The tough thing about having a reboot with none of the original actors is that it loses its appeal somewhat to viewers that are expecting the same punch in terms of acting and action. The other difficult thing to produce is the same feel of a movie in a TV series. But that's where the expectations really differ and should be taken into account. Different actors take over and those who are really looking for a character, or interpretation of a character, similar to Jackie Chan or Chris Tucker's style are going to feel like there's something missing when these elements are tweaked (probably more so for Lee's character than Carter's in terms of style). That does not make this bad, just different.
In terms of the TV series packing that similar punch to the movies, they're trying to build a story over an extended period of time. It will not produce the same instantaneous payoff as a movie, which still doesn't make it bad. I'm pretty sure the budget isn't as large as the movies ($33 million, estimated for the original Rush Hour) but that honestly doesn't seem to stop them from including some good fight scenes, chases and developing relationships between the characters.
I read in another review that someone found Jon Foo (Lee's actor) to be slow and sluggish. I'll let the pilot speak for itself, as I would say much to the contrary. He proves to be agile and an interesting martial artist. In terms of comedic timing and chemistry, I actually found there to be a lot to enjoy. Similar to the movies, Lee is mostly the stoic, by- the-book character, and Carter is the louder, bolder, break-the-rules- when-necessary foil. I think the rambunctious quick wittedness of Carter/Hires' character and Lee/Foo's deadpan delivery really complement each other. I mean p.c. or not p.c., this is still the similar east meets west, funny, action-packed (maybe not as much as the movies but still good) Rush Hour that I knew and loved. Whether, as another user mentioned in their review, they need to move into the 21st century and take into consideration the more conservative approach to comedy for television regarding race, bear in mind that other successful television shows actually use race and stereotypes as part of their formula (such as Blackish) and find a way to open a conversation and make it funny. In Rush Hour, despite all of these stereotypes you see (which honestly are a nod to the original movies, references peppered throughout) they still show the relationship between two polar opposites in terms of culture and personality (like the original Rush Hour movies) and that they overcome and are able to cultivate a bond based on mutual respect and friendship.
Lastly, these actors are working really hard to make a fun show for us. So to all of the cast and crew who made this series possible, keep going! There are fans out there who appreciate the work you're putting into making this series!
