MASTERS OF SEX Season 2 Review

Article originally published as MASTERS OF SEX Review Season 2 on Seat42F.

Showtime’s MASTERS OF SEX begins its second season this week with “Parallax.” A number of things happen in the first hour back, but mainly it is a reset. Months have passed since the finale, though we see flashbacks to the scene immediately following Masters (Michael Sheen) showing up on Virginia’s (Lizzy Caplan) doorstep. From there, the story begins moving forward again, catching us up with most of the primary cast and beginning their latest plot arcs.

When last we saw him, Masters had been fried from the university because of the scandalous nature of his study. Knowing who this man is and what he is known for, MASTERS OF SEX being based on real events, viewers are not expecting him to give up, and they will not be disappointed. Masters has trouble keeping his mouth shut, which often works against him, but he’s also dedicated and persistent, qualities that serve him well. And while his former employer may not have the stomach to support the exploration of human sexuality, not everyone is so squeamish. It doesn’t take too long for Masters to recruit a new benefactor (Danny Huston, Magic City).

Like many modern protagonists, Masters is not inherently likable. There is not ‘but’ coming here. He may be intelligent and able to eventually meet his career goals, but he lacks in other areas. For instance, he finds it a struggle to be a good father, now that Libby (Caitlin Fitzgerald) has had their baby. It’s odd that someone who works so well on the baby making process can handle the results of their efforts, but Masters is not kid-friendly, as you’ll see in “Parallax.” This begs the question, can he ever be happy with his family, and can they ever be happy with him?

Virginia does get another side of Masters, but even that isn’t his strongest side. Yes, he puts Virginia’s name on the study and certainly wants her to be included in future work. But it’s not like they’re out selling themselves as a package deal. Virginia is still in the employment of Dr. DePaul (Julianne Nicholson), which does not net her enough to support her family. Virginia is definitely adrift in this premiere, finding it hard to take a step back down after the heights she achieved with Masters, working to readjust to a more boring existence, something she’ll never be satisfied with, because he doesn’t show her his loyalty.

The pathos exhibited by Masters and Virginia, both complex, interesting individuals, are engaging on their own, but MASTERS OF SEX really gets humming when the two combine. While most television shows with a co-ed leading duo have sexual tension, and Masters and Virginia do, too, they are different. There is no foregone conclusion that they will end up together, and “Parallax” actually finds them pulling apart. This is done in an authentic way, lacking the usual television tropes that artificially drive a wedge to keep the story going, and it’s far from certain if the writers are done with them as a couple before they even get started, or if there could be a bit more personal stuff between them in the future. They work together well; they may or may not be able to sustain romantic interest.

My favorite recurring players on MASTERS OF SEX, and there are many good ones to choose from, are Barton Scully (Beau Bridges) and his wife, Margaret (Allison Janey). This season premiere continues to cover their problems, Barton seeking a ‘cure’ for his homosexuality and Margaret no longer willing to look the other way, but acting as supportive of Barton as she can be. I was a bit concerned they’d be dropped from the series as Masters and Virginia move away from them, but while neither has been upgraded to main cast member, so their time could be limited, at least MASTERS OF SEX seems likely to see their story through.

In general, while nothing huge really happens until the very end of the hour, “Parallax” is a solid start to a sophomore season, serving its purpose and providing enough hooks to keep the audience returning. There are some very moving moments between players and it continues at the quality level fans expect. Plus, it ends with a very big development that will have fans talking.

MASTERS OF SEX returns July 13^th and airs Sundays at 10 p.m. ET.

AMERICAN HORROR STORY Finale Full of "Wonders"

Article first published as TV Review: 'American Horror Story' - 'The Seven Wonders' on Blogcritics.

Editors note: Please be advised that this article contains spoilers.

FX tied up its third season of American Horror Story, subtitled Coven, this week with “The Seven Wonders.” It’s time to pick a new Supreme to head the Coven, and the four younger witches are tested to see which one has the magical powers necessary to take command. All does not go smoothly, but we are left with a definitive ending.

First of all, it is a little disappointing that the witches are trapped in a backwards power structure in which the one with the greatest magical abilities, i.e. the strongest, is the leader. We’ve seen with the current Supreme, Fiona (Jessica Lange), that skills have little to do with wise decision making. Even with a Council to support the head, shouldn’t this coven make a change, rejecting the old way?

