Worship These AMERICAN GODS

Article first published as TV Review: AMERICAN GODS on Seat42F.

Anticipation is high for Starz’s newest drama, AMERICAN GODS, premiering tonight. Based on the popular book by British geek-god Neil Gaiman, and developed by the great Bryan Fuller (along with Logan’s Michael Green), it tells the story of a mortal man caught in the middle of a war between gods, old and new, as things come to a head between the factions. It’s unknown if our hero is working for the right team or not, but the danger is real, and the urgency is immediate.

AMERICAN GODS has a lot going for it, both behind and in front of the camera. While it is not as highly stylized as other Fuller projects (Hannibal, Pushing Daisies), he is able to make the fantasy sequences amazing, vivid, and imaginative. Lead Ricky Whittle (The 100) and lesser known performers like Bruce Langley (Deadly Waters) and Yetide Badaki (Sequestered) quickly establish themselves as people to watch, terrific in their roles. The bench is deep with familiar faces, too, including the likes of Cloris Leachman (Young Frankenstein, Raising Hope), Peter Stormare (Fargo), Emily Browning (Sucker Punch), Crispin Glover (Back to the Future), Pablo Schreiber (Orange Is the New Black), Gillian Anderson (The X-Files), Kristin Chenoweth (Wicked), Orlando Jones (Sleep Hollow), Betty Gilpin (Nurse Jackie), Jeremy Davies (Lost), Jonathan Tucker (Kingdom), Joel Murray (Mad Men), Beth Grant (The Mindy Project), and, of course, Ian McShane (Deadwood).

If a long list of talented names doesn’t impress you, though it should in this case, I’d like to stress how well cast each of them are. Stormare brings a certain likability to his chillingly creepy Czernobog. Anderson IS Lucy Ricardo, talking out of the screen of the television. Schreiber will seriously make you think twice about teasing a leprechaun. Browning is haunting as the deceased wife who doesn’t seem deserving of our protagonist’s love, and yet has it deeply. McShane watches over it all with a bemused charm that doesn’t allow audiences to question for a moment why Shadow Moon (Whittle) does what Mr. Wednesday (McShane) tells him to.

It’s been a few years since I read the book, but the two hours of AMERICAN GODS I’ve seen feel very faithful to it. This show finds a way to be episodic while maintaining the important through-line of the novel. The format of a road trip is helpful, as there are built in stops and sequences along the way. But there are also the threats of Technical Boy (Langley) and the erotic side trips with Bilquis (Badaki) that prove there’s something more to look forward to than just the next god to encounter.

AMERICAN GODS is sure to work both because of its quality, and because it shares similarities with another network hit, Outlander. Outlander is also based on a novel, and strings along a narrative that stays tight on a couple of characters, with most of the cast only appearing in a small number of episodes. That can be frustrating for those who want more Mr. Nancy (Jones) immediately, and you will. But at the same time, it keeps the plot purer in that Shadow and Mr. Wednesday are the people that count most, and the rest of the cast is truly there to support them.

I knew I would be blown away going into AMERICAN GODS, and it did not disappoint my high expectations. It’s gripping, has terrific pacing, feels very authentic, even in the elements that completely lack realism, and has a strong point of view. Fantasy won’t be for everyone, and this is definitely fantasy, but it also contains social commentary that’s worth paying attention to, along with some stellar performances. I’ll be shocked if this doesn’t help Starz get on the Emmy stage.

AMERICAN GODS premieres tonight at 9/8c on Starz.

Falling for THE FALL

Article first published as Blu-ray Review: 'The Fall - Series One' and 'Series Two' on Blogcritics.

The Fall is a slow-burn British crime drama about a cat-and-mouse game between a member of law enforcement and a serial killer. That sentence accurately describes the series, but it also accurately describes a number of other shows as well. What is unique about The Fall is the wonderful style of the production, tone of the action, and gripping authenticity of the performances. If you haven’t had a chance to experience it yet, both series that have aired thus far are be available on Blu-ray and DVD this week from Acorn Media.

The Fall stars Gillian Anderson (The X-Files, Hannibal) as Stella Gibson, an intelligent investigator sent to Belfast to solve a murder. Much to her boss Jim Burns’ (John Lynch, Sliding Doors), chagrin, Stella sees a pattern in recent deaths, and petitions to run a task force to track the presumed serial killer. Working alongside young, eager Danielle Ferrington (Niamh McGrady, Holby City) and forensic analyst Reed Smith (Archie Panjabi, The Good Wife), and others, Stella manages to be a part of the team while still serving her lone-wolf persona. Seeing how smart she is, there is no doubt Stella can solve the case.

