Found My QUARRY

Article first published as QUARRY Review on Seat42F.

It’s 1972 in Memphis. Soldiers are coming home from Vietnam to a public who is ashamed of them and filled with hate for what the military did. It’s a tense, fluid, depressing time in American life. One young man in particular finds it hard to get work and readjust to civilian life. This is the story of Cinemax’s newest series, QUARRY, which premieres tonight.

I’ve reviewed a number of Cinemax pilots over the years, but seldom found one I wanted to watch past episode one. They tend to be bloody pulp fiction, more concerned with violence and gore than storytelling. Or, even when they have a decent narrative, they still have to dress it up in the trappings of most of their fare.

QUARRY is the exception. Yes, there are certainly some violent things that happen, you will see some of the crimson liquid spilled, and death, revenge, hatred hang in the air. And there is even some gratuitous, though not unwelcome, nudity. But that’s not the focus of the series. Those are supporting elements, not the center of every other scene as the first hour plays out.

We are introduced to Mac Conway (Logan Marshall-Green, Dark Blue, Prometheus) pretty early on, the protagonist described in the introductory paragraph. Mac is glad to be back in the arms of his wife, Joni (Jodi Balfour, Bomb Girls), not letting his buddy’s teasing allegations of infidelity dampen his enthusiasm to see her again. But even with his loving gal, he finds it difficult to secure employment, and his interactions with members of the public become combative at times as soon as they figure out he’s a veteran, and he’s haunted by what he did overseas. Thus, Mac finds himself tempted by a less than noble calling that would pay plenty to support his two-person family unit as well as take some of the financial stress and pressure off.

Enter The Broker (Peter Mullan, Top of the Lake, War Horse) and his henchmen, Karl (Edoardo Ballerini, Boardwalk Empire) and Buddy (Damon Herriman, Justified), who want to make Mac a contract killer. This is where the typical Cinemax stuff comes into play, with assassination and dangerous missions entering the plot.

To QUARRY’s credit, it lets Mac wrestle with the morality of The Broker’s offer. Yes, Mac killed people in Vietnam, and yes, as his friend argues, people who have a contract out on them are probably bad people. But even when a large sum of money is on the table, Mac doesn’t want to do this; he is better than this. And while we know he will eventually give in (otherwise there would be no show), the way in which the character gets to that point feels more natural and less forced than what I see in most players on this network.

There are also some additional side stories involving Joni and the wife of Mac’s army buddy, Ruth (Nikki Amuka-Bird, Luther), as is necessary to keep a weekly series going for any length of time. These are less important, but do connect to the more central arc.

But Mac’s journey is what QUARRY is about, and by making this program a more complex character study, rather than just a shoot-‘em-up, I am intrigued. Probably not enough to subscribe to the network, but enough to check out series on its own when it becomes available to view independently. However, if you already have access to Cinemax, this raises the quality level of what the channel generally offers, so I would absolutely recommend setting that season pass and enjoying a modern, well-made tale, at least going by the pilot.

QUARRY premieres tonight at 10/9c on Cinemax.

Return to THE KNICK

Article first published as Blu-ray Review: 'The Knick - The Complete Second Season' on Blogcritics.

I don’t have a high opinion of shows on Cinemax in general. I find them too bloody, too action-oriented, lacking character and plot depth. There is an exception to that rule, however, and that is the excellent drama The Knick, the second season of which will be released on Blu-ray and DVD on August 2nd (It is already available digitally).

The Knick is from the great Steven Soderbergh (Traffic, The Girlfriend Experience), and takes place at a New York City hospital known as The Knickerbocker, which actually existed, though the version in the show is fictionalized quite a bit. Set more than a century ago, the program follows Dr. John Thackery (Clive Owen, Children of Men), a genius of a man who struggles with a cocaine and opium addiction, and his co-workers at the facility. Far from the soapy drama of Grey’s Anatomy, the period drama is intense, engaging, and is a little bit informative about a bygone era, even though it is not, nor does it pretend to be, a true story.

