Going ALL THE WAY

Article first published as Blu-ray Review: 'All the Way' on Blogcritics.

All the Way is an HBO television movie, and like most HBO films of this type, tells a cool story in an interesting way with amazing performances. This one centers on President Lyndon B. Johnson in the first year of his administration, immediately following the assassination of his predecessor and his fight to pass civil rights in an election year. It’s a fascinating take that is neither wholly supportive or condemning of a still controversial president, and you can soon get it on Blu-ray, digital, and DVD.

Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad) is completely transformed into LBJ, and he’s far from the only one. I may not have been around during the events depicted, so I can’t say how accurately Cranston captures the man, but what I can say is that he is barely recognizable as Cranston in a performance that differs strongly from past roles. This is a unique character, both caring and cold. Someone who knows injustice and wants to stop it, and yet can put politics above morals. Someone who deeply loves his wife, and yet can be mean to her without realizing the pain he is causing.

Cranston is far from alone in both the make up and the acting transformation. Among those playing at his level in All the Way are Bradley Whitford (The West Wing) as soon-to-be-vice-president Hubert Humphrey, Melissa Leo (Treme) as the always supportive first lady, Lady Bird Johnson, Stephen Root (Justified) as paranoid J. Edgar Hoover, Frank Langella (The Americans) as presidential friend-turned-foe Senator Richard Russell, and Anthony Mackie (the Captain America films) as Martin Luther King Jr. Each delivers a fantastic performance.

The story itself focuses on a very a narrow time, just the first year of Johnson’s presidency. The decision to do this is an interesting one as I think most filmmakers would be tempted to take a wider view, and normally I’d wish they would. The reason it pays off here is because All the Way is treated like a character study, zeroing in on who LBJ was and why he did the most notable things he did, which is a question worth examining. It does so without judgment, and with a balanced view. Like Cranston did in Breaking Bad, he manages to convey a portrait of a complex individual that becomes much more fascinating than the story itself, proving the choice is a smart one.

To make the man more interesting is a feat unto itself given the very tumultuous time period in which All the Way takes place. An assassination of a popular leader has just taken place. The politics of a nation is about to undergo a huge shift. Parties fight for their base, which they lose with a momentous decision. While things aren’t as personally ugly as they are in the current election cycle, the racial and social tensions could not be higher. And yet, this is background and context for LBJ, rather than the point of the piece.

There are sadly only a brief pair of bonus features, though they’re both pretty good. “Bryan Cranston Becoming LBJ” is exactly what it sounds like, with the actor discussing his approach to the character, and a look at the make up, hair, and prosthesis needed to complete the transformation. “All the Way: A Walk Through History” speaks to what is actually happening in the world during the era, much of which is included in the movie satisfactorily enough, but I’ll never complain about a featurette that backs up the factual side of what a film shows.

In short, I like the movie itself, and the extras, while too few, are solid, giving me no hesitation in recommending this release. All the Way is already available for digital download, and will arrive on Blu-ray and DVD on September 6th.

HAPPYISH Will Make You Happy-ish

Article originally written for Seat42F.

Thomas Paine was one of our Founding Fathers who inspired revolution against Great Britain. Thomas Payne was a bookseller and publisher, not all the important in the grand scheme of things, but still remembered with a small paragraph on Wikipedia. Thom Payne (Steve Coogan, Philomena) is a little bit of both, an insignificant man who is becoming obsolete, but bristles at the thought and really doesn’t want to let it happen. Showtime’s new half-hour dramedy, HAPPYISH, is his story.

As HAPPYISH begins, Thom is turning 44, not old enough to be an executive like his boss, Jonathan (Bradley Whitford, The West Wing, Trophy Wife), nor is he young enough to be into the social media scene, like the young Norwegians who just bought the advertising company Thom works for. The latter would like to force him, in the nicest way possible, to adapt to their mindset, but Thom just doesn’t want any of it. He’d rather write a book or rant about how things used to be.

It seems likely that Thom’s story will ring rather familiar to viewers of a certain age. Many people may keep themselves from flying off the handle as Thom does, but it has to be frustrating to be asked to keep up with a rapidly changing world on top of everything else going on in one’s life. Thom is married with a young child; he doesn’t have time to be accustomed to twitter, and justifiably thinking it is stupid, why should he? But that’s the position he is in for his career, and one has to keep paddling or drown.

