Don't “Damnatio Memoriae” MANHATTAN

Article originally published as MANHATTAN Review on Seat42F.

“Damnatio Memoriae” is a Latin phrase that means a person must not be remembered. As MANHATTAN returns for a second season on WGN America, the premiere episode bears that title, and many in charge of Los Alamos would like Frank Winter (John Benjamin Hickey) to be forgotten. The hour does the opposite, though, with Frank’s absence felt in both big ways and small, and frequently mentioned. The more things change in the desert, the more Frank is ingrained in the minds of them all.

I expected MANHATTAN to feel like a different show without Frank (who isn’t the only cast member gone when the sophomore run begins), but it really doesn’t. Characters come and go on MANHATTAN, and while Frank is central in the first year, there are other important players who are still around. As such, while Frank (and Daniel Stern’s Glen Babbit) will be missed by the fans as well as the other characters, MANHATTAN must continue.

“Damnatio Memoriae” begins with the testing of the atomic bomb, before jumping back in time fifteen months. While it’s not news to the audience that the bomb actually gets made and works, something taught in history classes all over the world, the show uses a subplot with Russian spy Jim Meeks (Christopher Denham) to build suspense. The flash-forwards also seem to promise Frank’s return. Are these events set for the season finale, or much later? We’ll have to wait and see.

In the present, Charlie Isaacs (Ashley Zukerman) has been promoted to head up the implosion project, now the focus of the camp. He bristles against how he gets the job, but he takes to the new-found authority with startling ease. From going head-to-head with the mysteries spy hunter Occam (Richard Schiff), to lying to the staff about Frank’s whereabouts (or so Charlie thinks), Isaacs quickly becomes comfortable with his position. He may not have wanted this turn of events, but they suit him well.

Part of Charlie’s stepping up could be because he learns that his wife, Abby (Rachel Brosnahan), is pregnant. She may not give their marriage a second chance, but Charlie is going to be a parent, and that rearranges one’s priorities. But even before that he shows the tenacity, strength, and willingness to play the game that is needed. I have to say, I’m a little surprised, especially knowing the mistakes he’s made in the past. Some people just rise to the occasion, though.

Frank may be gone, but his wife, Liz (Olivia Williams), is not. Told she must stay in Los Alamos because of what she knows, she is demoted in her living quarters and not given any information about what happened to her husband. She’s essentially an unwilling prisoner at this point, but I give her credit for not giving up and managing to get her daughter transferred away, despite the efforts of Dunlavey (Jefferson White), who is by no means a worthy opponent.

The major character introduced in “Damnatio Memoriae” is the new head of the base, Col. Darrow (William Peterson, CSI). Darrow comes into quite a mess, and while he won’t get everything under control right away, he does get a chance to assert his authority with Crosley (Harry Lloyd). This scene tells viewers right away the type of commander Darrow is, and he’s one that should not only get things running much more smoothly, but also will not be trifled with. The time for nonsense is over.

Being on WGN America, many people may not yet have heard of or given a chance to MANHATTAN. It is a terrific human drama, though, and while not wholly historically accurate, with fictional characters put into real events, is a fascinating look at the type of place in which the bomb was built. It’s definitely worth watching.

MANHATTAN airs Tuesdays at 9 p.m. ET on WGN America.

MANHATTAN Ignites

Article originally written for Seat42F.

WGN America is making huge plays these days to elevate itself from ‘superstation’ to full-fledged cable network, including creating their own content. Their first original drama, Salem, is good. Their second, MANHATTAN, which premiered last night, is even better.

Set in Los Alamos, New Mexico, which was unnamed in the 1940s when this story takes place, the series dramatizes the invention of the atomic bomb, with a focus on those who helped design and formulate it, as well as their families. A highly secretive project, the men and women employed by the U.S. government at this isolated site were among the best and the brightest. Their spouses often were not, and were not even trusted with knowing what the employees were desperately working on, racing against Germany to end the war.

MANHATTAN is besieged by the ticking clock. The Americans believed that Hitler was also working on the bomb-to-end-all-bombs, and that he was close to finishing it. Thus, they are spurred on not only by patriotism, which nearly all of them possess in spades, but also by the fear of the consequences should they lose the race. As one character muses when his daughter wants to go to college in New York, to paraphrase, ‘A densely populated city on the East Coast? No way.’

The pilot, “You Always Hurt the One You Love,” introduces us to a lot of characters, but thankfully, it keeps the core cast small enough to handle. There’s: Frank Winter (John Benjamin Hickey, The Big C), a brilliant scientist leading a small team competing with Akley’s (David Harbour, The Newsroom) much bigger, more well-funded one; Frank’s wife, Liza (Olivia Williams, Dollhouse), a botanist with a PhD who isn’t allowed to plant crops in the complex; new recruit Charlie Isaacs (Ashley Zukerman, Rush), who is physically nauseated when the purpose of the place is revealed; and Charlie’s wife, Abby (Rachel Brosnahan, House of Cards), who wants to go home, and will likely get Charlie into trouble.