Season two opens amid much strife. Those who watched the first year will recall (spoiler alert!) that The Knick itself has been shut down, Thackery hospitalized due to his substance abuse issue, and the hospital in dire financial straits, lacking backing from those with means who could keep its doors open. Contributing in no small part is the mismanagement of money by hospital manager Herman Barrow (Jeremy Bobb, The Wolf of Wall Street), who is indebted to the mob. Instead, a plan moves forward to construct a brand-new building uptown, and this in of itself allows for plenty of conflict, as greed and corruption enter into the proceedings.

The staff itself is undergoing no less an upheaval. An early front-runner to succeed Thackery is his temporary replacement, Dr. Algernon Edwards (Andre Holland, Selma, 1600 Penn), though his path is not without his challenges, not least of which includes the color of his skin. Of course, it is no surprise when Thackery returns, but is he in any shape to take his job back, or should it pass on to his assistant?

Amid this, there is plenty of suspense around abortions, retinal reattachment, eugenics, divorce, a subway explosion, conjoined twins, hypnotism, blackface, blackmail, and more.  You cannot say the ten hours contained in this set are boring. With a terrific ensemble cast that includes Eve Hewson (Bridge of Spies), Juliet Rylance (American Gothic), Eric Johnson (Rookie Blue), Michael Angarano (Will & Grace), Cara Seymour (An Education), and Chris Sullivan (The Normal Heart), there is always a lot going on, and pretty much all of it exciting, culminating in a heck of an ending to the year. I definitely recommend watching this series.

The Complete Second Season does an excellent job putting together a large batch of extras, too. I really liked the walking tour of the set, which reveals some of the hidden details of the wonderful designs, and the behind-the-scenes vignettes with the cast and crew. There is also a feature on the costumes, and a look at how the extravagant charity ball came together for episode seven. The medical procedures shown on screen are discussed more fully, there are recaps of each episode, “Knicktoids” facts, and three of the hours even have audio commentaries. All in all, the bonuses are worthy of the series, which is becoming more and more of a rarity in recent releases.

I liked The Knick right from the pilot. I’m glad to go along for the ride of season two, and I am very intrigued about the possibilities for the third outing, which has not yet been scheduled, the series taking a break as they plan the next two years of story. If its return is anything like what’s come so far, it’ll be worth the wait.

The Knick: The Complete Second Season will be available on disc on August 2nd, and is already available for pre-order on Amazon and other sites, as well as digitally.

OUTCAST For Not Liking This Show?

Article first published as OUTCAST Review on Seat42F.

Robert Kirkman has already proven he is a master of morally ambiguous horror storytelling with The Walking Dead, my hands-down favorite currently running television series (despite the fact that I hate zombies). Now, his second comic series reaches the screen with OUTCAST, premiering this Friday on Cinemax.

Cinemax is where HBO sends their more gruesome and gratuitous-violence-driven action series, so going in, one expects a more jarring experience than AMC manages to do with The Walking Dead. That expectation is met early on, and repeatedly throughout the first hour. There is bug eating and child punching and ooze spewing and all sorts of others things that make the series uncomfortable to watch.

But there are also really good characters, first and foremost Kyle Barnes (Patrick Fugit, Almost Famous, Full Circle). Kyle was abused as a child and has been plagued by literal demons ever since. They destroyed his mother (Julia Crockett, The Absence) and his marriage, leading him to seek a hermitic existence in a dilapidated house, fine with everyone believing he hurt his daughter (Chandler Head, A Walk in the Woods). After all, that’s preferable to dealing with a reality in which supernatural forces seem to be out to get him, right?

Kyle isn’t as alone as he’d like to be (assuming he really wants to be as alone as he proports). His sister, Megan (Wrenn Schmidt, Person of Interest), brings him groceries and attempts to engage him, even as her husband, Mark (David Denman, The Office), doesn’t trust Kyle around his niece (Callie Brook McClincy, The Originals) because of what Mark believes Kyle did. A neighbor, Norville (Willie C. Carpenter, Devious Maids), offers Kyle food and the use of his car. Reverend Anderson (Philip Glenister, Ashes to Ashes) wants Kyle to help him exorcise demons, knowing Kyle is good at it for some reason.

