BRIDGERTON's History That Never Was

 Article first published as TV Review: BRIDGERTON on Seat42F.

On Christmas day, Netflix dropped the eight-episode first season of BRIDGERTON, a gift to many viewers. Created by Grey’s Anatomy’s Shonda Rhimes, this period piece is soapy drama from the Regency era of English history beginning around 1813. Part Pride and Prejudice, part Gossip Girl, the costumes and performances (not to mention narration by Dame Julie Andrews as Lady Whistledown) make it seem classy, even as its modern pacing will help it appeal to more modern audiences.

The story of BRIDGERTON begins as the local young ladies are introduced for courting season, essentially a period of open dating and marriage proposals. The Bridgerton family is one of the most powerful in town, and daughter Daphne (Phoebe Dynevor, Dickensian) even catches the eye of Queen Charlotte (Golda Rosheuvel, Lady Macbeth), making her pairing most promising. That is until her older brother, Anthony (Jonathan Bailey, Broadchurch), now head of the household, sabotages her prospects, leaving her with a single, unattractive suitor. Luckily, Daphne’s mother, Lady Violet (Ruth Gemmell, Deep State), plots with her friend, Lady Danbury (Adjoa Andoh, Fractured), to pair Daphne with Simon, the Duke of Hastings (Rege-Jean Page, For the People), who is refusing the marry, and just happens to be Anthony’s best friend. Simon and Daphne see right through the matchmaking, but decide that a fake relationship would serve them both.

Nearby family, the Featheringtons, is headed by Baroness Portia (Polly Walker, Rome), who has three daughters she’d like to see married off. This includes young Penelope (Nicola Coughlan, Derry Girls), who isn’t even interested in boys yet, and wishes she could delay a year like her bestie, Eloise Bridgerton (Claudia Jessie, Dixi). The girls would rather look at books, and are terrified when Portia’s new charge, Marina Thompson (Ruby Barker, Wolfblood), is revealed to be pregnant, wondering how that could happen outside of marriage so they can avoid it themselves.

And all of this drama is captured by Lady Whistledown, who distributes gossip pamphlets that the upper crust devour, all the while wondering at her identity.

These details are merely scratching the surface of BRIDGERTON, which is very involved and has a lot of characters. However, it doesn’t get bogged down by this, keeping its focus on a few, and using the supporting players appropriately where needed. The pacing isn’t too fast, but it isn’t slow, either, an enjoyable romp that should expand beyond the appeal of most shows set in this era.

One glaring question I had going into BRIDGERTON is how the series would deal with race, seeing as how I couldn’t imagine Shonda putting forth an all-white cast, as one might expect for a program set in this era, other than seeing a minority as a maid or other ancillary role. The answer is, the show doesn’t deal with it. Certain families in the series, including the Queen and the Duke himself, are just Black and there’s no comment one way or the other. Ethnicity doesn’t seem to play into the attraction of one character to another, nor does it influence the social structure displayed. Basically, it’s a reimagining of history that allows performers or all colors to participate and ignores what actually was, to its credit. I hope more shows follow suit.

I loved Downtown Abbey, but am not a fan of P&P nor most other shows like this. Yet, I do love Shonda, and I found this cast of mostly-unknowns (to me) to be charming and compelling. At eight episodes, it’s an easy season to swallow, and I can easily see myself finishing it, even as I had no plans to before watching. I wouldn’t call it must-see, but it is good, and if you like some soapy historical stuff, BRIDGERTON has you covered.

BRIDGERTON is available now on Netflix.

SMALL AXE Provides an EDUCATION

 Article first published as TV Review: SMALL AXE EDUCATION on Seat42F.

It is with no small amount of sadness that we reach the end of the five-film run of SMALL AXE. That is due in part to the fact that the final movie in the series, EDUCATION, is one of my favorite two of the group. (The other being the very first one.) As someone that worked in the field of education, I admit that I am extra susceptible to such stories. But I dare anyone to watch SMALL AXE EDUCATION and not be affected by the tale told.

Kingsley Smith (Kenyah Sandy, Jingle Jangle: A Christmas Journey) appears to be a normal twelve-year-old boy except for two things. One, he can’t read. Two, he is Black. You could easily argue the second item on that list is not abnormal, and I would whole-heartedly agree with you. But clearly the administrators in his place of learning do not. They don’t even seem to notice his illiteracy and push him out of the regular school and into a ‘special’ institution for ‘subnormal’ learners. They make excuses as to why Kingsley must be transferred, but it’s very clear to anyone paying attention this his skin color is the primary motivator, given his behavior is not any different than his peers.

Which is not to say that all the students at Kingsley’s new school are non-white. There’s a little girl (Tabitha Byron, Hetty Feather) that makes animals noises instead of talking, and perhaps she does need some assistance outside of a regular classroom, though certainly not what this place is offering. And Kingsley isn’t helped by the move, either. No kid is, as if a teacher supervises their room at all, he’s playing on his guitar instead of providing instruction. This is a bad place that benefits no one.