These four are surrounded by a large group of wonderful players, including Daniel Stern (Home Alone, City Slickers), Josh Cooke (Dexter), Harry Lloyd (Game of Thrones), Eddie Shin (Men of a Certain Age), Michael Chernus (Orange is the New Black), Christopher Denham (Argo), Katja Herbers Alexia Fast (Jack Reacher), Richard Schiff (The West Wing), and Mark Moses (Mad Men), but keeping these two couples at the core helps ground the narrative.

Many issues are brought up and dealt with in MANHATTAN, even when just considering the pilot. There’s the military state, security that may be over the top or could be construed as necessary, depending on your perspective. There’s the political nature of the hierarchy, as Frank finds out when he approaches Oppenheimer (Daniel London, Mildred Pierce) with a better idea than Ackley’s, but is shot down anyway. There is the splintering of marriage when trust is broken, mainly because of the constraints of the job. There is the constant threat that even the best intentions could get one into serious trouble, and rumors and gossip spread quickly. There is the challenge of living in a new environment in the middle of nowhere, a major stressor on those who aren’t in the office at all hours.

Yet, despite the extremely full hour-plus running time, MANHATTAN is not overwhelming. Instead, it presents a complex structure with interesting topics and people, an authentic-seeming look at an important part of history. The moral quandaries of The Manhattan Project are still debated today, so MANHATTAN, besides being an entertaining drama, is also a way for modern people to sort out mixed feelings about it, and also get some historical perspective. I find myself thoroughly engrossed and excited about this series.

MANHATTAN airs Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on WGN America.

Deception brings NBC into the soapy drama game

Grade: 85%

NBC's Deception is the network's foray into the genre of soapy drama. This is usually ABC's territory, as evidenced by Scandal and Desperate Housewives. Considering the field has plenty of this type of series already, with versions spreading throughout the cable landscape, can NBC provide something fresh and original enough to set itself apart?

Yes, and no. Deception benefits from the best cast assembled in awhile for such an effort. It also takes itself more seriously than the average prime-time soap, avoiding the cartoonish and over the top elements of its peers. It's an intricate murder mystery steeped in character history, meaning we get flashbacks. It feels like Revenge with a dash of Veronica Mars, so it's not wholly original.

As the "Pilot" begins, Joanna Locasto (Meagan Good, Californication, Think Like A Man) learns her childhood best friend, Vivian Bowers (Bree Wiliamson, One Life to Live), whom she knew because Joanna's mother was Vivian's family's maid, is dead. It looks like a drug overdose, which would be within Vivian's character, but the feds and police suspect murder. Most of their suspects are members of Vivian's own family, so they send Joanna in, undercover, to figure out what is going on.

While there will surely be plenty of plot twists coming up, the one who looks least guilty right now is Vivian's father, Robert (Victor Garber, Eli Stone, Alias, Web Therapy). Robert is warm and welcoming to Joanna, buying her cover story, and inviting her into their home. While Robert is involved in a pharmaceutical company that could have a drug connected to the motive, he doesn't seem the type.

Less sure is Vivian's brother, Julian (Wes Brown, True Blood, Hart of Dixie). Not only is Julian involved in the business, too, but he also has a thing for Joanna, who returns the feelings. This means that her vision may not be clear around him, as evidenced by her shutting off her wire while they cuddle on the dock, throwing her professionalism out the window. Which begs the question, even if Joanna has an in, is she the right woman for the job?

Then there's Edward (Tate Donovan, Damages), who doesn't want Joanna around, but is too grumpy and obvious to be the killer. He is having marital problems with his wife, Samantha (Marin Hinkle, Once and Again), but we don't yet know what's involved. They will probably be the initial focus of the investigation, and then, if the series is predictable, Joanna's allies.

The wild card lies in Robert's second wife, Sofia (Katherine LaNasa, The Campaign). At first, she seems a nasty piece of work who doesn't get along with Julian, Edward, and Vivian. But then we learn that the daughter thought to be hers and Robert's, Mia (Ella Rae Peck, Gossip Girl), is actually Vivian's child, so Sofia can't be all bad.

Of course, we have to have even more twists thrown in, so Joanna's ex, Will Moreno (Laz Alonso, Avatar), is the one who brings her in on the mission, and he still harbors feelings for her. And the first person to blow Joanna's cover, a reporter named Remy (Christopher Denham, Argo), is killed by two men in a black car. Also, Vivian is pregnant a second time when she dies.

There is a great set up here for the era of class warfare, with the dysfunctional, rich family, and a tangled web of clues. The actors sell their roles. But it also has too many familiar elements, which could hurt Deception if it doesn't come up with something new to toss in. And how long will it take the Bowers family to figure out what Joanna is up to? Too long, and they seem dumb, unworthy of an elaborate killing scheme. Too short, and it kills the momentum of the investigation.

Basically, the jury is still out on Deception, and if it will be a weekly viewing appointment. So, to find out, tune in Mondays at 10 p.m. ET on NBC.

Want to read some of my fiction? It's on my website, JeromeWetzel.com! Also, for the latest updates and article links, as well as commentary on episodes I don't fully review, please follow me on Twitter!

Article first posted on TheTVKing