THE FAMILY Drama

Article first published as THE FAMILY Review on Seat42F.

God love the broadcast networks. Some of them are trying to step up their game in the face of rapidly declining ratings. While many of the programs coming down the pipeline on the Big Four are still crime procedurals and tame sitcoms, the things that are killing them, sometimes you get an attempt at a decent complex mystery drama.

The latest stab at quality is ABC’s THE FAMILY, which premiered last night. Told in two time periods, the present and ten years ago, this show is about a family rocked by the abduction of their son, Adam (Maxwell James), whom they assume to be dead, and rocked again when he seemingly shows back up a decade later (now played by Liam James, The Killing). What went wrong with the initial investigation? Or is the new boy not the son they believe him to be?

The unanswered questions are definitely the draw of THE FAMILY, and the reason to keep coming back. A show usually either thrives on story or on character, and this one has chosen the former. Packed with twists and clues, both real and false, to keep the viewer guessing, audiences will want to know what happens, and it does a decent job of hooking you in that manner.

The characters are a bit less compelling, though the actors are all pretty good. Matriarch Claire (Joan Allen, The Killing, Luck) is the mayor, and she actually uses her son returning as a way to help launch her campaign for governor. Father John (Rupter Graves, Sherlock) doesn’t seem much better, on tour with grief books he’s written and sleeping with the detective, Nina (Margot Bingham, Boardwalk Empire), who may or may not have screwed up his son’s case. Older son Danny (Friday Night Lights’ Zach Gilford in the present, Rarmian Newton in flashback) is a drunk, so of course no one believes his suspicions about ‘Adam.’ Daughter Willa (Alison Pill, The Newsroom and Madeleine Arthur, The Tomorrow People) embraces religion, but perhaps not as fully as people think, being calculating like her mother. Creepy neighbor Hank (Andrew McCarthy, Weekend at Bernie’s) is released from jail, but did he do what he was arrested for after all? And even if he didn’t, would he have, given the opportunity?

None of these are people you can get behind or want to support much, despite the terrible situation. It’s soapy, and that’s fine, but in the best soaps there are usually some redeemable qualities for the core cast. Instead, these are all players in a dangerous game, and one gets the impression they deserve whatever happens to them, at least in the later timeline.

That is probably why THE FAMILY doesn’t connect as well as cable entries in the genre do. Broadchurch is excellent because of its mystery, but also because of the fantastic characters, who struggle with real problems and are sympathetic as people. THE FAMILY is closer to Revenge, which limped along on ABC for a few years before cancellation, where you just want to see what happens to jerks, rather than rooting for a protagonist to win the day.

As such, THE FAMILY is good, but not as good as it could be. It is a great example of what is wrong with the Big Four networks, not willing to fully commit to something new, still mired in what has worked for them in the past. ‘Soapy drama for the sake of drama? Yeah, that’s been a hit before, so let’s add it to a currently winning formula from a cable channel to satisfy both our old audience and win new viewers.’ Unfortunately, that doesn’t work, ending up with a product unsatisfying to some from both camps, and not helping the viewer erosion at all.

However, if ABC and its kin would really give something like THE FAMILY a go, building a slower-paced show on the bedrock of strong characters, they might actually have something. They could even do it with these same actors if they wanted to.

THE FAMILY settles into its regular night and time this Sunday at 9/8c.

White Collar goes "Under the Radar"

     The season finale of USA's White Collar this week was as frustrating as just about anything I've ever watched. USA is known for a certain type of show: procedurals that are a bit better on character development than the average network offering of the genre. I admit, I find about half of USA's shows unwatchable because of how strong the procedural elements are, but White Collar is one of the better ones. Or it usually is. The season finale left me confused and annoyed.

     First, let's hit the strong points of the episode. Neal's (Matthew Bomer) growing relationship with Sara (Hilarie Burton, who will be a series regular next year) is sweet. The double date dinner party the two of them have with Peter (Tim DeKay) and Elizabeth (Tiffani Thiessen) feels right, and appears to open up the possibility of a more domesticated Neal. I would say that's a great example of Peter rubbing off on Neal, except we have seen that Neal is no stranger to the love of one woman before. Elizabeth calming Sara's nerves about jumping into something with a former con man was a high point of the episode.

     Neal and Peter's relationship, really the central linchpin of the show, has blossomed into wonderful understanding. While captured by baddie Adler (Andrew McCarthy), the two of them have great banter, and complete faith in each other. They break into an old German sub loaded with massive amounts of treasure. It's the ultimate find that the music box mystery of the past two seasons has been leading them to. Yet, all I can think about is how much I enjoy watching Neal and Peter work together. I could care less about the treasure. It is a mark of how well the characters are written.

     Lastly, the team has come together in surprising and wonderful ways. Mozzie (Willie Garson) still hates the 'suits', but has a respect for Peter. Diana (Marsha Thomason) hates Mozzie, but finds Neal likable enough. The two elements of cops and robbers are meshing nicely and naturally. It's a slow process, far from complete, just as it should be. And with Jones (Sharif Atkins, still not a series regular, but should be!) finally being included in the off-the-book operations, it feels like a family has formed on the series. Funniest line in this vein? Mozzie not-even-close-to-convincingly saying "Nuts!" as he flees from Jones during a contrived set-up. Which by the way, despite the funny line, that scene is completely awkward and not at all believable, for the audience or the mark.

     Unfortunately, the finale contains massive plot holes that make the whole experience a mixed bag, at best. The most glaring is how Peter has concluded that Neal has gone bad. After everything they have gone through, and the massive effort Neal has taken to putting his trust in Peter, how can Peter abandon him so quickly? Yes, the evidence of the exploding building and fragment of Neal's painting look bad, but that should not change core emotions. Neal and Peter are best friends. It does not make sense that Peter will not give Neal the benefit of the doubt for at least a little while.

