Carrie Wells (Poppy Montgomery) is a former Syracuse police detective with a rare medical condition called hyperthymesia, which makes her memory so good that every place she’s ever been, conversation she’s ever had and every person she’s ever met, are forever embedded in her mind. It’s not just that she doesn’t forget anything—she can’t forget anything, expect the one tragic event years earlier that she wants to remember most: the day her sister was murdered.

Now living in New York City, Carrie volunteers at the nursing home where her mother (Deanna Dunagan), suffering from early onset Alzheimer’s, resides. Carrie makes her living using her extraordinary memory to cheat during illegal card games. Things change when a gruesome murder occurs outside Carrie’s building and she is contacted by her former boyfriend and partner, Lt. Al Burns (Dylan Walsh) for help in solving the case. She decides to join Al at Queens Homicide and that decision allows her to further investigate her sister’s murder. Al and Carrie are joined in the homicide division by Det. Mike Costello (Michael Gaston) who is an all around helpful guy, cheerful junior detective Roe Sanders (Kevin Rankin), street-smart Det. Nina Inara (Daya Vaidya) and late in the season, television veteran Jane Curtin comes aboard as tetchy medical examiner Dr. Joanne Webster. Make no mistake though; Carrie is the focal point here, as her amazing memory allows her to solve every case. The others—Al included—are pretty much around to do any of the necessary legwork.

UnforgettableCarrie’s personal relationship with Al is an important element of the series. It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that she an Al will be sleeping together again. From the start, we’re privy to flashbacks of their relationship featuring a scantily clad Carrie. While Montgomery and Walsh don’t ooze chemistry, they work. It will be interesting to see what develops for them as a couple/partnership during the second season.

Created by Ed Redlich (who worked with Montgomery on the earlier series, Without A Trace) and developed by John Bellucci, the series is based on the J. Robert Lennon short story, “The Rememberer.” The pilot, helmed by Niels Arden Oplev (who directed the Swedish version of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, does a good job of explaining what exactly medical condition is, how her incredible memory works and how it affects her daily life. Clearly, it’s not as fun as one might initially believe.

The cases themselves tend to be rather formulaic, with Carrie using her memory at the last moment. The neatest thing about the show is the hyperthymesia, watching Carrie observe herself in the past is pretty cool. There’s just something fascinating about someone who can remember everything.  Combine that with Poppy Montgomery’s undeniable likability and Unforgettable manages to rise above the numerous procedurals that air on CBS.

For all its strengths, the supporting cast is a bit hit-and-miss. Michael Gaston is excellent as a veteran cop who wants to get the job done, but I just don’t buy Kevin Rankin as a cop and Vaidya’s character really isn’t given enough to do to care about. Now, Unforgettable was originally canceled after the first season and later given a second season. Apparently, many of the supporting cast have been replaced and won’t be returning. If that’s the case, it will be interesting to see how Unforgettable has changed when it premieres on July 28th.

The first season DVD set has all 22 episodes on six discs. It also includes commentaries on the season premiere and finale, deleted scenes, a gag reel, and featurettes on the cast, crew, production design and real-life rememberers.