Will Kyle come out of his self-imposed isolation? He has that option, as police chief Giles (Reg E. Cathey, House of Cards) seems content to let Kyle work with Anderson, even when that takes Kyle into the houses of local children. Though, it’s unknown if Kyle’s ex-wife, Allison (Kate Lyn Sheil, House of Cards), would consider taking him back, or even if Kyle is the one who is staying away, and I do feel like Kyle isn’t going to be happy without his family, no matter how much evil he defeats.

Basically, this is a show about a huge war between our lowly hero, Kyle Barnes, and some pretty powerful forces of darkness that have taken an interest in him.

Even with all that, though, this show isn’t for me. I thought long and hard about why I won’t be watching OUTCAST past episode one. After all, while I admittedly hate zombies and do not watch zombie movies, I love The Walking Dead. I don’t like demons and possessions, either, and avoid those films, but unlike with Kirkman’s previous work, I’m not able to overcome the grossness inherent in the genre to enjoy the story. Why?

It’s not the performances, but it could be the writing. While there is something relatable in The Walking Dead, it’s lacking in OUTCAST. You may never want to go through what the characters in the zombie apocalypse go through, but you can relate to them and understand their quandary. To me, though, I don’t find that same connection to Patrick. His worldview is just too far removed. It’s hard to say why exactly that is, but I just can’t get into this show.

If, however, unlike me, you enjoy The Exorcist, this is a deeper, more complex take on a similar story, with a lot more going on, and every bit as much gross stuff as that popular movie. OUTCAST premieres this Friday, June 3^rd, on Cinemax.

TRANSPORTER: THE SERIES Speeds Into the U.S.

Article first published as TRANSPORTER THE SERIES Review on Seat42F.

TRANSPORTER: THE SERIES, a French-Canadian spin-off of the successful film franchise of virtually the same name, first premiered two years ago in Germany, and is just starting a second season there. After Cinemax declined to air it in the States, it finally finds a home on TNT as it premieres this weekend.

Note: I have not seen any of the movies in the series, so this review is strictly about a single episode of the television show, the first in the American broadcast order.

Frank Martin is The Transporter. A man who can get anything he is hired to from point A to point B (or C or D, for that matter), he is focused on his work, which he does extremely well. This, despite the fact that he consistently breaks the only three rules he has: never change the deal, no names, and never open the package. He’s a capable, smooth bad-ass, the type of guy women want to sleep with and men want to be. If that sounds cheesy, well, it’s no cheesier than the dialogue.

TRANSPORTER: THE SERIES is fast-paced and adrenaline-pumping. There are numerous car chases in the first installment alone, with the promise of plenty more where that came from. Action sequences are frequent, often with a slowed-down camera to better highlight the stunts being performed. There are guns, of course, one-note villains and sexy, exotic women for our hero to sleep with, though none he’s tempted to begin a relationship for. Clichés are tossed about freely, and we know Frank will always win.

There is something to be said for predictable popcorn fare. Many people enjoy seeing such scenarios played out, the fantasy of fast cars and willing women, living a life they will never live. It’s escapism entertainment, to be sure, and the writing is not particularly smart or high quality. But the production looks cool, with neat, foreign landscapes (the show is filmed in Canada, France, and Germany) and attractive individuals inhabiting it.

Chris Vance (Rizzoli & Isles, Burn Notice, All Saints) brings the titular role to the small screen. Because of the non-American involvement, he may be the only face recognizable to local audiences, and even he’s not a household name. Vance is well-suited for this role, and while I know he can do better than TRANSPORTER THE SERIES, he’s giving it his all, delivering a fine performance for what this is and probably having a ton of fun.

The focus is mainly on Frank and the case-of-the-week, but the show does list four other main characters, who occasionally appear. There’s Inspector Tarconi (François Berléand, the lone actor reprising his role from the movies) as Frank’s police friend who keeps him out of trouble, mostly. Carla Valeri (Andrea Osvárt, Elsö generáció) is former CIA, a tech genius who gets Frank his information. Juliette Dobois (Delphine Chanéac, Splice) is investigating Frank, so he should be careful around her. And, of course, there’s the comic relief, Frank’s pal, Dieter Hausmann (Charly Hübner, Ladykracher).

Our pilot is called “Trojan Horsepower,” which aired as episode two in France and episode seven in Germany. The broadcast order of all of the episodes have varied quite a bit (check Wikipedia for details), but it really doesn’t matter because TRANSPORTER: THE SERIES does not seem like the type of show to introduce long-ranging mythology or a serial story. If you like procedurals and this type of thing speaks to you, you’ll probably enjoy it.