Except, Stella’s quarry, Paul Spector (Jamie Dornan, Fifty Shades of Grey, Once Upon a Time), is equally clever. Paul has a nice suburban life with his wife, Sally Ann (Bronagh Waugh, Hollyoaks), and two children. Not what you’d expect from a psychopath, right? But Paul is a master manipulator, and one is never sure if he cares all that much about his spouse or the teenage babysitter, Katie (Aisling Franciosi, Legends), who is as easy to influence as she is taken in by Paul. And so, despite his patterns and mistakes, Paul proves quite tough to catch.

When I say The Fall is slow-burn, I only sort of mean it. It does take a bit of time to get started, but it picks up speed fairly early on, and only gets faster in later installments, even if it doesn’t get to the end quickly. Series one consists of five episodes. The six-episode Series two, which picks up only a few days later, is where things get crazy and tense, and begin to really take off. With a cliffhanger ending, Series three, which recently filmed and has yet to air, will continue the same story, even when it’s hard to see where else there is to go. The show constantly reinvents itself, telling one connected tale, but frequently upping the stakes and the rules of the game.

The only complaint I really have about The Fall is the awkward transition from series one to two. Of course, there’s an issue with the kids aging more than the time passed would allow, but it seems like nearly every actor in the show changed hairstyle or color, at least a little. One person, maybe two, I’d believe, but when it’s everyone, the break feels a lot longer than it was.

That is only cosmetic, though. The writing itself doesn’t let up and remains compelling, even when the leaps may look big on paper. With the excellent performances of Anderson and Dornan, it’s hard to stop watching, even if it is emotionally draining to binge more than two episodes at a time.

The extras in the included in the sets are a bit weak, not unexpected from Acorn. Series one contains only a single 12-minute featurette that goes behind the scenes, too brief to get much out of it. Series two barely steps it up, with another quick peek behind the camera, as well as some deleted scenes and a photo gallery. Personally, I don’t find a photo gallery a beneficial inclusion, and deleted scenes are pretty much expected at this point. So I the extras certainly aren’t a selling point for these Blu-ray and DVD sets. But that doesn’t really matter since The Fall itself is good enough to recommend, bare bones and all.

You have your choice of Blu-ray and DVD, and, honestly, I can’t say there’s a compelling case for one over the other. The Fall is dark and gritty, and doesn’t make much use of any high definition advantage. But I am a bit of a quality snob, so even if the only difference is an image and soundtrack that’s a bit crisper, I’d still get Blu-ray for the best viewing experience.

The Fall Series One and Two are now available on Blu-ray and DVD.

Reopening THE X-FILES

Article originally published as THE X-FILES Review on Seat42F.

WARNING: Yes, this post contains spoilers. It does not ruin any huge surprises, but if you’d rather go in ignorant, why are you even looking at a review?

Television reboots and resurrections are on the rise right now, with Fuller House coming to Netflix soon, and new episodes of Prison Break scheduled for filming this summer. For millions of fans, though, no series is more exciting to see return than THE X-FILES, which begins a run of six brand-new episodes this weekend.

A bit of background: THE X-FILES was a series that ran from 1993 until 2002 on FOX, and helped popularize geek culture as it exists today. The program spawned two relatively short-lived spin-off shows, and two moderately successful films, as well as plenty of merchandise. Starring David Duchovny (Californication) and Gillian Anderson (Hannibal) as FBI agents Fox Mulder and Dana Scully, it supposed alien life might actually exist, and government conspiracies have kept it out of the public eye.

And that is almost all I know about it. As a child with younger siblings, my parents deemed it “not appropriate” viewing in our house, and while it has topped my list of shows I really need to binge for years, I’ve yet to get to it. I have seen a few episodes (probably six-ish) in isolated events, just enough to know I want to see more, not enough to really get a picture of the series. That means that this review of THE X-FILES really stems from what I think of the first episode back, “My Struggle,” alone, not from a position as a fan boy from years back.

“My Struggle” is absolutely fantastic. It is creepy, it is intriguing, it is exciting, and it has some great performers. I *think* (again, I didn’t watch the show) it will completely redefine what the series was about, and pay off in big ways to those who are fans. Yet, if you’re coming in fresh, it’s also easy to follow and immediately addictive.

The new run begins with Tad O’Malley (Joel McHale, Community), a Bill O’Reilly-type who thinks he has uncovered something huge he plans to reveal to the world. To be certain, he wants to bring in Mulder (Duchovny), but unable to reach Mulder directly, he goes through Walter Skinner (Mitch Pileggi), who gets in touch with Scully (Anderson). The couple is split, but Scully can still find Mulder when the need arises, and they both get drawn into the plot.

What Tad has is a young woman, Sveta (Annet Mahendru, The Americans), who has a history of abduction and experimentation. Interspersed with scenes of Roswell, a trip to a Faraday cage, and numerous 9/11 references, it may take Scully a little while to figure out what’s happening, but “My Struggle” finds Mulder having his mind blown. In what way, well, you’ll have to watch to see.

I assume that this hour is full of references to past episodes. I know one notable recurring character makes an appearance (yes, that one), and a visit back to the agents’ old office seems particularly nostalgia-inducing. It’s hard for me to judge how many references to previous events actually occurred on screen, but there are enough of them that I feel like long-time viewers are being served, which makes sense, considering creator Chris Carter is back in the writer’s seat.

In conclusion, whether you’ve been anxiously waiting on pins and needles or have only heard of the program in passing, as long as you are into UFOs, conspiracy theories, and/or good TV, you should definitely check out THE X-FILES airing this Sunday and Monday, and then for four weeks thereafter on FOX.

HANNIBAL Season Finale Review

Article first published as TV Review: 'Hannibal' - 'Mizumono' on Blogcritics.

NBC’s Hannibal ended its second season last night with “Mizumono.” It’s hard to find a direct translation for the word in English, but various sources I checked on Google call it a matter of chance, a final sweet dish of a meal, a liquid, and a fruit. All of these seem apt to the episode, which presents a final showdown between all of the main players, the last hour in which the familiar, fragile chemistry of the show’s leads is maintained as it has been thus far, signaling major changes for next season. It’s a simultaneously delicious and frustrating ending, with much left up in the air, literally and figuratively.

Viewers have known since the season two premiere that Jack (Laurence Fishburne) had been heading for a bloody run-in with Hannibal (Mads Mikkelsen), though we don’t yet know how this war will end, even with the end of season two.

In the scenes leading up to the final confrontation, Jack and Hannibal each expect Will’s (Hugh Dancy) loyalty, but wonder whether he will fulfill those expectations, as the Will becomes the wild card in the outcome between the two mostly evenly matched opponents. There may even be a doubt in the minds the viewers, observing Will talking to both Jack and Hannibal, knowing he’s lied to both in the past, and wondering where Will’s inner intentions lie. Will is emotionally unstable, and although Jack and Hannibal both hold sway over him, he also has a will of his own that can’t exactly be controlled. Has Hannibal awakened in Will something dark that may win out over his nobility and morals?

The key to figuring out where Will’s heart lies is Freddie Lounds (Lara Jean Chorostecki). Keep in mind that Hannibal thinks Will has killed Freddie, leading Hannibal to see Will as more vicious and bloodthirsty than he is. Jack is in on this secret. And, with this important clue, the audience should have confidence in predicting Will’s true path. And when Hannibal catches a whiff of Freddie’s scent on Will, it signals to him that Freddie is still alive, giving him just the warning he needs.

Hannibal is not omnipotent, an undefeatable villain, but he is very, very intelligent, and the slightest mistake on the part of our heroes can cost them their lives. One former main character, Beverly Katz (Hettienne Park), figures that out earlier in the season, and she dies for it. Which means it’s not surprising when Hannibal surprises those who might take him down, removing the bullets from Alana’s (Caroline Dhavernas) gun, knowing she could come to Will and Jack’s aid, and having Abigail Hobbs (Kacey Rohl), whom everyone believes dead, waiting in the house as Hannibal’s backup. Hannibal has them all set up perfectly, taking their predictable actions into account, and by doing so, he is able to not only (possible mortally on all counts) wound Alana, Will, and Jack, he is also able to hop a plane with the one woman who understands him, Dr. Du Maurier (Gillian Anderson), and escape.

Why does Hannibal leave the trio alive? Abigail seems destined to die, but if the authorities get there soon, Will, Jack, and Alana could live. They could also perish, and things are not looking good for any of them, but there’s a chance (a very good one since they really are the stars of the show and need to hunt Hannibal down) that they will live. Does Hannibal possess so much confidence in himself that he doesn’t worry about them coming after him? Or does he still harbor soft spots for all three, people he really does seem to like and has cared about over these past two years? Could these feelings be his undoing? Because Hannibal is so smart, I’m inclined to chalk his mercy up to emotion.

Jack and company will have a hard time beginning their search, even assuming they all survive. Jack is suspended as Kade (Cynthia Nixon) investigates misconduct in “entrapping” Hannibal. The fact that Jack, Will, and Alana are injured following through on the plan Kade ordered Jack not to pursue will not help Jack’s case, even if it sort of proves him right. This could also be the reason law enforcement is slow slow to respond, even after both Alana and Will call for backup and ambulances. Will higher powers help our protagonists get back in the good graces of the feds, or will they be rebels, only working for themselves? The source material (Thomas Harris’ Red Dragon, etc.), not always followed faithfully by the show’s creators, points to the former.

What if “Mizumono” had been the series finale, a possibility when it was filmed, since, at the time, Hannibal teetered on the edge of cancellation? It certainly would have been a highly disappointing end to the series. Yes, there is some sort of beauty in Hannibal defeating his enemies and getting away with it, and it’s cool that it would fly in the face of a fundamental television trope by allowing evil conquering good. But it would also suck that we wouldn’t even know if the main players lived. I guess we’d assume they’d died, losers in the dangerous game they play. The blue sky credits with the tag are cool, but ultimately not be satisfying as the end of the story, even if I grudgingly admit how unique and complete the episode would have seemed.

Hannibal is incredibly well crafted. I absolutely loathe that the Jack / Hannibal fight is revealed in the season premiere, the one glaring misstep the series has made in two seasons, but the way this hour unfolds is truly excellent. It maintains its artistic cred with slow shots of rain falling and a split Will, while still delivering action in the battles to the death. There are moving moments, such as Jack interacting with Bella (Gina Torres) and Bella talking about Jack, and there are shocking twists, such as learning Abigail is still alive, only to see her killed quickly after.

There isn’t a single wasted or boring moment, the dark motif bringing the characters more sharply into focus and letting the show rest on the talent of the actors and the rich dialogue. It’s definitely the best series on network television, and not just because it also pushes into both more bloody and more sophisticated territory than any predecessor, though that helps.

Hannibal, thank goodness, has been picked up, and will return in 2015 to NBC.

Amazing HANNIBAL and the "Kaiseki" Misstep

Article first published as HANNIBAL Review "Kaiseki" at Seat42F.

NBC’s HANNIBAL began its second season last night with “Kaiseki.” The word refers to a multi-course Japanese meal, as well as the skill it takes to prepare such a repast. This seems appropriate, as the hour gives us dish after dish of tasty, chewy drama, all; delivered with the beautifully artistry of a television master. It remains not only one of the best written and acted series on the air, but also one of the best visual and auditory productions overall.

Will Graham (Hugh Dancy) is right where we left him – sitting in a jail cell, about to be tried for the murder of several people, more concerned with exposing the truth about Hannibal Lecter (Mads Mikkelsen) than defending himself. To be fair, if Hannibal’s nature is brought to light, Will will get off scot free. But given the care and attention to detail Hannibal puts into covering his tracks and framing Will, that isn’t an easy task.

Jack Crawford (Laurence Fishburne) humors Will, having Beverly (Hettienne Park) swab Hannibal’s DNA and go over his clothing with a fine-toothed comb. But Hannibal is cooperative and seemingly open, making sure Jack never for a moment suspects Will’s accusations are more than the ravings of a mad man.

In fact, everyone seems convinced that Will is crazy. Beverly will consult with him, continuing to recognize his genius, but she’s wary. Dr. Alana Bloom (Caroline Dhavernas) is concerned for Will and shows it by visiting him, taking custody of his dogs, and looking for a plausible defense, but even she thinks he murdered. Her position is that he’s mentally ill and that’s what’s responsible for the horror, not Will himself, but she still doubts him, even though fans know that Will is innocent. Probably.

All of this would make for some really suspenseful drama, waiting for the other show to drop, if “Kaiseki” didn’t screw up the very first scene in the episode. When the premiere opens, Hannibal is slicing some meat and we catch Jack’s reflection in the knife. Then, the two engage in a fight to the death, both slashing and tumbling, before the screen flashes ‘Twelve Weeks Earlier.’ Don’t get me wrong, it’s a wonderful moment, as most of HANNIBAL is, but it’s poorly timed in the narrative arc.

