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| TV Rampage - Television Reviews |
A critical look at some recent television shows.
Justified
Justified has been must-see television for six straight seasons.
And the main setting is Kentucky, a definite plus. U.S. Marshal Raylan Givens
takes his place with Matt Dillon, Andy Taylor, Steve McGarret and Andy Sipowicz
as one of TV’s most treasured lawmen. Always quality TV, the show never took a misstep.
The recent series finale was one of the best finales I’ve ever seen. There was
an Old West-style gun duel, getaways and captures, and a wonderful face-to-face
confrontation between Raylan and villain Boyd Crowder. Everyone’s
story was wrapped up beautifully and believably, and incredibly (slight
spoiler) no series regulars were killed. With as many bullets as were flying
around that show, that’s nearly impossible. In addition, the producers knew
when to wrap things up, when the show was still at its creative peak. Season 2
was best, with Margo Martindale’s Emmy-winning performance as Mags Bennett,
matriarch of a Harlan crime family. I’ll miss the show, but will follow closely
what the writers and producers do next.
Rating: ***** out of 5 stars
The Missing
(Starz)
This miniseries is one of the best of last year. A British couple and
their young son are on holiday in France. Their car breaks down in a small
provincial town, which forces them to spend a few days waiting for repairs.
When their son disappears from a town celebration, parents Tony (James Nesbitt)
and Emily (Frances O’Connor) Hughes tear up the town, and their lives, looking
for him.
What follows is the dissolution of a marriage and the destruction of
two likeable people trapped in a parent’s worst nightmare. Flashing back and
forth between present day and eight years ago, when the disappearance took
place, The Missing tells the story of
two people who wouldn’t give up the search for their missing son. Until one did,
and the other slid into the madness of obsession. James Nesbitt has become one
of my favorite actors, with an incredible range of characters. As Tony, he
lights up the screen with his highs, as he discovers a new lead or torn photo
that may be important. He makes the screen shudder with his lows as he is led
to one maddening dead end after another. He is assisted by the French police, mostly by a
French detective named Julien who specializes in finding missing children. Each
episode shows a bit more of the story of the disappearance eight years ago and
a present day lead Tony has found that may lead to the boy. There is so much
suspense built up by the final episode it’s almost as if a real child went
missing and viewers are going to learn his fate.
The Missing features a fascinating story, real characters and a tension factor of 10. Highly recommended, but be
warned; it will suck you in like few other shows. And the ending will shock you
to the core.
Rating: ***** out of 5 stars
The Honorable Woman (Sundance TV)
I
am amazed by any show that tackles Middle Eastern politics, while still making
them clear enough to understand and not getting bogged down or lost in them.
Maggie
Gyllenhall stars as Nessa Stein, the matriarch of a company supplying fiber
optic cable to Middle Eastern countries to get everyone connected to the web.
To get her construction contracts, she has to maneuver around endless
minefields and disparate agendas. She thinks she has everyone pegged and can
play the politics game, but has woefully underestimated both her competitors and her opponents. When
she and her interpreter are kidnapped and held by terrorists, she becomes
involved in a plot that will involve the entire Middle East, the United States
and spies from every nearby country.
The plot to this show is complex, but easy
to understand if you pay attention. It unfolds like an onion and viewers can
enjoy each delicious part. Gyllenhall is terrific as Nessa, a strong,
intelligent woman who just wants peace and understanding. The Honorable Woman shows just how challenging that is when you
deal with citizens, leaders and politicians who are all working for their own
political agendas. Excellent.
Rating: ***** out of 5 stars
The Comedians (FX)
On
The Comedians, Billy Crystal and
Josh Gad play, well, comedians who do a late-night comedy sketch show. The show
is based on the Swedish series Ulveson and Herngren. Both actors are playing versions of themselves, with
Crystal’s imaginary wife being portrayed by Dana Delany. That’s definitely who
I’d have playing my wife if I were making the show. If Charisma Carpenter were
busy.
Crystal plays the older “superstar” comedian, continually flummoxed by
Gad’s younger actor who also sings and dances. Gad constantly brags about being
in Frozen, “the biggest animated
movie of all time,” as Crystal rolls his eyes. They constantly find ways to
drive each other crazy.
The Comedians offers some laughs, and the actors are
totally game for mocking their own images and exaggerated quirks. But it really
isn’t enough. The jokes aren’t funny enough, nor the writing sharp enough, to
stand out from the crowd of mediocre comedies on TV. It’s good, just not great.
Rating: *** out of 5 stars
Married at First Sight (FYI)
Shhhhhh. Please don’t tell
anyone I watch a reality show, okay? Good; our little secret. Fact is, I’m
addicted to Married at First Sight.
It’s like a train wreck, I just can’t look away.
Being into history, the idea
of arranged marriages has always fascinated me. I’ve read that arranged
marriages throughout history have been successful around the same as love
matches; around 50% of the time. On the show, therapists match two people who
have never met and they get married, sight unseen, meeting at the altar as they
say “I do.” There have been two seasons so far, each featuring three separate
couples. They go on a honeymoon, then live together for six weeks. At the end
of that time, they decide if they want to stay married or get divorced. A real
divorce. In the first season, two out of the three couples stayed together, and
as far as I know are still married. This year three more couples tied the knot. The show is in the middle of its second season, so I’m not sure what the current couples will decide. Two of the three seem to be getting along fine.
It’s funny
to be a voyeur as the couples first meet at the altar. Two out of the six
couples so far have been repulsed by the other physically—that is the woman has
not been attracted to the man. All the women chosen have been extremely
attractive; the men have varied from male model to average. It’s also funny
that the two brides who weren’t attracted to the groom at first now have the
strongest relationships. They were forced to overlook the lack of attraction
because they were actually married, and it has resulted in getting to know the
person as a person, and because of that they have forged strong relationships.
The
three present couples are fascinating to watch. It looks like one couple will
be happy and make it, another has misfiring communications but seem to like
each other, and the last are two hot tempered people who can’t communicate and have
formed a genuine and healthy dislike for each other. The male in that couple
comes off as a real jerk. It’s hard to say for sure because at the end of the
day this is a reality show; which is to say nothing about it is real. Are the
producers editing the show for drama? Of course they are. Are they editing to
make “good guys” and “bad guys?” I don’t think so, but it’s hard to say for
sure. I believe the general premise and that the couples either stay together
or not, but who knows if their struggles and miscommunications are real or just
directed and edited by the producers? Still the journey, real or not, is
riveting television. Just don’t tell anyone I tune in though, okay?
Rating:
****½ out of 5 stars
