Article first published as CHANCE Review on Seat42F.
Stop me if you’ve heard this one before.
Hugh Laurie stars as the troubled titular doctor in a series where he
struggles to help people others cannot. No, House is not back, although I
miss that show. This is a new Hulu
series called CHANCE, premiering this week, and it’s actually nothing
like Laurie’s previous program (other than that it gives the actor a
chance to show just how good he is).
As CHANCE begins, Dr. Eldon Chance
(Laurie) is going through a divorce with his wife, Christina (Diane
Farr, Numb3rs), not getting along with his daughter, Nicole (Stefania
LaVie Owen, The Carrie Diaries), and facing financial ruin to the point
where he’s considering selling antique furniture that he loves. If that
wasn’t enough, he also feels like he’s failing his patients, who we see
in a series of flashbacks, especially Jaclyn (Gretchen Mol, Boardwalk
Empire).
To be fair, it’s not like Dr. Chance
has much time to help the ailing sent to him. He’s merely an evaluator,
someone who meets with a person once, and then refers them to another
doctor for help. He doesn’t personally treat them. But he can’t stop
himself from following up to find out what happens to them, and he takes
to heart some of the tragedies that befall.
This sympathetic man is soft-spoken, but
not weak. He cares deeply, yet has trouble making relationships work.
He is professional, except when he isn’t, and even then, usually with
noble intentions. He is complex, but enjoys simple pleasures. He is
cultured, but is all right with going to places most men like him would
avoid, and doesn’t automatically judge or dismiss criminals. A lot more
is going on in his mind than what plays across his face.
All of this makes Laurie an excellent
candidate for this vehicle. Don’t get me wrong; the entire cast, which
also includes Lisa Gay Hamilton (The Practice), Greta Lee (Inside Amy
Schumer), Paul Adelstein (Private Practice), Ethan Suplee (My Name Is
Earl), and Clarke Peters (Treme, The Wire), is great. But CHANCE is Laurie, and his superb performance drives the series forward.
I’ve set up the premise, but I haven’t
really gotten into what the show is about. In the first episode, Dr.
Chance runs into Jaclyn, and learns her husband (Adelstein) is beating
up on her. Unconnected, the good physician attempts to sell an antique
desk to Carl (Peters), who encourages Dr. Chance to have D (Suplee) fix
some metal work on it first. Accidentally hanging with D, Chance is
impressed by the other man’s presence, and soon learns how useful that
kind of intimidation can be. I can’t say with one hundred percent
certainty how these two threads connect, as the show certainly takes its
time getting anywhere, but I think anyone can see where this is going.
I didn’t mention the slow-moving pace as
a bad thing. I love how CHANCE dwells on moments, really letting us
look into Chance’s eyes and try to determine what swirling emotions and
warring motivations are happening in his mind. He isn’t one to rush into
anything, and so that needs to be shown. It also allows a tone to
permeate that is gripping, so we’re pulled more fully into the story
prior to when we need to be invested. It’s a pretty masterful work.
In case you couldn’t tell, I loved
CHANCE. I think it’s a great vehicle for Laurie, who deserves to work
with quality, and very interesting overall. Even though I think I know
the path the story is on, I am equally confident there will be things
happening that I don’t see coming because this is a realistic world, and
thus, unpredictable. I look forward to catching the whole run.
The first season of CHANCE premieres Wednesday, October 19th on Hulu.
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