Thom’s home life doesn’t make things much easier. His wife, Lee (Kathryn Hahn, Parks and Recreation), is loving, but not all that satisfied with the way Thom’s ED pills and antidepressants interact, making them less effective. His son, Julius (Sawyer Shipman, Adult Beginners), isn’t a bad kid, but he’s young enough that he still needs a lot of attention from his parents. Neither of them are obstacles per se, Thom glad to have them in his life, but they certainly divide his attention.

Despite all of the misery, HAPPYISH is very enjoyable. Part of that is the cast, which includes recurring players Carrie Preston (True Blood), Andre Royo (The Wire), Molly Price (Third Watch), and co-star Ellen Barkin (The New Normal). Hahn is absolutely fantastic, and the rest all make the proceedings more fun. Thom may be unhappy, but those around him aren’t always, and they are able to play off Thom’s broad actions well. It’s a really good group of players.

Seeing Coogan play the role, it’s hard to imagine Philip Seymour Hoffman as Thom, though Hoffman starred in the original pilot before his death. Coogan, as he must, completely owns the role and uses his talents to help shape the character. Coogan is a different type of actor than Hoffman was, and while HAPPYISH might have been good without Coogan, it would be a different show. I think this version is likely funnier. I’m glad, seeing the product, that Showtime decided to move forward with this project even after losing its star.

It’s funny that HAPPYISH premieres now, so soon after HBO’s Togetherness ended its freshman run. I feel like the two shows share a lot of DNA, having similar themes and quality. While Togetherness is more of an ensemble and HAPPYISH has a stronger, more singular lead, both capture an authentic spirit in a moment where they are especially relevant. I don’t know that both are needed on the air, but I’d be hard pressed to say one should be cancelled over the other.

HAPPYISH premieres Sunday, April 26^th at 9:30 p.m. ET on Showtime.

Take Home a TROPHY WIFE

Article first published as TROPHY WIFE Review on Seat42F.

One of ABC’s new sitcoms is called TROPHY WIFE. Young-acting party girl Kate (Malin Akerman, Watchmen, Childrens Hospital) meets the guy of her dreams after falling off the stage while singing karaoke. But she soon learns that marrying him means taking on three children and two ex-wives, giving her an instant family.

The name of the show may be TROPHY WIFE, but Kate is anything but that negative label. She is a warm-hearted individual who puts her all into everything she does, including being a wife and stepmother. Kate wants to be the best parent she can be for the kids, plays nice with the exes, and truly seems to love Pete (Bradley Whitford, The West Wing, The Cabin in the Woods), her new man.

We see this when Kate eagerly takes a parent-teacher conference with stepson Warren’s teacher (Phyllis Smith, The Office), and as she covers for Warren’s twin sister, Hillary (listed as Once Upon a Time’s Bailee Madison on the show’s official website, though played by someone else in the “Pilot”). Even when Kate is mad at Hillary for bringing vodka to school or uncomfortable about Warren’s (Ryan Scott Lee, Super 8) seeming lust for her, Kate tries to make the situation right without judgment or anger.

Not that Kate’s best is good enough for Warren and Hillary’s mother, stuffy Doctor Diane (Marcia Gay Harden, The Newsroom, Mystic River). Diane is icy from the start, definitely not approving of Pete’s latest relationship skewing younger, or having her children around such an influence.

Still, Diane is preferable to Pete’s second wife, Jackie (Michaela Watkins, Enlightened, Wanderlust), a flighty, sneaky, liar who has no trouble hiding the death of her son, Bert’s (Albert Tsai), hamster from him, or hiding a key to get into Pete’s house. Jackie is trouble, especially when she considers herself still part of the family, clearly having nothing else of significance going on in her life.

Now, as I recently complained about in another review, there are a lot of family sitcoms out there, so we don’t necessarily need any more. Yet, TROPHY WIFE doesn’t feel like most others. It’s sort of a mix between Modern Family and The New Normal in tone, showing a more blended clan much more common today in the world, though underrepresented on television, than in years past. As such, it’s another type of family series, not the same old thing over again.