But that’s nit-picky and doesn’t really apply to the story, since at least the characters and the world stay pretty consistent over the thirteen episodes. “The Seven Wonders” as an installment is excellent.

The opening of “The Seven Wonders” is basically a Stevie Nicks (herself) music video, which is fine. It’s a great song and the visuals are beautiful. It may not completely fit with the tone set, but it’s fun, original, and a really cool way to kick off this season finale. I enjoyed it immensely.

After this, the real plot begins with Zoe (Taissa Farmiga), Queenie (Gabourey Sidibe), Madison (Emma Roberts), and Misty (Lily Rabe) being tested. Given the unpredictability of the writing, it’s difficult to predict ahead of time how it might turn out. Some viewers might see Misty’s death during the trial coming; we’re repeatedly warned that this is a very dangerous, sometimes fatal, process, and Misty shows hesitation and limitation early in the contest. But few will predict Zoe’s death during foolish goofing off or Madison’s victory.

Madison seems appropriate to follow in Fiona’s footsteps because they’re a lot alike. They’re both selfish and cold, pretty and vain, bitchy and with sass. Madison appears downright evil at times, such as when she refuses to bring Zoe back from the dead, even though it’s well within her power to do so. But so does Fiona, who plans on slaughtering everyone, including her own daughter, Cordelia (Sarah Paulson), to buy herself thirty more years as Supreme. So the pointed shoes do fit.

But Madison also seems the early, obvious choice in Coven, so if “The Seven Wonders” had left things there, it would have been a great disappointment. Instead, the whole situation plays out in such a manner that Cordelia must draw her own inner strength to the forefront, enter the race late, and beat Madison. Which she does, quite effectively, meaning the new Supreme is not one anyone would have considered at the beginning of the hour.

American Horror Story: Coven sets up Cordelia’s rise throughout the season. There are many set backs for her, to be sure. Being blinded, learning her husband is a witch hunter, any interaction with her mother; these are things that tear Cordelia down. However, knowing her gene pool and seeing glimpses of greatness, it’s not surprising when Cordelia does overcome the odds to achieve victory. When her new-found power is mixed with her kindness and compassion, she is the likely candidate to lead the coven into a new era of tremendous potential and growth, which she does by publicly reaching out to the witches of the world.

The ending of Coven is the most open-ended of any American Horror Story season so far and begs for followup. While there is some closure, with many characters dead and Cordelia advancing the school into a new period with Queenie and a resurrected Zoe by her side, there are also all sorts of implications that remain unexplored. How does the world accept the existence of witches? What will bringing so many together do? More than the first two seasons by far, Coven deserves a second outing, which would be a completely different story.

Now, as much as I like this ending, there are some weak points in “The Seven Wonders.” How is Queenie accepted back so readily after her betrayal? Why isn’t Zoe more moved by Misty’s death? Is Myrtle (Frances Conroy) really so selfless that she’d orchestrate Cordelia’s rise to power and then offer herself up for death for no other reason than to leave the coven in good hands? And was that necessary, as no one would have ever told on Myrtle for her transgressions? This finale should have been two hours, as these bits could mostly have been explained or delved into more deeply, and the hell part of the competition, skimmed quickly over, could have been its own episode. But these complaints pale in comparison to all the terrific character moments this season, and even this hour.

Among the best moments are Cordelia grieving over Misty as the gal turns to dust in Coredelia’s arms, Kyle (Evan Peters) strangling Madison to death, totally deserved, and the departed Spalding (Denis O’Hare) showing up to help hide the body, and Cordelia beating Madison in the competition. These are all defining scenes, the culmination of season-long arcs that provide satisfaction and closure.

Best of all is the finale confrontation between Cordelia and Fiona. Fiona comes to kill her daughter, but has waited too long and is too weak to do so. Fiona’s plan and deceit are sound and worthy of her, but she overestimates herself. Cordelia, bolstered by her new authority, finds it in herself to forgive her mother and let her die in her arms. The words they say to one another are enlightening, and both actresses play the scene with such rich tension that it will be remembered long after being viewed. This is nothing short of brilliant.