Similarly, there have also been different cuts of the installments for each country. Had TRANSPORTER: THE SERIES aired on Cinemax, as originally intended, each week would probably have differed in running time and we’d get to see some boobs, as that’s the type of story this is. Moved to TNT, it will be trimmed into matching parts, and any nudity or cursing is danced around, with nothing to offend the basic cable audience, which is a bit disappointing, given the format, but it is what it is.

TRANSPORTER: THE SERIES is not for me, but I was still at least mildly entertained. If you enjoyed the films, check it out, and my guess is you’ll be satisfied.

TRANSPORTER: THE SERIES airs Saturdays at 9 p.m. ET on TNT.

Check In to THE KNICK

Article first published as THE KNICK Review on Seat42F.

The Knick | Andre Holland, Michael Angarano, Clive Owen, Eve Hewson, Eric Johnson | Credit Mary Cybulski/Cinemax

Cinemax finally has a series worth watching! Well, at least in this reviewer’s opinion. In the past, episodes I’ve screened of their shows were always heavy on action and violence and gore, but light on character development and story. This week, though, sees the premiere of THE KNICK, a period medical drama set in New York’s Knickerbocker Hospital at the turn of the previous century.

The lead character in THE KNICK is Dr. John W. Thackery (Clive Owen, Hemingway & Gellhorn). He’s very House M.D.-like in that he’s abrasive, brilliant, and has a serious drug addiction. Thackery learned to lean on the illegal substances from his mentor, Dr. Christenson (Matt Frewer, Orphan Black), and now realizes that it might not be a good idea to continue this habit as he takes over as head of surgery. Thankfully, his skills in treating patients haven’t suffered, but the self-medicating could be affecting his attitude.

The main difference between THE KNICK and House is that THE KNICK is not concerned with a mystery-of-the-week. It seems poised for a highly serialized plot, thankfully, that will deal with some depth among the players, as well as some of the issues of the age. Greed and bribery are running rampant, and race is a major factor in how the dynamic of the cast shapes up. These may be the go-to elements for that era, but they work well when told in an interesting, entertaining way, which THE KNICK does, surely thanks in no small part to its Oscar-winning director, Steven Soderbergh (Traffic).

THE KNICK is not boring, as some period dramas are wont to be. It does seem relatively authentic, for the most part. The costumes and set design are cool. There are some scenes that are more bloody than I’d prefer, a nod to the network it airs on, and the score is distracting at the start of the pilot, not quite in sync with what’s happening. However, these are minor gripes in the overall production, which I greatly enjoy.

Besides Owen and Frewer, both terrific performers, THE KNICK includes Andre Holland (1600 Penn) as Thackery’s new, forced-upon-him, African American deputy, Dr. Algernon Edwards, Eric Johnson (Flash Gordon) as the passed-over Dr. Gallinger, Michael Angarano (Will & Grace) as chipper Bertie, Juliet Rylance (Sinister) as overbearing benefactor Cornelia Robertson, Eve Erson (This Must Be the Place) as naïve nurse Lucy, Jeremy Bobb (The Wolf of Wall Street) as the beleaguered administrator, Chris Sullivan (The Normal Heart) as a jerk ambulance driver, Cara Seymour (An Education) as a closed-off nun, and David Fierro (Birman) as a sleazy health inspector. It’s a full, wide-ranging cast of characters, one sure to keep the story moving forward aplenty.

The writing is smart. Yes, some of the situations are fairly standard, but they’re handled in a rather clever way. For instance, the role Christenson plays in the series is interesting. Also, near the end of the pilot, there comes the moment when viewers know that Algernon must end up fully employed at The Knick, despite the obstacles that have plagued him so far. I thought I figured out what would happen, but the show dodges down a different path, showing its unpredictability.

1900 is an exciting year, with technological and medical revolutions galore. It’s the perfect place for a series like THE KNICK to unfold, adding something new to the television landscape, despite its similarities to a few different genres. Kudos to those who have crafted this beautiful show, and I look forward very much to seeing how it plays out.