Lest you think Kingsley does belong in a special education class due to his lack of reading skills (and setting aside any judgment, positive or negative, on special education), SMALL AXE EDUCATION follows Kingsley’s story long enough to show that a little attention, encouragement, and motivation are enough to have him catching up in no time. This is a regular kid who fell through the cracks, the normal failings of educators to him exacerbated by bigotry and ignorance. He belongs in a regular classroom in a public school.

I’m a believer that every child deserves to have a teacher who can help them learn, and every child can learn. So SMALL EDUCATION breaks my heart before providing a far-from-perfect, but very touching, balm. There is a happy ending, of a sort.

The performances in SMALL AXE EDUCATION are great, as one would expect from this series. Sandy is absolutely terrific in the lead role, and I hope he has a long acting career ahead of him. I was also deeply moved by Sharlene Whyte (The Story of Tracy Beaker) who plays Kingsley’s mother, Agnes. At first, Agnes is one of those failing Kingsley. But she does care very deeply for her son, learns her lesson, and becomes not just an advocate, but a devotee who sees Kingsley for what he is, eventually. It’s her face at the end that brings me to tears as much the story itself.

As has been the case in every installment of SMALL AXE, the production is terrific, directing is solid, and sets and costumes are period-authentic in a non-distracting way. This is a fine entry, and ends the run on a very high note, making me miss SMALL AXE already. I really hope it comes back for a second season.

SMALL AXE EDUCATION and the other four films by Steven McQueen are available now on Amazon Prime.

CBS All Access take THE STAND.

 Article first published as TV Review: THE STAND on Seat42F.

This week, CBS All Access rebooted Stephen King’s THE STAND with a brand-new, nine-episode miniseries that will be released weekly. The story is one of two powerful beings, one good and one evil, fighting in a post-apocalyptic landscape. It reportedly contains additional material and a fresh ending and coda by the author himself, so even if you’ve read or watched the 90s miniseries, there’s something new here. Also, this version is on a streaming service, so it is not bound by episode running times or broadcast television standards.

THE STAND starts after a pandemic wipes out the vast majority of the world’s population, then flashes back to show us briefly how the early days played out. It doesn’t waste much time going through the illness, just giving us enough of a glimpse of some corpses to let us know the impact of what happened. The big difference between this and a network broadcast seems to be letting the production get really gross with the bodies. This was also made before the recent real pandemic, and it’s unsettling to watch this alternate, much more dire outcome. Though I do worry too many will see this and take it as a sign that ours isn’t so bad, which is not the lesson that should be taken away at all.

Judging from the pilot of THE STAND, titled “The End,” there appears to be three lead characters. Stu Redman (James Marsden, Westworld) is a simple guy who somehow becomes the only one in his friend group, and then in a much larger circle, that is immune to the virus, surviving in a government facility while everyone else dies around him. At the same time, Harold Lauder (Owen Teague, It, Bloodline) is left alone in his neighborhood with his former babysitter, Frannie Goldsmith (Odessa Young, Assassination Nation). Unlike Frannie, who is grief-stricken by her circumstances, Harold seems gleeful for the chance to get close to Frannie, who he has been stalking for a while.

Harold gets the most focus in “The End,” seen both during the crisis and after, when a bunch of survivors (including all three leads) gather. But that doesn’t mean viewers will root for him. He’s an unlikeable creep, and every moment he’s with Frannie is a moment that I fear for her safety. And that’s even before Harold reveals his chilling manifesto, which surely means dark times are coming.

Without having read the book or seen the earlier version, I didn’t realize from this initial installment that THE STAND was actually about a supernatural battle. The good Mother Abagail (Whoopi Goldberg, Sister Act, Ghost) and the evil Randall Flagg (Alexander Skarsgård, Big Little Lies) are barely glimpsed in the first episode, and not explained in the slightest. Before reviewing materials on the series, I had no idea they were of much importance at all. Though I like both performers very much and look forward to seeing more of them.

Teague is a fine performer, perfect for the part, as unsettling as it may be. But spending time with his character is tiresome, and that’s why I was disappointed THE STAND took out several others I liked in short order. “The End” offers us Hamish Linklater (Legion) as kindly Dr. Ellis, whose passing was incredibly sad. J.K. Simmons (Spiderman) appears in a single scene, and as impactful as he is, he feels wasted. I’m glad Eion Bailey (Once Upon a Time) is sticking around, but I wonder how many other great actors will blow through in little more than cameos, presumably attracted by the King name.

I liked THE STAND, I didn’t love it. I didn’t get as much of the performers that I wanted to see, and got a lot of one who made me very uncomfortable (albeit, well-acted for the role). Its parallels to modern events are scary, but the pacing is a little slow, and it doesn’t substantially reveal major elements of its own story in the only episode released so far. Without exterior motivation, I don’t think this hour alone would make me want to watch.

THE STAND’s first episode is available now on CBS All Access, and will release new installments every Thursday.

SMALL AXE ALEX WHEATLE

 Article first published as TV Review: SMALL AXE ALEX WHEATLE on Seat42F.

The fourth installment in the SMALL AXE film series by Steven McQueen is ALEX WHEATLE. It’s a true story, told non-chronologically, of Alex, a kid abandoned by his parents. Alex grew up in a children’s home and was subjected to abuse. He finally finds a family of friends in his teenage years (though they do lead him to the wrong side of the law), and then he ends up in jail following the Brixton riots of 1981. It’s a rags-to not quite riches-to prison story that is alternatingly inspiring and depressing. Kind of unfortunately, the audience knows it will not have a happy end.

Or will it? Alex himself is well-known writer now, so clearly he had a rich life after his stint behind bars. But that isn’t the focus of this movie, nor part of the narrative presented her.

Early on, because the episode is told in jumbled order, we see Alex (the first credit for Sheryi Cole) in a cell. He’s angry, and justifiable so, as we’ll come to find out. Alex reluctantly tells of his past, which he doesn’t consider a story, to cellmate Simeon (Robbie Fee, Berlin Station). It’s through this that we get an account of Alex’s life so far, his short eighteen years, most of them tragic. Thank goodness for a wise cellmate who helps Alex realize who he should be.

I said last week’s entry was small and focused, centering on a father and son. SMALL AXE ALEX WHEATLE is even more so, concerned with the life of a single individual, and mostly covering just a short period in his life. It’s a pivotal moment, one which defines his path forward. But it is just a small snapshot into a much larger existence.

I find it kind of curious that SMALL AXE ALEX WHEATLE doesn’t run much into a second hour, never showing us what Alex becomes on the other side of prison. Other SMALL AXE movies are focused, too, but often show longer periods. That after-life is much more well-known, and certainly the bigger part of him. But it’s also a bold choice to home in on something monumental, and it is doubtful that any single event later will ever measure up to what this film chooses to show. In a series that is becoming known for the decisions director and co-writer Steven McQueen makes, this may be one of the most important.

SMALL AXE ALEX WHEATLE was in the bottom half for me of the four installments I’ve viewed thus far. It’s still very good, and Cole, who basically has to carry the whole thing himself, is quite talented. I just found the story a little less compelling than the Mangrove restaurant and trial, or the father-son cop conflict, though maybe a bit more moving than the single-night dance party. I still think ALEX WHEATLE is a tale worth telling, and it looks and sounds just as great as the others. But while the catharsis of change is powerful, and there are moments that stick with you (such as a disturbing one involving a sheet), it is overall more specific to an individual and less relatable than other films in the series.

Still, it’s a worthy inclusion in the series, and McQueen once again proves why he deserves to keep making films such as these. On the strength of this run, I hope SMALL AXE is picked up for a second batch as soon as possible, and I look forward very much to reviewing the final of his five releases.

SMALL AXE ALEX WHEATLE is available now on Amazon Prime streaming video.

On YOUR HONOR

 Article first published as TV Review: YOUR HONOR on Seat42F.

Bryan Cranston returns to television in Showtime’s new drama YOUR HONOR, which premiered last night. Cranston plays a respected judge named Michael Desiato who is kind-hearted and takes justice seriously, even investigating witness stories on his own sometimes. So when, on the anniversary of Michael’s wife’s death, his teenage son accidentally hits a boy on a motorcycle and kills him, Michael’s first instinct is to do the right thing and drive his son to the police station. But the identity of the victim changes the judge’s mind, and now he’s in a desperate attempt to coverup the crime.

Michael Desiato doesn’t seem anything like Cranston’s Breaking Bad character, Walter White, other than the love he has for his family, which Walt seemed to lose over time, but Michael probably won’t. If not for the exact specific circumstances surrounding the boy’s death, Michael would have tried his best to help his son, but through the proper legal channels. He wants to handle it above board, and that is noble, something not every parent could bring themselves to do when their child’s freedom is on the line. We get a chance to see who this character really is before things go down.

YOUR HONOR also follows Michael’s son, Adam (Hunter Doohan, Truth Be Told), during the incident, and his case is sympathetic. Grieving his lost mother, scared of a perceived threat of violence from others, and suffering an asthma attack, one can see how the wreck occurred while still remaining sympathetic to Adam. Even when the teen flees the scene and tries to get rid of evidence, it can be chalked up to panic and shock. Adam knows he must turn himself in, and doesn’t fight it when his father tells him so. In fact, Adam doesn’t seem to want to keep hiding the truth when Michael first decides they have no choice but to hide it. He seems like a good kid in tragic circumstances that made mistakes but will accept responsibility for them.

The twist is that the boy Adam hits and kills is the son of Jimmy Baxter (Michael Stuhlbarg, Boardwalk Empire), a notorious crime lord. And both Jimmy and his wife, Gina (Hope Davis, For the People), are determined to find the person who murdered their son. It is heavily implied they do not want justice so much as revenge, and should Adam turn himself in, he would likely be quickly murdered in jail. Hence Michael’s decision not to let his son be arrested, as much as that makes sense under any other circumstance.

Admittedly, the coincidences in YOUR HONOR pile up quickly. The story seems unrealistic because of just how much has to happen to set up the exact scenario described above. Recent real-life events over the past few years make even the most unlikely thing more believable, in my opinion, but there is a certain amount of “Really?” baked into the premise that will likely give some viewers pause, and as many negative reviews of this show have pointed out.

To me, I think Cranston is a phenomenal actor, and the rest of the cast is very talented, too. The story is interesting and compelling, and the character reactions are relatable. I thought the death scene got too gory, and perhaps Michael’s demonstration of principle early in the pilot was a bit heavy-handed, but other than that, I did enjoy it immensely. A plot twist another reviewer spoiled about Adam’s girlfriend, which will be revealed in an upcoming episode, does make me groan, but overall, I am deeply intrigued and plenty prepared to watch this series, which seems certain to just be a miniseries, rather than a years-long story. YOUR HONOR is not without flaws, but my impression of the initial installment is that it’s pretty good and worth a look.

If you want to decide for yourself, new episodes of YOUR HONOR air Sunday evenings on Showtime.

THE New Old HARDY BOYS

 Article first published as TV Review: THE HARDY BOYS on Seat42F.

This week, Hulu gave THE HARDY BOYS their sixth(!) television adaptation. This 1980s-set mystery series follows Frank and Joe Hardy as they investigate a family tragedy, with their friends and loved ones sometimes helping. The case is surely spread out over the entire first season, as each episode finds the boys getting just a clue or two to the bigger picture.

I was not expecting to like this show, nor was I eager to watch it. I’ve never read a single book from THE HARDY BOYS series, despite being a big reader, because I just wasn’t interested. I love many CW shows, but I did not care for the recent Nancy Drew reboot, and the two are often lumped together (and have been on television as one in the past). So this seemed like another program I’d suffer through a pilot and type out a review for without ever giving it a second thought.

Instead, THE HARDY BOYS is intriguing and engaging right off the bat, and I immediately went straight into a second episode. I probably would have kept going if I’d had the time, and I do plan to go back to it this week. It’s a slower starter, which makes sense for the tone. But by episode two, it quickly seems to sort itself out with a structure and order that I would expect to continue through the rest of the season.

The boys are a bit further spaced in age than they are usually portrayed. Athletic and brainy Frank (Rohan Campbell, Virgin River) is a teen, while tech whiz Joe (Alexander Elliot) is a bit younger. This provides separate friend groups and different focuses for their investigations. It may seem a bit odd that the locals in the small town the boys move to for the summer are so friendly and immediately sign on. Then again, the family is already known in the area, and there is an impression that not much usually happens around these parts.

Further splintering the story are the scenes, admittedly fewer, that follow their father, Fenton Hardy (James Tupper, Men in Trees), as he investigates the case internationally. Himself a police detective and their mother a journalist, the Hardy boys come by their skills honestly. It’s no wonder they dive into the work when the right motivation prompts them to.

Essentially, by splintering the case out into three distinct plot threads, THE HARDY BOYS gets kind of a Stranger Things structure, with the teen group keeping most of the focus (rather than the younger crowd in that show), and the adults reduced to the smallest chunk. (Though the coming together to share information at times feels a bit forced and expedient.) Admittedly, THE HARDY BOYS is a lot more grounded than that Netflix series, with not even the whiff of anything supernatural happening, though the spy antics are a bit of heightened reality. Still, the comparison is favorable, and is likely to appeal to a broad overlap of audience.

The 1980s setting isn’t strictly necessary, but I would assume it’s done to eliminate the internet and smart phones from the mix. Probably a wise idea, given the investigative style the franchise is known for and wants to recreate. Nothing will be gleaned quickly, and the slower pace fits well in what appears to be a simpler time. I think it works for them.

THE HARDY BOYS is an entertaining watch in the mostly-family-friendly mystery category, and it likely has a place in the current television landscape, as this type of show isn’t all that prevalent. Nostalgia will bring some in, the target demographic likely to be those millennials who grew up with tales of the duo. The ease of viewing will likely also serve potential new fans, as that age group can watch this with their kids.

The first season of THE HARDY BOYS is streaming now on Hulu.

SMALL AXE RED, WHITE AND BLUE

 Article first published as TV Review: SMALL AXE RED, WHITE AND BLUE on Seat42F.

Another week, another episode of SMALL AXE on Amazon. The latest entry, RED, WHITE AND BLUE, tells the true story of a young man who was inspired to join the local police force after his father was beaten by cops because of the color of his skin. As you might expect, this is not an easy road for the man to go down. He not only faces systematic racism within the force, which is to be expected because he joined to try to change the organization from within, but also the disappointment of his father, who mourns his child standing among the ranks of the men who beat him.

SMALL AXE RED, WHITE AND BLUE is a powerful story of two men, Leroy Logan (John Boyega, Star Wars) and his father, Ken (Steve Toussaint, Deep Water). The film starts on Ken, and we can see what a kind-hearted, intelligent, perhaps a bit naïve, but all-around good man that Ken is. As the focus shifts to Leroy, we see someone who is a bit more assertive, and perhaps it is his father’s influence that made him that way. Not because Ken ever pushed Leroy, but because Ken raised him with appropriate values in a protected environment where Leroy felt he might be able to make a change. It’s not what Ken intended, but it also proves Ken to be a good father.

There’s a bit of a let down for each of the man as this plays out. Ken is sad because Leroy got involved with men that Ken thinks he should stay away from. Leroy is disappointed because the force ends up being a lot more entrenched than he expected. He can only do so much as one man, and seeing other minorities eventually give up, he wants to give up, too. But he can’t because he’s not doing this for himself; others are making sacrifices for him, and he must push on whether he wants to or not.

SMALL AXE RED, WHITE AND BLUE is bittersweet because viewers will know that Leroy is making a difference, even if it’s not as much of one as he’d like to, nor does change come quickly. Yet, there is a spark here, and even if he doesn’t realize it, he’s part of a broader movement. Attitudes and opinions are slow to shift, and that only happens with great effort. Leroy is essentially sacrificing himself, as so many have done, to change things even a little bit. It’s frustrating and it’s humbling to know how little one man can affect that balance. And yet without lots of men like him, things would remain the way they are.

That’s a large burden to place on Leroy’s shoulders, as Ken must realize, but the story of SMALL AXE RED, WHITE AND BLUE is not about sweeping injustices; it’s very much a personal story, embodied best in the final scene of the piece being a quiet moment between father and son. This movie really helps give face and personal impact to what people are going through, and have gone through, in society.

Once again, Steve McQueen has made an excellent film, well-acted, well-produced, and thought-provoking while also bringing the feels. The performances are great, especially from the leads. But even the minor parts are authentic, like the racist cop who can’t help but nervously smirk as he’s being yelled at. It all feels very real, and that’s both a good and a bad thing. But it’s also beautiful art, and that’s only good.

Catch SMALL AXE RED, WHITE AND BLUE, along with the rest of the SMALL AXE series, only on Amazon Prime.

Check In For THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT

 Article first published as TV Review: THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT at Seat42F.

HBO Max began a new miniseries this week entitled THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT. It’s about a – you guessed it! – flight attendant, who works on international flights. On layover in Bangkok (pun intended), the titular airline employee hooks up with an attractive passenger. The next morning, she wakes up to find him clearly murdered in the bed beside her. She panics, cleans up the room, flees, and soon finds herself in a spiraling bad situation as the FBI, among others, closes in on her, even as she can’t remember all the events of the fateful night.

Kaley Cuoco (The Big Bang Theory) produces and stars as Cassie Bowden, the attendant in question. I wasn’t sure what to expect from an actress I’ve only seen in sitcoms. And while I’m not sure she’s doing more than she did in her previous work, this role is very well suited to her, and she plays it beautifully. Cuoco has the right amount of charm and magnetism to pull off making a character who, on paper, isn’t completely likeable and making you root for her. She is a natural and fitting lead here.

I like very much that THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT isn’t just about a person in the wrong circumstance. That’s part of the equation, sure, but Cassie’s continued poor judgment and destructive coping mechanisms (with a backstory slowly teasing out why she is this way) continue to make the situation worse as the episodes play out. Unlike in some similar works, the agents following her are far from incompetent, and suspect her pretty much right away, her bad behavior not going unnoticed. It’s the specifics of the situation that draw out the plot and keep things murky, not people who don’t know how to do their jobs, or a protagonist that is preternaturally smart.

The plot moves very quickly, with twists coming fast, but not too fast. THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT takes plenty of time to dwell on Cassie’s misfortune. A lot of moving parts and layers to the story keep the pacing moving, though, in a good way.

There are quite a few subplots and supporting players in THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT. Cassie’s best friend, lawyer Annie (Zosia Mamet, Girls), has a non-boyfriend who appears conveniently in the third hour. Her brother, Davey (T.R. Knight, Grey’s Anatomy), provides a bit of a ticking clock with an impending visit and his concern about her alcoholism around his children. Needy co-worker Megan (Rosie Perez, Rise) is involved in illegal activities of her own, which will surely come into play at some point. Federal agents Van (Nolan Gerard Funk, Glee) and Kim (Merle Dandridge, Greenleaf) have an interesting chemistry that seems effective. The dead passenger, Alex (Michiel Huisman, The Haunting of Hill House), haunts Cassie from beyond the grave, while his business partner, Miranda (Michelle Gomez, Doctor Who), closes in on her in reality.

All of this should be more than enough to sustain the eight-episode miniseries, even as it rushes along, and I’m intrigued by each piece of the puzzle. Solid direction, great acting, an eye-catching, globe-hopping setting, and more keep THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT entertaining and mysterious.

My only complaint about the show is its misuse of music, the dark, heavy themes distracting from the action itself, hurting rather than helping the story along. I also would have preferred to be able to binge the whole thing at once; as soon as I began the first of three initially-released installments, I couldn't stop.

Those gripes are relatively minor, though, and I look forward to finishing the series over the next three weeks. This one is a lot of fun, so make sure you catch it, too. THE FLIGHT ATTENDANT episodes one through three are available now on HBO Max.

SMALL AXE LOVERS ROCK

 Article first published as TV Review: SMALL AXE LOVERS ROCK on Seat42F.

The second installment in the SMALL AXE series has arrived today. It’s called LOVERS ROCK, and it takes place in the course of a single night. This one is not a grand, historical tale, like the first film in the series, but is instead a much more personal story of a group of young people attending a house party in early 1980s West London. Not allowed into the clubs and beset by racism on the streets, young Black folks of the time instead cleared out the furniture, cooked some food, and set up their own gatherings in the safety of someone’s dwelling. LOVERS ROCK shows one such party.

It’s a testament to how good a film maker Steve McQueen is that SMALL AXE LOVERS ROCK is worth watching. I say this because it contains almost no discernable plot, and without IMDB’s help, I’d be hard pressed to name more than a couple of the characters. Instead, it is a peek at a moment in time, designed to showcase a specific event of the type that was prevalent in a bygone era. Through music and charm and solid direction and lingering scenes, it succeeds in that, and manages to hold viewers’ attention for a full seventy minutes.

As specific as SMALL AXE LOVERS ROCK is, it is also universal. Everyone who attended parties in high school or college can identify the various stages of the event. There’s the excited and nervous preparation, or if you’re hosting, the quiet before the storm as you put in the work and sweat to set things up, fun because of the anticipation of what’s to come. Then people start to arrive, and they look at one another with some amount of trepidation. Friends hang together or find one another. As things heat up, gatherers mingle and begin to pair off differently. Romances blossom and fall apart. Happy people sing along to the music, or even after it stops. The disgruntled friend goes home early. Someone acts out of control and has to be dealt with. Slow dances turn sexy. People begin to drift off. And finally, the manic end of the night where it feels like a dream and you’re spat back out into the world. Then you head to bed, only to have to have to get up too early and face the day, exhausted.

All of this is part of the beautiful rhythm of SMALL AXE LOVERS ROCK, just as certainly as the excellent and era-appropriate soundtrack. A period piece it may be, but it’s also just a portrait of plain, old human nature. Some of the details might be different from one experience to the other, but the recognizable aspects override anything else.

Amarah-Jae St. Aubyn is the closest thing to the star of the film, and this is her first and only credit on IMDB. She handles the role with skill and aplomb. I’m sure we’ll see her in more soon. There are a few faces you may or may not recognize, like Michael Ward (Top Boy), Kedar Williams-Stirling (Wolfblood), and Daniel Francis-Swaby (The Santa Suicides), but the relative anonymity of the cast leads to the authenticity, and there are certainly no current household names present. Yet, there isn’t anyone who feels like they’re acting, either, the world built seamlessly and the actors melting into it.

I find myself surprised to enjoy SMALL AXE LOVERS ROCK as much as I did, given the lack of plot thread, but it is a solid installment, and certainly quite a bit different from the first movie in the series. Check back on this page soon as I cover the rest of the SMALL AXE releases.

SMALL AXE LOVERS ROCK is available now on Amazon Prime.

What is BLACK NARCISSUS?

 Article first published as TV Review: BLACK NARCISSUS on Seat42F.

This week, BLACK NARCISSUS premiered on FX and the BBC. A joint-production, FX marketed it as a creepy show based on the 1939 novel by Rumer Godden. Though, watching the three-episode miniseries, I’m not sure that accurately describes it. In fact, this show is very hard to define exactly what it is or what genre it belongs in.

BLACK NARCISSUS begins high up in the Himalayas with a disturbing opening in a cliffside “house of pleasure,” or that’s what it appears to be, anyway. (The truth is close enough to that.) A tragic event happens. Then, about twenty years later, a quintet of nuns move into the abandoned building to form a school for the locals. The place seems suitable to their needs, though there are just a few strange things that happen, especially to one nun in particular, sort of related to that opening.

I’m halfway through the miniseries as I write this and I plan to finish it. But I’m still not sure exactly what to say about BLACK NARCISSUS when considering it overall. There isn’t a sense of urgency or danger in any real way (except when climbing those railing-less steps). There also isn’t any certainty that something big will happen before the end. I am not familiar with the novel or the 1940s film adaptation, but this seems to be a slow-moving drama without an overriding central narrative, other than running a school, and maybe being haunted just a tiny bit.

The setting of BLACK NARCISSUS is absolutely beautiful. The views from the mountain are, as you might imagine, breathtaking. I don’t have much frame of reference to say how accurate it is, and I wonder about the feasibility of building a ‘palace’ so far up and having other stone-hewn villages nearby. But the design is very cool and detailed, and this certainly seems like a place I would love to visit.

Gemma Arterton (The Girl with All the Gifts) stars as Sister Clodagh, the leader of the little group, and she is very compelling. Sister Clodagh’s inner life is explored through a series of flashes to a different time. It’s unclear if these are things that actually happened or just what she wishes her life to be like. But it’s informative to see her wavering of the mission when outwardly she is so focused and holy. She is doing her best in running the group, and she’s not bad at leadership. Though she can be a bit petty at times.

The rest of the roles are well-performed, too. My second favorite is Mr. Dean (Alessandro Nivola, Chimerica), an immigrant who has blended in with the locals, and who offers handyman support and eye candy for the nuns. I assume he’ll have something to do with how things end, but that’s unclear at the moment. I really like friendly Sister Briony (Rosie Cavaliero, Hold the Sunset), a good moral center and caretaker to the group. Sister Philippa (newcomer Karen Bryson) is intriguing and odd. Sister Ruth (Aisling Franciosi, The Fall) provides the right amount of crazy, pretty shocking, but not so much as it feels weird that she’s still among them. Nila Aalia (Wolfblood) is wonderful as Angu Ayah, the local who lives among the nuns, and seems to be the only one who really knows the secrets of the place.

For the performances and the vistas, I recommend BLACK NARCISSUS. After all, it’s a small time commitment, basically a movie and a half, and those are important elements. My hesitation stems from the lack of clear story, but maybe the second half will pick up? I doubt it. Even so, it’s neat to sit in this world for a few hours.

BLACK NARCISSUS is available to watch in its entirety now on Hulu, through FX.

The SMALL AXE MANGROVE

 Article first published as TV Review: SMALL AXE MANGROVE on Seat42F.

Amazon Prime recently premiered a new series of films directed and co-written by Steve McQueen (12 Years a Slave) entitled SMALL AXE. The first of these, MANGROVE, is available now. It follows the true story of The Mangrove Nine, a group of Black people arrested during demonstrations against the Metropolitan Police in Notting Hill, Kensington. So you’ll get a history lesson, a look at immigrant life, and hopefully think a bit about the racial injustice still prevalent in today’s society.

Shaun Parkes (The River) stars as Frank Crichlow, a man from Trinidad who has moved to London. Frustrated in dealing with the police, Frank opens a totally legitimate restaurant called the Mangrove, selling the cuisine of his native land, a.k.a. “spicy food.” But the local constable, PC Pulley (Sam Spruell, The Bastard Executioner), is deeply prejudiced, and decides that the Mangrove must be a place for unsavory characters, raiding it repeatedly for no legitimate reason. This only drives the community to embrace the Mangrove more, the local Black Panthers and others considering the place “theirs,” and things spiral far from Frank’s control. It all culminates during a march against the police in which Frank and eight others are arrested for rioting and affray. Off-screen the case is dismissed, and then tried again at the Old Bailey, a venue for only the most heinous crimes, as the police hope to make examples of the defendants.

SMALL AXE MANGROVE begins as one thing, a story focused on Frank and his restaurant, and halfway though, becomes a courtroom drama with varied protagonists. In lesser hands, this disjointed style and lack of strong focus might feel like a weakness. Instead, through flawless directing and performances, it feels like a complete piece, albeit one with two distinct halves. Yet, it’s also more than that. Frank’s story becomes the story of all these people, and the film enlarges to encapsulate that, minimizing Frank the way he becomes pushed to the background of his own fate. It’s actually a pretty cool move.

Parkes is great, full stop. He is not alone, however, and some of the best moments in SMALL AXE MANGROVE come from others. At the trial, one of the co-defendants, Darcus Howe (Malachi Kirby, Devils) decides he should represent himself. The stuffier lawyers protest, but Ian MacDonald (Jack Lowden, The Tunnel) thinks it’s a brilliant idea. Altheia Jones (Letitia Wright, Black Panther), another person on trial, agrees and decides to do the same. Altheia and Darcus speaking up for themselves is powerful, especially when Darcus plays the legal game better than some of the fully-trained lawyers, winning through logic, not just emotion.

The system is broken, the no one exhibits that better than Judge Clarke (Alex Jennings, The Crown), showing his prejudice right off the bat. But the cause is righteous enough, even he is eventually forced to admit wrongdoing on both sides, which unfortunately echoes remarks by own American president not too long.

That’s what’s so powerful about SMALL AXE MANGROVE, though: it isn’t just a history story. It is relevant today, shining light on the continued issues. This was written and filmed prior to this year’s Black Lives Matter marches, but they make it even more timely. The trial of The Mangrove Nine was fifty years ago, and yet, the problems remain, maybe not in quite the same way, but still very serious. The ending text on the screen reveal Frank’s troubles didn’t end after the trial, as he continued to be harassed for the next two decades. It wouldn’t have been surprising to learn he was still being harassed today, if he were alive. The police were not punished. And though his kids have a better life (you may know of his daughter, actress Lenora Crichlow), that doesn’t mean the problems are solved.

SMALL AXE MANGROVE is an excellent film with compelling characters and a true story that hits home. Even were it not applicable to current circumstances, it would land. The fact that the fight lives on only helps boost its impact. I can’t wait to see what the rest of the SMALL AXE series has in store.

SMALL AXE MANGROVE is available now on Amazon Prime.

NO MAN'S LAND

 Article first published as TV Review: NO MAN'S LAND on Seat42F.

Hulu has a new series called NO MAN’S LAND. The eight-episode drama follows a young Frenchman who goes to Syria looking for the sister his family believe to be dead. Unfortunately, the country is in the midst of a long civil war, so it’s not that easy to go in and find someone, especially as the sister seems to be right in the thick of the fighting. Needless to say, the journey does not go smoothly, and the man ends up being caught up as a prisoner of the YPG, an all-female branch of the Syrian Democratic Forces.

The lead of NO MAN’S LAND is Antoine Habert (Felix Moati, 50 nuances de Grecs), the Frenchman mentioned above. His family is not supportive, or even aware ahead of time, of his efforts, not believing Antoine when he thinks he catches a glimpse of his sibling, Anna (Melanie Thierry, The Zero Theorem), on the news. His wife, Lorraine (Julia Faure, Love Me If You Dare), thinks he’s crazy. But he stubbornly sets off to find her anyway, and thankfully is punished for his efforts. I say thankfully not because Antoine seems like a bad man or that his motivations aren’t pure, but because if someone runs off half-cocked into such a dangerous situation, there should be consequences.

In the premiere episode, Antoine falls in with some wanna-be ISIS fighters. Antoine doesn’t seem to even suspect he’s gotten involved with the exact opposite group that he wants to be with. His naivety and unfounded optimism are rewarded with violence and capture, as he soon falls into the hands of Sarya (Souheila Yacoub, Savages), who seems very dangerous, but not at all evil. So presumably, despite a bit of suffering and no easy way home, Antoine did get lucky.

Honestly, NO MAN’S LAND seems to be a gritty, high-production drama. Things look bleak and dirty, but they should in the location chosen. I have no complaints about the direction or the look of the piece. It seems to do a fair job of transporting the viewer to a different world, though admittedly not one I know enough about to fully judge.

A lot of the criticism lobbed against NO MAN’S LAND runs along the lines that it is made by people who have no experience in the subject matter and who have chosen to focus on foreign perspectives to the story they’re trying to tell. After all, NO MAN’S LAND features an all-women’s force, but the lead character is a man. And he isn’t even a native of the country, nor does he have stakes in their conflict.

On one hand, using Antoine as the core could provide a way in for audiences who, like me, don’t have the experience or framework of the story. But on the other hand, I get the complaints that we need more representation, and this series squanders that chance by who it chooses to focus on. Of course, we have been making show after show forever that are told from a white, male perspective, even if not all the characters are. Yet, that is justifiably changing. So NO MAN’S LAND seems a bit trapped in this debate, arriving at the wrong time to stand on its own.

As a reviewer, I will try to judge it purely on its merits. In doing so, I honestly find it boring and hard to get into. The subtitles didn’t bother me, nor did the Middle Eastern setting. I just was confused about Antoine and his relationships and motivations for much of the pilot. I didn’t like that things weren’t all that clearly laid out, and not recognizing any of the performers, I didn’t feel like I had a hook. None of the characters felt compelling enough to make up for these things, and my attention wondered. That may not be fair, but I really found NO MAN’S LAND didn’t capture my attention, and I likely won’t be watching the rest of the series.

If the premise sounds interesting to you, the first season of NO MAN’S LAND is now available on Hulu.