Just as good is Cordelia’s hell, living in domestication with The Axeman (Danny Huston). Some may argue that The Axeman isn’t important enough to Cordelia to spend eternity with, in stark contrast to the existence Madame Delphine (Kathy Bates) and Marie Laveau (Angela Bassett), who had their perfect ending last week, are trapped in. But I think that’s kind of the point. Fiona didn’t want to be tied down or normal, and now here she is stuck with a man she doesn’t love. It’s horrible for her. Papa Legba (Lance Reddick) laughing at her is icing on the cake.

There are also little bits just for the fans out there, meta references to make us smile. Madison names her hell as being in The Sound of Music reboot, and not as the lead, a poke at the recent broadcast network effort. This is even more fun when you consider Glee, another series from the mind of Ryan Murphy, is also a musical, and so he’s almost firing off a shot at his competition. It’s amusing that Sarah Paulson’s character is once more in front of TV cameras in “The Seven Wonders,” similar to her part at the bottom of Asylum. The Last Supper tableau just before the games begin is terrific. Kyle asking Spalding “Who are you?” – two main characters who only share this one scene in the entire season, is hilarious. These may be small gags, but it’s nice that Murphy and company include them.

And so we have another stellar season of American Horror Story to look back on. Basically, this season has been an amazing tale of some fascinating women, thoroughly well done. Better than Asylum, and arguably just as good as the first outing, albeit in different ways, Coven is a fantastic accomplishment, proving the show’s creators know what they’re doing in regards to crafting a tale and picking the right cast. I can’t wait to see what they come up with next.

American Horror Story has been renewed for a fourth season, and will return with a fresh setting and complement next fall.

AMERICAN HORROR STORY: COVEN Far From "Dead"

Article first published as TV Review: 'American Horror Story: Coven' - 'The Dead' on Blogcritics.

***Note: This series is rated TV-MA for good reason, and viewer discretion is advised due to mature content. It is impossible to discuss the latest episode without referencing said content, so while I will keep things as light and profanity-free as possible, some of the subject matter will definitely be offensive to some readers. Please let this serve as your warning.

FX’s American Horror Story: Coven has been hitting it out of the park by delivering a more character-driven story than in years past, and providing the material and actresses to back it up. This week’s installment, “The Dead,” which serves as the mid-point of the season, reveals a lot about several of the players, and, through death and sex, some peace is found, as temporary as it might be.
“The Dead” starts with Kyle (Evan Peters) before his death. He’s joking with his frat pals and talking of his dreams in a tattoo parlor. There is little doubt that he has the drive and talent to back up his goals, and his future will be bright, indeed. Except, he’s now dead, reanimated bits of those friends sewn to him, as demonstrated by the glimpses of their tattoos on his patchwork body.

It’s no wonder Kyle is having trouble adjusting to the circumstances. Besides not being able to speak the words in his brain, which has not been dulled, he’s frustrated at his predicament. He didn’t ask to become the monster he’s been made into, and every thing he had hoped for has been flushed down the toilet. As far as he’s concerned, his life is (literally) over, but he has the added torture of being conscious of the wasted potential.

Peters captures all of this internal monologue brilliantly, eyes dancing with un-vocalized emotions. We feel his pain, and find a way to sympathize with him despite the horrible things he’s done, like slaughtering his mother. Clearly, anger and confusion is driving his actions, and he can’t be blamed for everything. By the end of “The Dead,” he is starting to find himself again, and surely he can heal. Maybe.

Madison (Emma Roberts) is going through the exact opposite problem. Instead of having feelings she can’t understand or express, she’s plagued by a lack of feeling, which Roberts plays with such effect as to impress any who watch. She’s going to be an actress to watch. Her numbness starts before she’s killed and brought back, by the way, citing her utter lack of caring about being gang-raped in an earlier episode. Burning herself doesn’t work, in fact, nothing does. Until she finds Kyle’s penis. Inside of her.

Since Madison has only murdered those who deservd it (except Kyle, accidentally), it’s easier to get behind her. She’s not a nice person, to be sure, but that can be chalked up to a young girl who found fame at an early age and is putting on a brave face to hide fear. She is more talk than action, and she did not deserve to die, or to feel this helpless and broken.
There’s something kind of sweet about Madison and Kyle finding one another in this situation. They have the death thing in common, something no one else would understand. It seems to give them both pleasure and helps them stay centered. They’re technically consenting adults, or close enough to it. What harm would their relations cause anyone?

