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.

FLESH AND BONE Goes Into Brilliant Drama

Article originally published as FLESH AND BONE Review on Seat42F.

A little over a year ago, I was about ready to give up on Starz, the original programming coming from that premium cable not being my cup of tea. Then came the excellent Outlander, and as of last night, it is joined by the equally fantastic, yet wholly different, FLESH AND BONE.

FLESH AND BONE tells the story of Claire (Sarah Hay, Black Swan), a scared, nervous, talented young ballerina that runs away to the big city and lands a plumb role with a professional company. Claire has a lot of personal and emotional issues going on, so this is probably not the ideal time for her to make such big changes. Yet, she’s clearly running from something and trying to find happiness, or at least purpose and peace. She has the type of rare ability and dedication that can help her to succeed in this competitive arena, and so she just might make it. But it won’t be easy.

The ballet world portrayed in FLESH AND BONE is anything but welcoming. The director, Paul (Ben Daniels, House of Cards), is demanding and erratic. He may also be brilliant, but Claire will have to survive working for him awhile to benefit from that. The company already has a lead dancer in Kiira (Irina Dvorovenko, Power), who isn’t likely to step aside for a new ingénue. Claire is placed in an apartment with Mia (Emily Tyra, Boardwalk Empire), a promiscuous, bitchy girl. And she is hit on by Ross (Sascha Radetsky, Center Stage), who wants more than just to be nice to her. In short, Claire is surrounded by those who might wear her down.

But she has some experience in dealing with hostile people. As we find out in the pilot, her brother, Bryan (Josh Helman, The Pacific), is creepy and probably abusive. So Claire can likely handle those who don’t touch her and are just mean.

Plus, it’s not like Claire doesn’t make any friends. Blunt, rich Daphne (Raychel Diane Weiner, Hickey) may seem abrasive, but she offers assistance to the newbie. And Romeo (Damon Herriman, Justified) may look like a homeless criminal, but he’s actually sweet. So Claire is slowly building a support system.

The main players in FLESH AND BONE, which, besides those listed above, also includes ambitious Trey (Karell Williams), have very small resumes. I managed to find an IMDB listing for each, except Williams, but in many cases, those credits number fewer than five. This is a group of mostly inexperienced unknowns.

Yet, that doesn’t detract from the show at all. If anything, it works in the production’s favor, feeling like the program is bursting with deserving, undiscovered talent. It helps that many have actual dancing backgrounds and possess the skills to back up their characters. It also helps that they deliver compelling, fresh performances. I have no complaints at all about this group.

The show itself feels a lot like Black Swan. It’s not as artistically offbeat, perhaps, but it’s a very specific tone and style that fits very well into this world, but is not repeated in most other shows. It is a specific product, like Mozat in the Jungle. I can’t tell if the budget is big or small, but it seems appropriate for FLESH AND BONE, with the settings, props, and costumes, perfectly suited to the story. Overall, it just exudes high quality, with great attention to detail and design.

I have to say, FLESH AND BONE is one of the best pilots I’ve watched in some time. It’s original, it’s gripping, it’s grounded, and I’m already completely hooked on the story and the characters. I will definitely be tuning in every week.

FLESH AND BONE airs Sundays at 8 p.m. on Starz.

BATTLE CREEK, Michigan

Article first published as BATTLE CREEK Review on Seat42F.

Detective Russ Agnew (Dean Winters, Law & Order: SVU) is a frustrated cop in Battlecreek, Michigan, a city of 50,000 whose force is underfunded and underappreciated. When the FBI decides to open up a field office in the same building the police inhabit, Agnew thinks he will show them “The Battle Creek Way,” which is also the name of the pilot episode. Boy, is he in for a surprise in CBS’s new drama, BATTLE CREEK.

BATTLE CREEK is most likely going to be a case-of-the-week, buddy cop series, which is nothing new at all. While both of the main protagonists are men, an idea that almost feels fresh again after the male-female pairings of Castle, Bones, Law & Order: SVU, and so many others in recent memory, it really is a tired old concept done to death in the 90s and earlier before being fairly recently retired.

Yet, the pilot doesn’t feel tired. Maybe it’s because Battle Creek is set in a small town in the Midwest, rather than New York or LA, as most television shows are. As an Ohioan myself, I greatly appreciate this. Maybe it’s the excellent cast, which is better staffed than any procedural has the right to be. Maybe it’s just the snarky dialogue and the impeccable chemistry between the series’ leads. Maybe it’s the fact that House’s David Shore and Breaking Bad’s Vince Gilligan created this series, lending it a high pedigree. Whatever it is, I really enjoyed the pilot.

Now, that doesn’t mean I’m giving this series a great review. While it is my job to judge a show based on its premiere episode and I do it often, I personally usually give a series more than one episode in order to figure out if they make the list I’m going to continue to watch. I have seen a number of great programs spring from poor pilots. It’s rarer that a series would go the opposite direction, but given the network BATTLE CREEK airs on and its inherent premise, that could certainly be the case in this instance.

Let’s get back to this show specifically, though. Agnew’s partner is Special Agent Milton Chamberlain (Josh Duhamel, Transformers), a golden boy “promoted” to run his own office in the podunk town. Milt knows this isn’t exactly a plum position, but he’s determined to make the best of it, and brings a calming counterpoint to Agnew’s hot-headedness.

If BATTLE CREEK stays focused on just the two of them, it is doomed to grow stale quickly. I hope this won’t end up being the case, as the ensemble is quite capable of more, and it is stacked with a comedy bend that could keep the tone from being bogged down in the cases. There’s Detective Fontanelle (Kal Penn, House), Agnew’s former partner, office manager Holly (Aubrey Dollar, Women’s Murder Club), Commander Guziewicz (Janet McTeer, Damages), Agnew’s boss, and Detective Funkhauser (Edward Fordham, Cuts), as well as recurring roles Detective Jacocks (Liza Lapira, Super Fun Night) and Detective Niblet (Damon Herriman, Justified). Almost all of these are most welcome.

The first hour spends a lot of time on character introductions, and there’s a case tossed in for good measure. At least half the running time is on the former, which is a good sign, but it’s possible that is only done because this is a pilot. The ratio between character development and finite story is what will determine if the show is any good or not. Most CBS series rely very heavily on the latter, to their detriment.

If BATTLE CREEK shall succeed, it should remember to keep the focus on the players, toss in larger arcs and many recurring characters (including some who work for or with Milt, since so far everyone is on Agnew’s team), and make sure it is accurate in its depiction of the setting, something I’m not familiar enough with the real Battle Creek to judge. However, whether the last is handled with authenticity is likely to become more obvious in the coming weeks, and I hope it respects the local flavor that could set it apart.

BATTLE CREEK premieres this Sunday at 10 p.m. ET on CBS.

JUSTIFIED On "Right" Track For Finale

Article first published as TV Review: 'Justified' - 'Fate's Right Hand' on Blogcritics.

Justified begins its final season on FX this week with “Fate’s Right Hand.” Picking up just after last season ended, Raylan (Timothy Olyphant) is sticking around Kentucky just long enough to take down his old frenemy, Boyd (Walton Goggins), then he’ll be off to Florida, where his baby daughter lives. There are thirteen episodes to play out before that can happen, though, so obviously the story won’t zip along, even if it starts out in an exciting manner.

The Raylan / Boyd relationship is the linchpin of Justified. They aren’t always together; in fact, they spend much more time in their own arcs than crossing paths. But keeping Boyd, who is only a recurring character in the first season, around is a brilliant move. Every time the pair come together, it’s explosive magic, and it certainly feels like this final season will give us more of that than ever, since taking down Boyd is the focus of Raylan’s final story.

This dynamic is served nearly right away in “Fate’s Right Hand.” Boyd is intent on robbing a bank and suspects Raylan of watching him. To combat this, Boyd dangles Dewey Crowe (Damon Herriman) out as a distraction to Raylan and the marshal takes the bait. It’s a very smart move on Boyd’s part, knowing Raylan isn’t supposed to go near Dewey and knowing Raylan won’t be able to resist doing so anyway. It doesn’t take Raylan long to realize he’s been played, but it’s just enough for Boyd to get away with his dastardly deed. It’s this deep understanding of one another that makes the game between them so intense, and while I root for Raylan to win in the end, I’m glad it won’t be easy on him because it’ll be an entertaining ride.

Stuck in the middle of the duo is Ava (Joelle Carter). She is done with Boyd, but is being pressured by Raylan to pretend that’s not the case so she can feed information to law enforcement. Art (Nick Searcy) tells Raylan he would have never have approved such an arrangement, and I’m inclined to agree with Raylan’s former boss. It’s true Ava is in a position where she can help, but there are too many messy emotions involved to trust her, or to trust Raylan’s judgment concerning her. In fact, in this premiere, she tries to play both sides, searching for a middle ground, before being told that’s not an option. It’s a risky move to allow this to carry on, and it is likely to not end well for one or more of the involved parties. Though, I’m heartened that Raylan is wise enough to seek advice from Art, even when he doesn’t have to listen to it.

I talk about messy outcomes, and there’s one teased at in “Fate’s Right Hand” as Boyd, having just killed Dewey, sits and stares as Ava as she sleeps. Does he suspect her of turning on him? He’s smart, and he knows her better than most people. And if Boyd does know that Ava is double-crossing him, does he still love her enough to spare her life? Or will he use her as a pawn in the continuing match? We know Boyd caring about someone does not preclude him for murdering that person. She’s in deep.

I didn’t mean to toss out Dewey’s death as a mere mention, as it is vitally important to Justified. Dewey is a long-standing, recurring player. Justified is full of such people, bringing in excellent actors and helping them create memorable roles, but Dewey is one who has really stuck because he fits so well in the setting. He’s been in a LOT of episodes. “Fate’s Right Hand” does off him a bit earlier than I’d have preferred, but it does it in a cool way.

Dewey leaves prison and still feels trapped. The life he used to enjoy is gone, and try as he might, he can’t get it back. He has no one to turn to, Boyd betraying him easily enough because he senses how unstable Dewey is. That’s because Dewey knows Raylan is in pursuit and he won’t find a moment’s rest. There can be no happy ending for Dewey, and he’s done enough bad things that one doesn’t really want him to get one, anyway. But the way things come together, culminating in the moment Boyd pulls the trigger, fits wonderfully with the show and the character, especially after giving Dewey deserved focus throughout the hour. Plus, it informs Boyd’s stare towards Ava, and chills viewers to the bone.

“Fate’s Right Hand” is an excellent installment of Justified, although I expect no less for the series which has yet to deliver a bad season. Justified is done with such a specific tone and style, unlike anything else currently airing, and adding to that the weight of the approaching conclusion, felt often throughout this episode, it all just clicks into something spectacular. This hour also makes good use of all of its cast, including Tim (Jacob Pitts) and Rachel (Erica Tazel), who are often under-used. These next twelve episodes should be something very much worth watching.

Justified airs Tuesdays at 10 p.m. ET on FX.

JUSTIFIED "A Murder of Crowes"

Article first published as JUSTIFIED Review on Seat42F.

FX’s JUSTIFIED gets a change of scenery in the season five premiere, “A Murder of Crowes.” It hasn’t left Kentucky behind, as that is where the episode begins, but the world is expanded a little as Raylan (Timothy Olyphant) travels to Florida and Boyd (Walton Goggins) and Wynn Duffy (Jere Burns, now a series regular) head to Detroit. It’s an exciting way to start the year!

Both of these trips are connected to the main story, as it has played out over the past few years. Boyd is missing some drugs he expected to be shipped in from Michigan, and so is trying to figure out what has happened. Fans of the series are familiar with the particular gang Boyd deals with (played by Dave Foley, Will Sasso, and others), and whatever happens, whether Boyd gets his supply or not, there will be implications back at home.

Boyd may be a little distracted since Ava (Joelle Carter) is still in jail and he’d like to clear her name. This cannot be done from several states away, and so it isn’t long before Boyd heads back, leading to a very tense confrontation near the end of the hour.

At the same time, Raylan goes south to find Dewey Crowe’s (Damon Herriman) family. Dewey’s brothers (Monk’s Jason Gray-Stanford and Boston Public’s Michael Rapaport) and sister (Alicia Witt, Friday Night Lights) have gotten mixed up with a Cuban (Amaury Nolasco, Prison Break) who is bad news. Partnering with Deputy Sutter (David Koechner, Anchorman 2, The Office), Raylan tries to play nice with the kin of his foe.

JUSTIFIED has never been stronger than when Raylan comes across a family of criminals. Margo Martindale headed up a fantastic clan of no-good scoundrels previously, and it looks like season five’s Crowes are poised to be just as enticing.

The casting choices for them are terrific and the story is open-ended enough to run for awhile. Plus, bringing in the Florida Crowes ties the tale to an important recurring cast member (who himself had good development this week), making it feel like a natural part of the established mythology.

Though, it’s also awesome when Boyd and Raylan clash, and that’s little in evidence in “A Murder of Crowes,” with the two on completely different paths. I assume that will come later in the season.

The other central figure in Raylan’s existence, besides Boyd, is Winona (Natalie Zea). Without giving anything away, the dynamic between the two of them has definitely shifted since the last we saw them together. It makes one wonder what kind of person Raylan is, and if he will always make the right decisions, as he usually seems to do. This, more than anything, illustrates Raylan’s flaws, Winona being a weakness for him, and that’s an interesting area to explore in our hero’s psyche.

There are already quite a few guest stars listed in the preceding paragraphs, but those are just the tip of the iceberg. In the first hour alone, besides everyone mentioned above, we get Stephen Root (King of the Hill, Boardwalk Empire), Karolina Wydra (House M.D.), Sam Anderson (Lost, ER), and more. It’s a very impressive roster, and it means we’ll have a very full year of players and plot.

You may notice that several of these names are primarily comedic actors. That doesn’t mean they are used to lighten the mood on JUSITIFIED. As done with Patton Oswalt (who will be returning) last season, the series coaxes dramatic performances out of its funny people, showing range and skill viewers may be pleasantly surprised to find.

My only complaint about all of these new faces, other than that not everyone will get the opportunity to repeat their performance, is that it leaves little room for the main cast. Boyd, Wynn, and Raylan have screen time, of course, and Art (Nick Searcy) will continue to be important every now and then, but Rachel (Erica Tazel) and Tim (Jacob Pitts) are already seen so little that this can only be bad news for them. They deserve to be a bigger part of the show, too.

JUSTIFIED remains a great series, well worth watching, and “A Murder of Crowes” is a strong start to the fifth season. JUSTIFIED premieres Tuesday at 10 p.m. ET on FX.

The devil is Justified

In tonight's episode of FX's Justified, "The Devil You Know," Raylan (Timothy Olyphant) hunts for Dickie (Jeremy Davies) and Dewey (Damon Herriman), who break out of jail with the help of a guard, Ash (Todd Stashwick, The Riches, Men of a Certain Age). Figuring that the trio (which is actually a sextet at first) is heading for Dickie's family money, Raylan goes after the holder of said money, Ellstin Limehouse (Mykelti Williamson, 24, Forrest Gump). Which results in misguided machinations, leaving Ash nearly dead and Dewey killed. Dickie, with some help, takes out two more of the group, and escapes.

Robert Quarles (Neal McDonough, Despeate Housewives, Tin Man) goads Devil (Kevin Rankin) into standing up to Boyd (Walton Goggins). Devil gets Johnny (David Meunier) behind him, but that doesn't stop Boyd from killing Devil first as soon as Devil makes a threat.

While Justified has been back on the air for three weeks now, it's a hard series to review, and getting harder all the time. That's because episodes, including "The Devil You Know," aren't about a certain event or complete story anymore. As the series goes on, plots get more and more serial, with each week just adding a piece to the larger framework, rather than standing alone. This is certainly not a complaint, as only the best shows are able to successfully do this. But it makes it quite difficult to review an hour at a time.
 
Justified reaches some awesome new levels in season two with the Mags story, and it's gratifying that there are continuations of that still occurring in season three. Yes, Mags is dead, but her money sets the sights of many a bad dude on her son Dickie. Dickie is now out of prison, but Limehouse tells him that there is little money left. Too bad that's not something that the people after the cash are likely to believe, especially with how untrustworthy Mags turns out be towards her neighbors. Dickie is still, and will continue to be, a wanted man.

The best thing that Dickie could do is let Limehouse keep the money. Now some may keep coming after Dickie, but it buys him time and leverage to not have the stash with him. Ash learns the hard way that it's not so easy to get Dickie's family's fortune. Others could repeat the mistake. Boyd, for one, is likely to try. But maybe by not keeping any of it, and possibly still having business with Limehouse, Dickie will have a little flexibility and protection from his enemies. Of course, Dickie is still hunted by the law as a fugitive, so there's that...

Speaking of season two faces, in "The Devil You Know" Raylan pays a visit to Loretta (Kaitlyn Dever) to ask for information. Fans get to see what has become of the girl. She may not be happy, but she's leading an honest life, helping with a family. This should teach her the right things and keep her on the straight path. That's really the most important bit of this small scene, as Loretta isn't getting involved in this season's issues, so she's not important anymore. That's good for the safety of her character, but bad for the viewers who enjoy her.

It's wonderful to see Dever again, even in this tiny, insignificant role. She has been wasting away on the sitcom Last Man Standing lately, and any reminder of what a terrific actress she can be is welcome on the TV screen.

What is Boyd going to do now? Presumably, he still wants Dickie's money, not realizing that it's gone. But knowing that others are going after it, Boyd is probably wise to lay low. Especially after a betrayal by a close lieutenant, which doesn't exactly put Boyd in the best position to go after any large score right now.

But the bodies are piling up around Dickie. So something is going to have to break in this plot soon.

What does Robert want with Boyd? By approaching Devil, is Robert looking to get into business with Boyd? Take over Boyd's territory? Is Robert testing the waters? Or trying to undermine Boyd? Does Robert want Boyd's cooperation, or want him out of the way? It's a real mystery. All that is known is that Robert represents an organized crime group, which wants to make at least part of Kentucky theirs. To what end? Well, we will have to wait for the rest of the season to play out. But he certainly a threat, even if an undefined one.

Which means that Raylan's job is quite a challenge lately. Raylan knows the score with Boyd. But he's just met Robert, and been thoroughly unsettled by him. And surely Raylan isn't comfortable with all of these familiar faces, such as Devil and Dewey, winding up dead. Sure, some casualties are to be expected on a series like Justified, but it seems that the herd of recurring characters is really being culled as of late. Which leaves room for something big and, likely, unpleasant. Even with the plot remaining murky, the anticipation level is building as viewers are left to wonder what Raylan's main challenge will be this season, and how he will cope with it.

Watch Justified Tuesdays at 10 p.m. ET on FX.

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Article first published as TV Review: Justified - "The Devil You Know" on Blogcritics.