     Secondly, Adler just behaves completely erratic. He loses contact with Neal and Peter in the German boat, but doesn't run in with guns blazing. It's more a calm saunter, with Adler out in front, unprotected from a sudden attack that Neal and Peter could have been ready to stage. And why didn't they? There are only a couple of guards in the facility. There are plenty of potential weapons in the treasure trove. I just don't get it.

     Adler's biggest mistake is not killing his prisoners outright. A few bullets in the head, and it would have all been over. Instead, he sends his goons to leave them tied up in a shipyard, then wait til they wake up from the drugs, and leave them unobserved as the hollow fills with water. Even if Adler has a penchant for theatrics, as Neal says he does, that would mean he would have wanted to watch them die. He is nowhere nearby. The guards don't even stick around to watch. That may have worked for old, James Bond-style knockoffs, but it's implausible and stupid here. The writers ought to know better.

     And seriously, the kiss between Neal and Alex (Gloria Votsis)? I get the emotions involved in the moment. I don't get why Sara wasn't immediately out of the van and up to Neal before it could happen. I don't get why Neal actually was into it, when he had something really nice brewing with Sara. He's always been shown as a monogamous guy. This was out of character.

     The mystery left is, who delivers the treasure to Neal with that note and key? I'm thinking it's obviously Alex, though why didn't she keep it for herself? Or at least half? I just want to see how Neal clears his name. At least Peter didn't come bursting in, gun drawn, while Neal is surrounded by the treasure, as I expected him to do after the rest of the shoddy story.
   
     White Collar will return in the summer on USA.


Article first published as TV Review: White Collar - "Under the Radar" on Blogcritics.

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White Collar's Maturation

     I wish I had been more up on USA's White Collar return. Two weeks ago, in the mid-season finale, Peter (Tim DeKay) was framed for a crime, and had to get all of his friends to help him clear his good name in an Ocean's Eleven inspired way. The team included returning guest star Hilarie Burton as Sara. Then, last week, Peter probed Neal (Matthew Bomer) for information on new villain Adler (Andrew McCarthy), and as Neal told his story, we were treated to flashbacks of all the main characters in their younger days. Alas, having just watched both a couple of days ago, it felt too late to review them.

     Instead, this week I'm left covering a standard, stand-alone episode. But I can't say that's necessarily a bad thing. I prefer the episodes that play more to the series' mythology, but a stand alone is sometimes a better representation of the show as a whole. Plus, last night's entry, titled "What Happens in Burma", was a fine representation of where the show currently is and where the growth has occurred, as well as an enjoyable hour.

     For most of season one, I got the feeling that Peter Burke never really trusted Neal Caffrey. This feeling continued into the first part of season two, but has been slowly changing from a partnership forged in necessity to something more. Best friends, even. Bromance. Peter's willingness to help Neal engage in not-quite-legal activities to allow justice to be served shows how deep their friendship has become. And Peter actually trusts Neal, allowing him to go down that road, but not worrying that Neal is turning back to his life of crime. To the same extent, Neal has recently been showing a willingness to go to Peter first, rather than trust his illegitimate instincts. Neal doesn't cross that line any more unless he has a very good reason.

     Similarly, Diana's (Marsha Thomason) bond with Peter has begun to feel more authentic. Diana was not part of the original cast, but was added as a main character later. It seemed to me that Diana and Peter seemed too chummy too quickly, though it was explained that there was a back story that we the audience hadn't witnessed. Stepping outside the fourth wall, it felt like a forced way to add a new character. Now, having seen them work together over time, I have begun to like and appreciate Diana, and the role she plays in Peter's life and job.

     Did anyone really feel any suspense when Mozzie (Willie Garson) was shot last fall? I didn't think for one second that the former Sex and the City pal wasn't coming back. But I love him on White Collar, so I'm not too upset. I just wish the writers hadn't made such an obviously false ploy.

     Mozzie, like Neal, is starting to trust and befriend Burke, as we saw in the mid-season finale, when Mozzie betrayed Neal for his own good to Burke. Neal later thanked him for the betrayal, and I think that allowed Mozzie to finally feel OK with accepting Peter. Clearly, there were feelings of guilt before the thanks came. I yearn for more Peter - Mozzie scenes, as those two play off of each other very well.

     If I could change something, I do wish that the status of two characters in the cast were switched. I like Elizabeth (Tiffani Thiessen), but she sits plenty of episodes out, and when she does appear, she's rarely relevant, or seen for more than a few moments. I love her friendship with Mozzie, but it doesn't get that much attention. Why is she a main character? I'd rather her part be beefed up than she be dropped, but right now it feels like a very important spot is being wasted in the lineup.

     I say wasted, because Jones (Sharif Atkins) is always around, frequently involved in the action, and has even made a point of recently complaining at being left out of the loop. Jones is still not a main character, despite the fact that he has been in almost every single episode. I was upset when Diana was added, because it felt like Jones was skipped over. I would very much like Jones to get that promotion, as I see some really good potential there, if nothing else, as comedic relief. He isn't usually used for that, but the prospect is ripe with opportunity.

     I watch plenty of USA shows, but the quality just never reaches that of other stations. On a network whose every series has a slight corniness and mediocrity to it, fueled by often similar tones, White Collar is definitely one of the better offerings. It was the first USA show (of three now) to try moving away a bit from the standard USA formula of the last decade. New episodes air Tuesday night at 10 p.m.


Article first published as TV Review: White Collar's Maturation on Blogcritics.

For frequent mini-reviews and occasional TV news, follow Jerome on Twitter.