Besides Zoe (Taissa Farmiga, this season’s MVP in an intensely crowded field), I mean. She’s used to not being the prettiest girl in the room, so she is disappointed, but not surprised, when she catches Kyle with Madison. I feel bad for Zoe here, I really do, but she has to understand why and how her two sort-of friends ended up together right? Plus, they are nice enough to invite her to join in.

Now, anytime a threesome crops up in movies or television, it’s a recipe for disaster, probably much like in the real world (I assume). There is bound to be jealousy and hurt feelings and doubts about the depth of attachment. That’s unfortunate, because American Horror Story: Coven has worked so hard to make us like all three of these individuals that the viewer will be loathe to side against one or more of them. But I guess that’s life, and since Kyle is dead, Zoe probably can’t snuff him out with her fatal nether regions, which makes their pairing ideal.

The beauty about this crazy sex hookup is that Zoe needs love and support right now, so getting it doubly should boost her confidence. See, Cordelia (Sarah Paulson) has warned Zoe that Fiona (Jessica Lange) might have it out for her since Fiona killed Madison just because the elder witch suspected Madison might be her replacement. With Spalding’s (Denis O’Hare) tongue restored long enough to confirm Fiona’s misdeeds and Zoe’s own power growing, the teenage witch needs to watch her back.

On a side note, does anyone really think Spalding will stay dead? He’s like the fifth major character to die this season in only seven episodes. It kind of takes the bite out of death when everyone keeps coming back, though, admittedly, I haven’t been ready to lose anyone that is killed off, and it would sure be novel of an American Horror Story run to still have all of its main players intact for the finale.

Fiona does have other things on her mind, which might give Zoe some breathing room. Throughout “The Dead,” Fiona is hooking up with The Axeman (Danny Huston, Magic City). Like Zoe, Fiona is having a crisis of faith in herself, feeling her abilities waning and her age creeping up on her. The Axeman provides Fiona with a similar injection of, um, bravado, which is even enough to override the creepy confession by The Axeman that he has been watching Fiona since she was eight.
“The Dead” seems to equate sex with a source of comfort and strength. I feel like this is a just and apt statement to make. While sex does require the baring of one’s soul, it also gets the blood coursing, sure to pump up the energy level of those effected. It’s an obvious and blatant metaphor, but it works.

Let’s hope it’s enough to get both Zoe and Fiona back in fighting form. With Hank (Josh Hamilton) packing as much firepower as he is, the house of witches is in deep trouble. This is an especially bad time for him to attack as the coven is missing two of its own.

Yep, there’s yet another subplot unfolding this hour. Queenie (Gabourey Sidibe) and Madame Delphine (Kathy Bates) seem to be bonding quite swimmingly, sharing some super-sized fast food in the middle of the night, even getting over Delphine’s racism just a bit. But after Delphine confides a dark secret to Queenie, thinking her friend, who is helping her turn a new leaf, will be able to look past this latest darkness, Queenie gives Delphine to her sworn enemy, Marie Laveau (Angela Bassett), earning Queenie a place in Marie’s group.

This is a very sad twist. The women really did seem like pals and were finding some legitimate common ground. Queenie’s disgust is understandable, of course, but Delphine really is making an effort to change. And Delphine’s comments about Queenie’s skin color are not completely off the mark, an observation that Marie seconds. I want Queenie to fit in back under Fiona’s roof, but maybe she just doesn’t.
Is American Horror Story telling us that some people don’t deserve second chances? Had Delphine continued her life style these past centuries, I would absolutely be in favor of flaying her, as Marie and Queenie do. However, Delphine served a long prison sentence buried in a box and seems to have learned her lesson. She deserves better.

Viewers deserve exactly what we’re getting: a sharp, witty, well-written, phenomenally-acted, highly engrossing tale. American Horror Story: Coven has surpassed the second go-round of the anthology series and is vying with year one for the best run of this fantastic show. If every season is this good, I hope it runs for many years to come.

American Horror Story: Coven returns in two weeks, Wednesdays at 10 p.m. ET on FX.

MAGIC CITY Lacks Magic

Article first published as MAGIC CITY Season 2 Premiere Review on Seat42F.

Grade: 84%

Starz’s MAGIC CITY second season premiere, “Crime and Punishment,” picks up right where season one leaves off. Ike (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) is still in jail for murder, and various people want him out for various reasons. Will Ike make someone’s fears come true before he can be released?

