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TV Show Review: ‘Traveler,’ 3 stars

It’s an odd path TV shows travel these days.

Take ABC’s “Traveler “, which was expected for fall, was pushed back to midseason, and is now being shoved into summer. And as an added twist in the road, ABC has ordered only eight episodes — which is generally the network’s way of saying “don’t get attached.”

It’s possible that the fast failures of such serials as “The Nine,” “Vanished,” “Kidnapped,” “Smith” and “Six Degrees” caused ABC to lose faith in the form. It’s also possible, or even likely, that ABC isn’t thrilled with the direction the show itself takes after tonight’s pilot, which would explain why ABC has kept the rest of the episodes to itself.

Taken together, that’s worrisome news for viewers, who have been reluctant to commit to serialized stories unless they’re certain the show will be around long enough to wrap the story up.

Whatever its future problems may be, “Traveler’s” present is fairly bright. Arriving with a sneak preview tonight before beginning its hot-weather run May 30, the show seems faster, brighter and more entertaining than most of the serials that beat it to the punch this fall.

Created by “Eight Below’s” David DiGilio, “Traveler” marries current fears of terrorism to a sturdy old scenario: the innocent dupe caught up in a vast crime conspiracy. Think of multiple Hitchcock movies from “The 39 Steps” to “North by Northwest “; all that’s missing is the cool blonde.

This time the dupes are Jay and Tyler (agreeably played by Matthew Bomer and Logan Marshall-Green), college kids visiting New York with their best friend, Will Traveler (Aaron Stanford).

Will may not be all he seems, however, and Jay and Tyler find themselves framed for a bombing that appears to be Will’s doing. Their “Fugitive” goal is now to evade capture long enough to figure out who framed them and why.

Though it’s a standard setup, “Traveler” avoids many equally standard missteps. Jay wants to go to the police, which is only sensible, but he is scared off when he realizes that the current climate could prevent him from getting a fair hearing. The FBI agents on the case, blessedly, are neither stupid nor criminally insane — though given the history of these shows, that could change by Episode 2.

The show even makes note of something 24 might want to incorporate one of these days: the way a terrorist attack disrupts the normal workings of a city.

True, it would be nice if the plot signs weren’t all pointing toward yet another vast military/government/industrial complex conspiracy. And it would be easier to have faith in the show if the network were showing a bit more faith itself. Still, it’s only a handful of episodes, running at a time of year when the networks don’t have much else new to offer.

That may not make you beat a path to “Traveler’s” door, but you may want to amble by if it’s on your way.

ABC, Thursday, 10 ET/PT