It also helps that Akerman is a capable leading lady, playing both the emotionally charged scenes and the over-the-top physical comedy with great acumen. In the presence of Whitford, Watkins, and Harden, all very talented in their own right, this group delivers a very funny premiere episode.

Kate is a very likeable character who seems authentic, even if she isn’t relatable. She is still in touch with the things that make up her personality, maintaining a great relationship with drinking buddy and bartender Meg (another wonderful performer, White Collar’s Natalie Morales). Yet, as Meg takes Kate’s developments in stride, it helps the viewers understand that Kate hasn’t changed and isn’t trying to, just moving into the next phase of a full life.

One does begin to wonder what kind of man Pete is. We see him as the calming influence when everyone is together, but there are definitely some different facets to him to marry three so very different women. He seems to be totally committed to Kate, and one assumes he was equally so to Jackie and Diane during their tenures, though I’m curious to see why those pairings feel apart. He’s a loving father, but one with flaws, such as having trouble being honest with a child about a dead pet. I look forward to learning more about him.

Now, this being a pilot, there are a few things the show can improve on. For one, it would be nice if it was a little more consistent with its tone. I’d also like to see more cohesive, focused stories, as this episode meanders around a lot among the various characters. But I dig the energy and the cast quite a bit, so I think it will be something worth keeping an eye on. As long as it allows Akerman the opportunity to continue on Childrens Hospital.

TROPHY WIFE premieres Tuesday, September 24^th at 9:30 p.m. ET on ABC, and the “Pilot” is available on Hulu now.

The Good Guys Ends First (Only?) Season

    FOX's The Good Guys was a summer show that got a rare treat when seven additional episodes were ordered for this fall. Sadly, the series looks poised for cancellation, although no official word has been handed down. Certainly the show will not have any other new episodes this television season, as none have been ordered at this time, and they've already aired twenty in the last six months. Still, as much as I enjoy The Good Guys, I can't decide if I'm hoping for its survival.

     The problem with The Good Guys is its silliness, which is also the best reason to watch. Pretty much every episode, Detectives Dan Stark (Bradley Whitford) and Jack Bailey (Colin Hanks) investigate some petty crime, in the case of this week, a dine and dash. Inevitably, events snowball, and without even realizing it, they are soon taking down murderers, dirty cops, jewel thieves, and the like. Entertaining? Absolutely. As I said in an earlier review, Whitford appears to be having the most fun he's ever had in his acting career and that enthusiasm is infectious. But even suspending normal disbelief, as has to be done for any TV show, this one stretches the bounds of believability. How can that same bumbling scenario play out over and over again and still feel fresh?

     Not the show is not devoid of hope. There are glimmers that the people that make it realize their premise is limited, and have tried to add other distracting elements. Great guest casting, such as Joshua Malina (The West Wing) as an Internal Affairs agent bent on bringing down Stark, Chris Klein (American Pie) as Bailey's former partner turned deputy chief who is on the take, and especially Gary Cole (Entourage, The West Wing) as Stark's former partner Frank Savage, has helped. But how long can stunt casting really keep a show afloat before it becomes an obvious ploy?

     I think the main issue if that there are truly only two interesting characters: Jack and Dan. Early on they clashed, providing some good human drama. Now they've settled into a firm, loyal partnership, so that tension is gone. They're still fun, but their actions and decisions have become obvious, taking away suspense. For most of the series, Jack pined for assistant district attorney Liz (Reaper's wonderful Jenny Wade), but now that they're together, that is gone, too, and Liz often feels unnecessary and cumbersome to the rest of the plot. I also adore Diana Maria Riva, who plays Jack and Dan's boss, Lieutenant Ruiz. Unfortunately, she rarely gets to do anything much, with the recent exception being in the peeping tom episode. Using her more could go a long way towards salvaging things.

     Because of the stagnant four main characters, others have been added to spice things up. Early fan favorite snitch Julius (RonReaco Lee) returned for a total of eleven episodes, and originally always brought something new to the table, though even he was becoming stale near the end of the season. In the second half, Samantha (Angela Sarafyn) showed up, who was a police ally / assistant and a possible love interest for Jack. Perhaps the gun was jumped when Sam waited until after Jack and Liz got together to kiss him. However, should the show get a second season, it would not be surprising at all to see Jack and Samantha as an item, for awhile at least.