Eh, it’s hard to care, to be honest. As in the first season, the characters just aren’t that compelling. We’re talking the Mob and business dealings with Cuba and hotels, casinos, and houses of prostitution, and yet none of it holds that much interest, or magic, if you will, making the series unfortunately named.

What is wrong with MAGIC CITY? It’s hard to pinpoint the issue. Jeffrey Dean Morgan is a fine actor, as proven in Watchmen and Grey’s Anatomy, and perhaps he just isn’t given a lot to work with here. Instead of capitalizing on his brilliant knack for human interaction, he is often isolated, such as while sitting in a prison cell, and when he is around others, the million things he has going on in his head keep him from true connection. Ike can never be in the moment, which fails to provide the window viewers need to attach to him, too.

Maybe the stakes aren’t high enough. Ike is charged with killing someone, but we know the charges won’t stick. He’s the main character, and him getting convicted this early in the show’s run would run him out of business and kill the story of glamorous life at the beach. If one of his sons were arrested instead, that might be more uncertain, but that’s not the path the writing takes. Even Ike’s wish to risk his beloved hotel in “Crime and Punishment” to go run Cuba’s vacation industry doesn’t seem like a real threat, knowing it’ll never happen.

Similarly, Vera’s (Olga Kurylenko) turn in the boardroom isn’t compelling. The hotel is Ike’s life. As much as Vera’s involvement may temporarily strengthen her bond with her husband, we know Ike will return to run things soon, and so she feels like little more than a placeholder. A plot point that she is going to perform again to bring in guests and make them money is interesting, but barely addressed here, instead spending her time on something that doesn’t really advance her story.

And then there’s Ben Diamond (Danny Huston), the villain of the piece, who seems to have been de-clawed. He doesn’t make Stevie (Steven Straight) pay for sleeping with Ben’s wife, Lily (Jessica Marais), because Ben likes to watch. He doesn’t aggressively go after Ike because assuring Ike gets out from behind bars, something Ben makes happen, keeps Ike’s mouth shut. Instead of raging or worrying about Ike, we see Ben cavorting with hookers. So the teeth aren’t bared.

Now, there is a little bit of drama present. Jake Klein (Matt Ross), the State Attorney for Dade County, is determined to take down Ike and / or Ben, and doesn’t seem to be willing to stop until he does so. But his utter, complete failure to gain any traction in “Crime and Punishment,” his efforts swiftly rebuked, despite his crossing of the line to destroy evidence, makes him seems like little more than a joke. He’s a pesky annoyance, but he has neither the power nor the brains to strike an actual blow.

MAGIC CITY needs to be unpredictable. The title implies flash and spectacle, and instead we get slow-burn period drama, like in Mad Men, but without the outsize personalities, clever twists, or hidden meanings. What you see on the surface is what you get, and there’s a lot more attention given to the boring reality than the things that would set the people and locale apart.

Can MAGIC CITY recover from this? I think it can. The cast is solid enough. But it needs to ditch most of the supporting players and bring in some challengers who will really shake up Ike and Ben. Whether Ike or Ben gain alliances to use against one another, or they have to team up to combat an outside foe, anything that takes the two series’ leads and knocks them out of their comfort zones would be welcome. Jack may have been an attempt at this, but it’s time to drop him and move on. Bring in the bigger guns.

MAGIC CITY continues much the same as its first season played out Fridays at 9 p.m. ET on Starz.

Magic City fails to spark

Starz's Magic City brought its first season to a close this weekend with "Time and Tide." Ike Evans (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) is arrested for murder. Vera (Olga Kurylenko) has to try to save Ike's business deal, after he is escorted out of a meeting in handcuffs. Mob boss Ben Diamond (Danny Huston) catches Ike's son, Stevie (Steven Straight), having an affair with Ben's wife, Lily (Jessica Marais). Victor (Yul Vazquez) and Mercedes (Dominik Garcia-Lorido) deal with the death of a loved one. And none of this really excites.

There is something lacking about Magic City that is hard to pinpoint. It certainly isn't the sets or costumes, because the series presents a rich, vintage environment that looks stunning. It isn't the acting. Jeffrey Dean Morgan deserves the Emmys he won for Grey's Anatomy, and he is surrounded by a believable cast. And it's not lack of plot twists, because there is murder, intrigue, sex, and secrets aplenty. Then what exactly is it?

