12 MONKEYS Not Too Many

Article first published as 12 MONKEYS Review on Seat42F.

SyFy’s newest series, 12 MONKEYS, is inspired by the 1995 film Twelve Monkeys. Those familiar with that movie know the basic story. Almost all of the world’s human population is wiped out by a deadly virus. Desperate scientists in the future send back one man to change the past and prevent such disaster. It’s mind-bendy, twisty stuff, full of action and time travel and paradox.

Aaron Stanford (Nikita) stars in 12 MONKEYS as James Cole, the Bruce Willis role from the film. In the pilot, circa 2013, Cole meets Dr. Cassandra Railly (Amanda Schull, Suits) and enlists her help with his mission. When Cole returns to Railly in 2015, scant moments have passed for him, but her life has forever changed by the task he assigns her: find Leland Frost. With a little help, she does locate the man Cole believes is responsible for the epidemic (Zeljko Ivanek, Damages, Heroes, Madam Secretary). Of course, that’s only the beginning of the story.

One thing that struck me about the film Twelve Monkeys is that it is quite difficult to try to keep track of everything that is going on and when everything is supposed to have happened, especially once the time line begins to change – or does it? 12 MONKEYS begins with this same head-spinning issue, bringing in not just two distinct time periods, but several more. However, by being given many weeks to unfold the tale, I assume it will be much easier to follow as it goes along, the series being given the gift of more than two hours to tell its story.

12 MONKEYS is ripe for such exploration. The movie is great, a self-contained film that leaves one thinking. But the universe has plenty to unspool over multiple seasons. The time traveling hero who doesn’t have all the answers, nor does his boss, the mysterious Jones (Barbara Sukowa, Hannah Arendt), meets the girl who takes a chance on him. Toss in a secret terrorist organization, the 12 MONKEYS mentioned in the title, led by a female version of the Brad Pitt part, Jennifer Goines (Emily Hampshire, My Awkward Sexual Adventure), and there’s the makings of an epic battle of good versus evil fought over decades, with the lines not clearly drawn.

12 MONKEYS also has a supporting cast experienced in the genre. Standford’s Nikita co-star, Noah Bean, plays Aaron Marker, a former love interest of Railly’s, while Fringe’s Kirk Acevedo is Ramses, a contemporary of Cole’s. Along with those noted above, this makes for a pretty solid, if not well-known, core cast.

SyFy has been moving into more intelligent dramas as of late. Its cheesy movies and goofy shows, like Warehouse 13, still have a place there, but the network is also attempting some higher concept stuff, such as Helix and 12 MONKEYS. It’s a good sign, to see their fare turn to something more worthy to serious fans of science fiction, as nothing really has there since Battlestar Galactica and Caprica ended, and 12 MONKEYS certainly fits that label. It’s similar in makeup to the Canadian program Continuum, which also runs on SyFy, but adds several other layers to that concept. It’s not my favorite new series of the year by a long shot, but it’s interesting and complex, which is a step above what I expected.

The pilot eats through much of the movie’s most central plot, skipping some subplot items that won’t fit in a longer-running show and not really getting to the mental institution yet. While the latter does leave enough to fill another hour or so, that means that very early on in season one, 12 MONKEYS will be leaving its source material behind and starting to forge its own path. I look forward to seeing where that’s going.

12 MONKEYS premieres this Friday, January 16^th, at 9 p.m. ET on SyFy.

"Go" SUITS

Article first published as SUITS Review Season 4 on Seat42F.

USA’s SUITS does not do small and slow, so it will be no surprise that the fourth season premiere, “One-Two-Three Go…,” aptly named, starts out fast and loud. No, that is not a sex thing, though the opening montage does find multiple main characters in a bedroom setting, including one whose love life is revealed for the first time. From there, things only get more heated as the episode promises more shake ups to come.

Mike (Patrick J. Adams) isn’t doing so well three months into his new job. It seems the only career less suited to being warm and fuzzy than lawyering is operating a hedge fund. Mike’s tried-and-true strategy of finding a win-win scenario that makes people happy does not produce big enough returns for his boss, who cares far more about the bottom line than saving jobs. In true Mike fashion, he searches for a solution. He does find one, but he needs Harvey’s (Gabriel Macht) help to make it happen, and that part of it does not go as smoothly as one might wish.

The relationship between Mike and Harvey, while no longer being the primary focus of SUITS as it once mostly was, is still a linchpin of the larger dynamic. The issues that arise between them are not the fights of enemies, but rather the actions of two men trying to find a balance in new roles. Harvey isn’t quite sure whether to treat Mike as a friend or client, and the same can basically be said of Mike.

Before this fragile arrangement can even begin to work itself out, its very existence is threatened. I love that SUITS isn’t afraid of making big plays, such as having Mike quit Pearson Specter last winter, but at the same time, I worry the writers will go too far. I tell myself that I shouldn’t be concerned, as there’s never been any reason to doubt them, each episode of the three already-aired seasons being excellent examples of drama. Still, it’s hard not to feel the tension in this situation, seeing Mike and Harvey at odds so steep.

Caught in the middle of this is Rachel (Meghan Markle). She may be living with Mike, but she’s Harvey’s new associate, replacing Mike at the firm that she owes major debts to. Mike and Harvey are stand-up guys and neither would intentionally ask her to choose sides, but there are bound to be conflicts in this situation, including at least one that arises in “One-Two-Three Go…” What will be interesting to see is how Rachel deals with such power-wielding men, generally preferring a softer touch herself, though she does rise to occasion.

Louis (Rick Hoffman), for his part, overhears Harvey spouting some platitudes and decides to adopt this as his new business strategy. One cannot blame Louis for emulating Harvey. After all, their friendship is firmly established, and Harvey now has what Louis yearns for – his name on the letter head. What better way to try to reach that goal than by copying the master? However, what works for Harvey has never worked for Louis, and one can see right away that Louis may not be making the right decision.

I continue to be slightly flummoxed by the role of Katrina (Amanda Schull), Louis’s associate, in the series. Is there sexual tension between them, or is she Louis’ Mike? I feel like it’s a bit of both. Things between Katrina and Louis, at least on her part, don’t quite feel platonic. Yet, they are almost as hands-off as Donna (Sarah Rafferty) is with Harvey. Is this going somewhere other than the professional, or is it just a weird relationship?

As usual, the best parts of the SUITS premiere are moments between characters, rather than the bigger twists. Mike and his client (Michael Gross, Family Ties) have a typical Mike scene where the former lawyer pours his heart out. Dialogue involving Donna and Harvey, Donna and Mike, Donna and Jessica (Gina Torres), and Donna and Louis sparkles, proving once more that Donna has some of the best written lines, at least among those not involving movie references. Mike has an assistant that is his version of Donna; there might just be some staying power there. And there’s a sequence between Harvey and Jessica that is extremely touching and insightful.

Toss in D.B. Woodside (24, Single Ladies) in a recurring role sure to excite many fans, and SUITS has done it once again, delivering another powerful, beautifully acted episode with as much soap as any other scripted drama, but far less cheese and far more authenticity. SUITS is a near-perfect series, certainly the best thing on USA, past or present. I can’t wait to see what else the summer has in store for it.

SUITS airs Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET on USA.

Not "Bad Faith" to Recommend SUITS

Article first published as Not "Bad Faith" to Recommend SUITS on TheTVKing.

This week's penultimate Suits of the summer, "Bad Faith," is an excellent installment. I say that not because of the backstabbing, brinksmanship, romantic drama, funny moments, and triumphant victories, of which there are plenty, but because of the way it serves nearly all of the major characters. This is an ensemble piece, and with each member of the cast fully able to pull their own weight, it's always gratifying when they get the chance to do so.

Right away, we have a magic scene between Donna (Sarah Rafferty) and Harvey (Gabriel Macht) discussing handbags. They've had a rough few weeks, and to witness the two getting back to what they are, seeing their relationship repaired, and the equal footing they really do stand on, is great.

The champion of "Bad Faith," though, is Louis (Rick Hoffman). The sometimes-despised man has both highs and lows, first screwing up a deal horribly, losing his cool when goaded by Nigel (Adam Godley), then saving the day, seemingly, when he not only swallows his pride in asking Harvey for help, but finds a way to land the firm a whale. This is Louis at his worst and his finest, and thank goodness the finest comes second.

Hoffman handles both ends of the spectrum in a sympathetic and layered way. Even when Louis screws up, fans root for him because we know why he does what he does, how often he is overlooked by his superiors, peers, and even inferiors, and we also know his heart is in the right place. This is a familiar type of person, someone who can work their hardest and try their best and still not be good enough. Yet, because he dusts himself off and does it again, he is noble and laudable.

Louis may be the most popular character on the show, and that is owed to both the material given him and the actor that brings him to life. While others are good or bad, sometimes both, depending on circumstance, Louis is only ever a typical man, neither evil nor perfect, his flaws realistically fleshed out. Whenever he is brought front and center, the result is rewarding, and "Bad Faith" hits those notes.

The fact that Darby (Conleth Hill) sends Nigel to negotiate, knowing the Jessica (Gina Torres) and Harvey are smart enough not to attend themselves, given their emotional investment in the process, shows just how intelligent Darby is. He is multiple steps ahead of our main players. They have met their match, even more so than in Hardman (David Constabile), with Darby.

Funnily enough, though, they may have defeated Darby if not for Harvey's own mistakes, proving that no matter great the foe, one is often one's own worst enemy. Because of how Harvey handled Ava Hessington (Michelle Fairley), Ava takes away her business, leading to misunderstandings and betrayal. It's a blow out of left field, one unexpected. There are too many pieces in play to keep track of them all at once, and a single oversight has huge ramifications.

This leaves negotiations between Darby and Jessica's firms at an impasse, with Scottie (Abigail Spencer) announcing the divorce is off. This leaves one wondering whether Pearson Darby Specter can somehow make a Hail Mary play that works at the last second, or sets up a fourth season even more embroiled in the serials arcs that make Suits so good.

Other great moments in "Bad Faith" are Mike (Patrick J. Adams) not realizing that his playing hardball with Robert Zane (Wendell Pierce) will hurt Mike's relationship with Robert's daughter Rachel (Meghan Markle), Mike asking Rachel to move into the apartment with him, Louis finally getting in on a Harvey / Jessica scheme, Harvey complimenting Louis sincerely, Katrina (Amanda Schull) playing cheerleader for Louis, and Donna pretending she just knows what's going on between Rachel and Mike. Excellent hour, all around.

Suits' season finale will air this Thursday at 10 p.m. ET on USA.