National Treasure: Edge of History
Based on (continuation of): 2004 National Treasure movie (dir. by Jon Turteltaub) and its sequel
Created by: Cormac & Marianne Wibberley
Edge of History was a joy to watch from beginning to end.
Although its relation to the original movies is distant at best, I would argue that Edge of History doesn't need that qualification. It establishes itself as independent and shines bright without the "National Treasure" part of its title.
The series is about Jess, a young woman who learns she is a descendant of the Daughters of the Plumed Serpent, a group of women who hid treasures from the Spanish Inquisition. Upon learning this heritage, she becomes swept up in an international hunt protecting cultural artifacts from millionaire treasure hunter Billie. Along the way, she discovers her father is alive--and imprisoned in Mexico--and that he's also holding secrets of the Plumed Serpent.
The show excels in all areas, but what it does best is creating a chosen family of the ensemble cast. While there's some romance drama and hurt feelings along the way, it never impedes on the sense of loyalty. This sense of togetherness is the foundation that keeps the story and its characters strong as locations change, missions change, and loyalties are questioned. It's also the foundational strength Jess has against Billie who, while rich, lacks that sense of family and allies. The group of friends/roommates/romantic partners comprised of five very different young adults who all held different personalities, skillsets, and energy levels, making them an exciting and dynamic group capable of accomplishing impressive feats with their skills combined. They were also racially diverse, which was pleasant.
The only weakness I would say the show has is its distance from the National Treasure movies. It's purported by Disney to be a continuation, but honestly, I don't really see that. The movies focused on the Gates family, clearing their name, and most importantly, the history of America as a nation and its founding fathers. Edge of History departs from all of these with no inclusion of the Gates family and a switch from the history of America's founding to Latin American/Mayan history. None of this impeded the story itself, but it made me question the connection the series claims to the movies, and this disconnect also probably lost many of the original fans. I suspect this was a major reason why Edge of History didn't gain a strong following and was ultimately canceled so early.
Another weak point was how much most of the series kept within the city of their origin. This made sense considering the focus on young adult without significant means, but the opening credits--an adventurous melody panning over a map of South American ruins--along with the association with the National Treasure movies both suggest a plot that moves around between historically significant sites around America. Instead, most of their adventures center around escaping kidnappings, exposing Billie's illegal shenanigans, tracking down clues about the Plumed Serpent within their city, and infiltrating museums or socialite parties. Again, all of this was great fun to watch on its own, but might leave something to be desired among fans of the original.
In conclusion, Edge of History is a worthy series that more than deserved to continue. Great actors, great group dynamics, wholesome relationships that grow and develop, and an interesting plotline with Jess' family made for a story that kept my attention the whole way. Viewed from outside the shadow of National Treasure, the series shines bright and deserves more attention than it got.
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