunda, in full view of a visiting school group (but in only partial view of the television audience). By now, nudity has become a routine gimmick, and it seems more so when it becomes apparent that the nude man is played by David Eigenberg of ''Sex in the City'' (father of Miranda's child). Yet neither the man nor Emma's dealings with him are reduced to a snickering punch line. Far from it.

In the same way, her friendship with the transvestite next door (Michael Cerveris) embraces the cliché that a transvestite is a girl's best friend. Yet the characters are drawn and played with such sensitivity that the embrace feels genuine and affecting.

''The American Embassy'' also satisfies one of the requirements of the government office genre. It offers a satisfying show business version of how things work. No dull paperwork here, just human problems of the heart-wrenching or funny or tragic variety. The mainly young vice consuls deal with tourists who forget to drive on the British side of the road; with children whose parents have stolen them in custody fights; with naked adventurers, animal rights protesters and terrorists.

In the second episode, Emma confronts a situation that has become all too realistic. A young Algerian man wants a student visa to enter the United States. He seems both credible and suspicious, and Emma's superiors leave the decision to her. Agree or quibble with the outcome, it's a riveting moment in this promising new series.

THE AMERICAN EMBASSY
Fox, tonight at 9

James Parriott, creator and executive producer; John Landgraf, Danny DeVito, Shamberg Sher and Stacey Sher, executive producers. Produced by Jersey Television.

WITH: Arija Bareikis (Emma Brody), Jonathan Adams (Elque Polk), Helen Carey (Janet Westerman), Davenia McFadden (Carmen Jones), Reiko Aylesworth (Liz Shoop), Michael Cerveris (Gary Forbush), David Cubitt (Doug Roach), Jonathan Cake (Jack Wellington) and Nicholas Irons (James Wellington).

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