     I'm not a hater of this show, far from it. But I began getting bored after twenty episodes, and perhaps this is one show that would have benefited from a nice, long hiatus in the middle of the season, though they only got six weeks. If it does return next summer or fall, I will probably get excited again, as I will definitely miss The Good Guys after awhile. But unless something is done to seriously shake things up and change the rules of the game, it will grow old much faster in the second batch. Not only that, a shake up may kill the series, because it relies on a formula, and abandoning the formula is a serious risk.

     Perhaps this would have worked better as a miniseries or a set of TV movies. The talent level is high, but the magic is just not there in a sustainable way over the long term. Awesome concept that didn't work so well when drawn out. As a twenty episode series, it will be fondly remembered. If it becomes a forty episode run, fans may not stay so enamored. The good news is, should The Good Guys get the ax, the actors should not stay unemployed too long.


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

Article first published as TV Review: The Good Guys Ends First (Only?) Season on Blogcritics.

The Good Guys is doing pretty good

Not in the ratings, sadly.  But creatively, summer's funnest show, FOX's The Good Guys, has gotten even better this fall.  Following the buddy cop formula, Bradley Whitford plays Dan Stark and Colin Hanks is Jack Bailey.  I've said it before, but I think Whitford, a fabulous actor, as proven by his long stint on The West Wing, is just plain having fun in this show.  That makes it enjoyable for the audience, when you see a guy clearly loving what he is doing.  Stark is obnoxious, backwards, sports a 70's 'stache, and goes on about the good old days.  Bailey is straight-laced, mostly by the book, though Stark has been rubbing off on him.  Hanks plays it wonderfully, too, finally a role that really suits him.

     The plot the last few weeks has gone a little further into character development.  Two weeks ago, we finally met Stark's old partner, Frank Savage (Gary Cole, Entourage, Office Space), who has long been retired, and given up his antics.  He lives a quiet life with wife, Cynthia (Rachael Harris, The Hangover, My Boys, Notes From the Underbelly), who does not approve of Dan coming back and upsetting their balance.  Also in that episode was Ethan Suplee (My Name is Earl, Chasing Amy) as Andy, the now-grown little boy that Stark and Savage saved back in the day, and a TV movie was made about it.  As the plot unfolded, one could see that Savage and Bailey are two quiet different partners for Stark.  Bailey tries to reign him in, while Savage lets the crazy fly.  They both clearly care about Dan though, with Bailey's affection grown into unwavering loyalty in just the short time they've worked together.  Do you blame him though?  Dan is nothing if not loyal, and while he can be a screwup, he is sincere and honest.  Obviously, while Stark and Savage have fun, with Bailey's influence, Stark can be a better cop than ever.

     This past week the guest talent kept coming, with Ed Begley Jr. (Gary Unmarried, Veronica Mars) as Jack's crooked but charming Uncle Nate, and Method Man (The Wire, How High) as an arson-happy villain.  Nate brought some needed background and depth to Jack, as usually the past we hear about it Dan's.  Dan also managed to drag his favorite snitch, Julius (RonReaco Lee, Worst Week, The Shield) into the fray, though Julius wasn't too happy about it.  It's always a pleasure to see Julius, and hopefully the series will keep him coming back.

     The show isn't all great guest casting, though the past two weeks have been among the best in the series.  It's about the characters that star every week.  There are two women in the opening credits, too, and though they don't often get much plot, they are wonderful actors.  Diana Maria Riva (Studio 60 On the Sunset Strip, The West Wing) plays the boss, Lt. Ruiz, while Jenny Wade (Reaper) is Jack's ex-girlfriend, whom he is still smitten with, A.D.A. Liz Traynor.  The two girls were featured a few weeks ago, as they attempted to bring down a Senator (Wade's former Reaper co-star Ray Wise) on their own.  It was nice to see the two out of an office, and while Bailey and Stark and definitely the heart of the show, hopefully the women will get more to play with, as they can certainly handle it.

     I highly recommend you check out The Good Guys, as they can really use a ratings boost.  The show is way better than many other shows with higher numbers, and one of the most laugh-out-loud cop dramas ever made.  It's not high quality television, but it's loads of fun.  The Good Guys airs Friday nights at 9pm on FOX.

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

The Good Guys' summer is over

    The Good Guys have packed it up.  After a mere nine episodes, the final airing last night, the Fox summer series has come to an end.  This is regretful, as I think it has been hands down the best show of the summer.  Happily, however, it will return this fall.  Unhappily, the return date is two months away, and that's a long time to go without my weekly dose of Dan Stark (Bradley Whitford) and Jack Bailey (Colin Hanks).

     Although it is not the standard crime procedural, on paper the series does not have a lot going for it.  Every episode goes through a lot of the same plot points: Stark and Bailey are assigned a minor crime, they want to work a larger crime, somehow the minor crime ties itself into the larger crime.  Stark screws up and angers their boss, Lt. Ruiz (Diana Maria Riva).  Bailey makes subtle passes at his ex-girlfriend, Liz (Jenny Wade).  Through a series of lucky happenstances, the two take down whatever big villain exists, usually with the help of a small villain, who barely qualifies as such, and earns the audience's sympathy, and gets away with whatever he or she did, or gets a very slight punishment.  Time jumps around in whatever way to best please the audience.  Because of the shear number of coincidences, one episode is unrealistic.  But it happens again and again, every week.

     However, something about The Good Guys rises above the ingredients.  It doesn't matter that the episodes don't change much, or that they aren't believable.  It is still miles of fun to watch.  Creator Matt Nix (Burn Notice) has got something on his hands that is light-hearted and action packed.  Tons of bullets fly, things blow up, and somehow, rarely is anyone scratched.  Bradley Whitford seems to be having the most fun of career, overacting the washed-up, former legend with the '70's look.  Hanks, despite his obvious similarities to his father, Tom, has never had his career take off.  But in playing the straight man against Whitford, he's found a home.  Wade is sweet, and Ruiz is more than someone for the audience to get mad at for chastising the heroes.  Usually, you can easily understand why she gets so upset.

     It may not be the smartest thing on television, or the best written, but it has a charm that transcends it, and makes it better than summer fare.  Deservedly, it will return Friday nights beginning September 24th.  A Friday time slot is not usually a good sign, but as the show escaped summer, it can probably escape the death knell of Fridays, too.  Watch The Good Guys on Fox.

The Good Guys is bad a**

    Fox has a new buddy-cop show this summer, called The Good Guys.  Two episodes have already run; the first ran many times over a two week period.  It's odd for a summer series to get so much attention and air time, but this is no ordinary summer series.  In fact, if they just cleaned up the writing a little bit, it could be a good contender at any time of year.  In fact, with twenty episodes now ordered, it will be running in the fall on Friday nights, which could spell doom.  However, it seems it's being given a fair shake, on Monday nights this summer.

     The show is from creator Matt Nix (Burn Notice) and stars two cops.  The new-ish partners are washed up legend Dan Stark (Bradley Whitford, The West Wing), and abrasive, going-nowhere Jack Bailey (Colin Hanks, Roswell).  Though, Dan seems to be anything but ineffective and Jack can solve cases with the best of them.  So how they became the no-go duo is kind of anyone's guess.  In the first two episodes they turned routine cases into big take downs.  For reality's sake, the cases are either going to have to get more minor, or they are going to need to get promoted.  Hopefully it'll be the latter, because what's happening on screen is great fun, the primary component being the wonderful chemistry between the two leads.

     The series also stars the lovely and talented Jenny Wade (Reaper) as Jack's ex, Liz, and the tough and feisty Diana-Maria Riva (Studio 60 On the Sunset Strip) as their boss, Lt. Ruiz.  It's a shame they weren't given a larger group to work with, because I wish Julius (RonReaco Lee, In the Motherhood), their snitch, was sticking around.  He brought much levity to the first two episodes.  But from the cast, to the colorful setting of Dallas, the show has plenty going for it.

     An annoyingly too-often used device in recent television is showing the ending of the episode first.  The Good Guys often does this, but many of the other scenes also air non-chronologically.  It's always done for good reason, and actually adds another fun element, rather than falling into the cliche trap.  I hope they keep it up.

     If you want to watch The Good Guys, and I certainly hope you do, please tune into Fox Monday nights at 9pm.