The simple truth is, even with all the right ingredients, television shows can still come out lackluster. As mentioned in my review of the first episode, there is just an utter lack of depth. Everything feels false, or slightly off. The tone and mood presented in each episode don't quite add up.

Take, for example, the Ben Diamond story in "Time and Tide." This is a truly murderous man, who thinks nothing of piling up the bodies in a quarry. There is some serious suspense when naked pictures of Lily and Stevie begin circulating. But there is little chance that Stevie will be killed off, at least not so early in Magic City's run, not the way the series sets itself up. Then, Ben actually does see the pictures! Instead of killing Lily and Stevie, though, he makes them have sex while he watches. Now, seeing as how he gets off on this, it's an interesting twist for a complex character, even though this is something Lily's character should have touched on before. But the Ben Diamond that has been presented would then kill these two afterwards, rather than risk his secret being exposed, or allowing them to get away with the betrayal. He doesn't.

Another thing that's odd is when Mercedes decides to quit her job as a maid and become a Pan Am stewardess. Besides feeling like she's about to spin-off into the canceled ABC series Pan Am, it's something not set up for her character. Then she sleeps with Danny (Christian Cooke), even though she's about to leave. And instead of leaving before the end of the hour, she stays and grieves her mother's death. So her entire store in "Time and Tide" is just convoluted and nonsensical.

The best representation of what I'm getting at is when Ike is arrested. Vera takes over the presentation, in a show of strength for her character. But then she is asked if she is seriously going to continue with this, after they all just watched Ike be led away. It's not like there's anything else she can or should be, but the entire thing is surreal, and just doesn't add up to a gripping, driven scene, as it should.

These false notes are what kills the series. It's still interesting and somewhat entertaining, despite an often slow pace. But it just doesn't quite resonate the way it should, or the way its peers on other networks do. Magic City could be something great, and because it's been given a second season, it may still be. Yet, the lack of risk taking and true authenticity are hurting it, and there needs to be some reworking if it is to be great.

Will I tune in next season? Yes. There is a slight draw here, and it's one that will hopefully be built upon.  And it's still better than a lot of what is on TV. It just hasn't met expectations yet.

Magic City will return next year to Starz. If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter! Article first published as Magic City fails to spark @TheTVKing.com

'Magic City' fails to cast a spell

Starz's newest series is Magic City, which officially premiered last night with "The Year of the Fin." Ike Evans (Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Grey's Anatomy, Watchmen) runs a successful hotel in Miami Beach. But on New Year's Eve in 1958, his business is threatened by striking workers. Refusing to meet their demands because, after all, Ike has Sinatra coming, he turns to a mobster named Ben Diamond (Danny Huston, John Adams, X-Men Origins: Wolverine) to clean up the mess. Ben does so, however, what is the true cost to Ike of such an arrangement?

First of all, the setting looks fantastic. Period buildings, cars, and clothing come across as pitch perfect, really helping to capture the spirit and tone of the piece. All of the cigarettes and cigars being smoked add to the atmosphere, and there is no shortage of eye candy, both males and females, often nude. Morgan is great as the complicated protagonist who is essentially a good man doing bad things when pushed into a corner. Huston chews the scenery like a pro, making his villain deliciously evil.

Unfortunately, there are also a lot of negatives about "The Year of the Fin." For one thing, most of the dialogue and music points to a cheesy noir style. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, except that Magic City takes itself way too seriously for cliché or goofiness to resonate properly. Many of the characters aren't distinctive or layered, especially the women. This may change in time, but that's not how they appear in the first episode.

It's tempting to give Magic City the benefit of the doubt. Like Mad Men and Boardwalk Empire, the pilot is slow, setting things up with a few tasty bits to entice, but overall, not much movement, story-wise. And yet, those other series have established themselves as excellently made period pieces that grow in excitement, popularity, and quality with each season. Thus, one might expect Magic City to follow that path.

However, what's working against Magic City is the overall sense of a lack of depth. Much like the world the story takes place in, there is plenty of glitz and magic, but is there anything beneath it? Like hearing Sinatra but not seeing him, Magic City is like a facade of something great, but look behind it and you will see the sound stage. This is a first impression, and is subject to change (or not) depending on future installments.

Watch Magic City Fridays at 10 p.m. ET on Starz.

If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter!