Anna Pigeon Is Compelling Right From the Start

Tracy Spiridakos was one of, if not the best, additions to NBC’s Chicago P.D., and her exit is still one that impacts the show’s current appeal. As an actress, the magnetism she possesses is so admirable that it makes wanting to see her in more shows and movies an effortless desire on our part. That’s why, when USA’s Anna Pigeon was first announced, it was a no-brainer that I’d check it out, and really, I should’ve known right from the casting that it’d be enticing.

For starters, when a show is titled after its main character, we have to care about that person, even if we might not always like them. It’s not an easy weight to carry, nor is it one that every actor can bear for a character, but within a few minutes of her introduction, it’s clear that Anna is someone worth following on every adventure.

Anna Pigeon Is a Character Worth Investing In

I’m a simple person, someone adopts a cat by the end of a show or a movie, and immediately, I’ll follow that person everywhere. The way we treat other people says a lot about us, but at the same time, the way we treat animals might even say a bit more. And in its pilot episode, appropriately titled “Track of the Cat,” Anna’s empathy is her greatest strength. The humanity and care she wears as part of her armor is exactly what makes her the kind of person you’d imagine as a park ranger, and I know Parks and Recreation’s Leslie Knope would agree that it says everything.

In setting the stage for what’ll surely be a series that revolves closely around character motives and the art of preservation, Anna Pigeon Episode 1 makes a clear statement about why it’s important to hear people out. On countless occasions where the character could’ve brushed something aside or jumped to conclusions, instead, she slows down. Takes a beat. And in that, she shows us exactly who she is.

The series does something riveting by introducing us to two dead characters in the episode. One of them being the kickstarter of the story, Sheila, played by Afton Rentz, and the second, Anna’s late husband, Zach, played by Jordan Sledz. In the way that we understand Anna knew both these characters, including the detail that she could tell Sheila had a crush on another ranger, Christina, showcases her willingness to keep people close, even while she’d clearly rather be left alone. The episode makes it unmistakable that there’s still much we have to learn about her, but the small ways it immediately fleshes out her character are no small feat.

It’s not every procedural that makes it easy to invest in a character from the beginning, and the last one to do this was ABC’s High Potential, with its lead, Kaitlin Olson’s Morgan Gillory. And while Anna Pigeon is based on Nevada Barr’s books and there’s groundwork there, it doesn’t change the fact that in order for a character journey to work, the actress at the helm has to be right for the role. It’s the only way that all the layers and unseen exposition will come to life brilliantly, and it’s already happening in Anna Pigeon Episode 1 because of Spiridakos.

While this is just the beginning, it’s compelling enough to keep me riveted. It’s easy to not only want more of Anna, but some of the other park rangers as well. There’s a lot to invest in where characters are concerned, like Zoey Bear Child, played by Paulina Alexis; Fredrick, played by Ronnie Rowe; Tricia Helfer as Molly Pigeon, and those we’ll meet later. The series gives us enough in its pilot episode to care about what’ll happen, and in a day and age where there’s very little respect for the environment around us, I’m all for a series that not only centers the parks again, but is full of women.

There’s something special here. From the characters to the setting and the dialogue, we’re in for a real treat with upcoming episodes.

Anna Pigeon Episode 1 is currently streaming on the USA YouTube Channel. If you’ve watched, let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
First Featured Image Credit: Michelle Faye/USA Network © VERSANT MEDIA 2025.