Perhaps I’m not quite inspired enough to order Cinemax, which offers very few decent programs and pretty much the same slate of movies as HBO, but definitely enough to seek out all of the installments of THE KNICK wherever I can legitimately find them.

THE KNICK premieres this Friday at 10 p.m. ET on Cinemax.

Banshee premiere review

Grade: 78%

CINEMAX premieres a new series this Friday, January 11th at 10 p.m. Entitled BANSHEE, the show sees a man (Antony Starr, Outrageous Fortune) get out of prison after fifteen years served for thievery. Hs tracks down his partner in crime to get his fair share from the robbery that put him behind bars, only to find that she has assumed a new identity as upstanding citizen Carrie Hopewell (Ivana Milicevic, Casiono Royale), has a family, and says that their take is long gone.

What’s a directionless guy to do in a situation like that? Drink, of course. But as he sits in Sugar Bates’ (Frankie Faison, The Wire) bar, he is drawn into a conflict that results in the death of the new sheriff. Since no one has yet seen this sheriff, and the mysterious protagonist has no where else to go, he assumes the identity of Lucas Hood, law man of the town of Banshee.

The first half of the pilot is exactly what one might expect from a Cinemax series. There is lots of action, gratuitous nudity, and gruesome injury. It’s the typical high-octane thriller, set on the small screen, rather than the big. For those tuning in just for this type of thing, the series will definitely deliver.

But as the episode plays out, BANSHEE begins to take on more of a Justified feel, a definite good thing. The man now known as Hood may be a criminal, but he has some type of moral code. He is good to Bates, and there isn’t any sense that he is a threat to Carrie. He sticks his nose in where it doesn’t belong, but only to defend those who need defending.

The town on Banshee has plenty of problems for Hood to solve. It is practically run by the ruthless Kai Proctor (Ulrich Thomsen, Hitman), who owns a slaughterhouse, and is from an Amish family. He will be good to you if you do what he wants, and he does have affection for his father, who still lives by the old ways. But he’s not trustworthy, is a control-hungry, perverse S.O.B., and he certainly doesn’t have the public’s best interests at heart.

This sets up a typical hero story. Hood will try to clean out the corruption, while also dodging his past, which threatens to come back to haunt him. He has to deal with his new police department, especially senior office Brock (Matt Servitto, The Sopranos), who had expected to take over, and Hood has also awakened old feelings in Carrie, whose daughter, Deva (Ryann Shane, Lights Out), is probably his. So there’s a lot pulling the lead character in many directions, but we’re sure he will handle it all and do the right thing. He has to, right?

Unfortunately, this leaves a number of pilot holes. For instance, where did Hood get this sense of right and wrong? Are we expected to believe that his misdoings were in the Robin Hood vein, only stealing from those who deserve it? What would motivate a guy like that to get involved in the going-ons of a small town he knows nothing about? No good reason is given.

More importantly, how can our main character get away with becoming Lucas Hood? No one in Banshee may have met Hood yet, as he is hired remotely, but that doesn’t mean they’ve never seen him. Surely, any background check run would have included viewing pictures of the man? While the new Hood does have his friend Job (Hoon Lee, Premium Rush) work his magic on the web, isn’t this too little, too late? And how long before Hood’s family or friends come to check up on him, or google search Hood’s name to see the new face?

The cast is good. I have no complaints about any of them, who all seem fully invested, and sell their parts just fine. Starr is appropriately brooding, while Thomsen can send chills down one’s spine with the best of them. Sexy Milicevic, thankfully, actually seems like more than just eye candy, and Faison and Lee could be more than sidekicks, if the story ever calls for them to be, which it probably won’t.

Cast doesn’t matter as much, though, when it seems like BANSHEE is willing to put thrills ahead of story. That’s a shame, considering there are enough interesting elements here to build something on. That’s where it parts ways from Justified, which has the same sort of bad-boy protagonist and Western style, but relies more on believable twists that make sense and enriching back story, rather than excuses to shove steak sauce bottles into someone’s head. Maybe this is what Cinemax viewers want; the network is known for its action. But it’s not what a discerning TV viewer wants, and when it’s possible to have both, it’s a shame that the execution doesn’t quite cut it.

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 at Seat42F