Practically anyone who watches HANNIBAL is already at least vaguely familiar with The Silence of the Lambs and Hannibal films or books, which will (renewal gods willing) make up seasons five and six of this show. As such, we know Hannibal’s misdeeds will be exposed, and we also know that all five of the main characters will survive for quite some time, none being killed off before those seasons. However, this has never detracted from the enjoyment of the show because no one but Bryan Fuller, the brilliant mind behind it, can predict when those revelations will unfold.

“Kaiseki” spoils that. Assuming time in the story matches time in the real world, twelve weeks spells twelve episodes, taking us up to the season two finale. We now can see exactly how the confrontation will play out, and will be able to see it coming. A large part of the pacing is screwed up.

Now, it’s likely this is done for practical reasons. HANNINBAL is a low-rated show, and even with the international partners that help fund it, there’s no guarantee NBC will keep it going. An opener like that will hook those who might complain of slowness, and showing us the end at the start has become a common TV staple. The problem is, it’s now a detestable, predictable trope, and HANNIBAL is way better than that. As someone who doesn’t even watch previews at the end of episodes any more to avoid being spoiled, it really makes me angry they would do this. The only thing that would salvage it a little is if the twelve weeks unexpectedly pass by mid-season, or halfway through season three, rather than leading to the conclusion of this year.

The rest of “Kaiseki” is brilliant. I love the tension between Hannibal and Dr. Bedelia Du Maurier (Gillian Anderson) when he asks her to lie to Jack for him, though the extent of her falsehood is unclear, since how much she knows isn’t revealed. The scene in which Dr. Bloom files a complaint about Jack’s lack of judgment, which the CIA investigator (Cynthia Nixon, Alpha House, The Big C) just wants to make go away, is stellar. Hannibal ‘jokingly’ confessing to Will’s doctor, Frederick Chilton (Raul Esparza), is fun. The moment between Jack and Alana in Will’s house is touching. Finding out Hannibal still considers Will a friend is intriguing. Will’s visions are beautiful, and him recovering a memory is a triumph. Plus, there’s a really cool new killer obsessed with color palettes introduced, which Jack will investigate with the help of Hannibal, who has taken over Will’s job.

The characters are so well defined, and each have moving scenes with others. The cast is fragmented, to be sure, but most people get the chance to interact with most others one on one, pulling us into their dark, twisted world in the best of ways, the subtext as interesting as the dialogue.

I just wish “Kaiseki” hadn’t played to popular bends, and then it would have been perfect.

HANNIBAL airs Fridays at 10 p.m. ET on NBC.

HANNIBAL "Savoureux" Fine Dining

Article first published as HANNIBAL "Savoureux" Fine Dining on TheTVKing.

It's immediately apparent from the start that NBC's Hannibal isn't the typical network series. With artistic, sweeping visuals, courtesy of creator Bryan Fuller (Pushing Daisies, Wonderfalls), it is also very edgy with layered, compelling characters and neat twists. While the gruesome subject matter takes a little while to grow on some, the storytelling is top notch from episode one, and it's clear there is an amazing epic tale to be told, should the series get the seven seasons Fuller has in mind.

Season one ends this week with "Savoureux." All the evidence says that Will (Hugh Dancy) has killed Abigail Hobbs (Kacey Rohl, The Killing), and even he believes it himself, though he can't remember it, assuming it is a natural extension of his psychosis. However, when additional clues point to Will having killed four others, two of which died before he started experiencing black outs, Will begins to suspect he's being set up.

A hallmark of a hero is one who continues to fight when all of the odds are against him, even when those closest to him have turned their backs on him. Will's friends all have different ideas about what exactly he has done and why or how he did it, but no one believes his paranoia, save himself and the man who framed him. With Will ending the year sitting in a jail cell, there is still much of his journey ahead of him.

We all know that Will will beat this rap and clear his name, but we don't know when or how this might happen. Stacking the odds so completely against him at this point is wonderful, and it leaves the show at a very good place for the second run. With Fuller not planning on reaching the events of the book Red Dragon until season four, Will still has two more years before he can expose who Hannibal (Mads Mikkelsen) really is.

I do worry that Hannibal won't get to play out the whole course. While critically respected, it's not hugely watched, much like Fuller's previous efforts, which didn't survive long. Hopefully, with word of mouth and binge viewing of repeats, it will gain a larger following by next year. Feeling very much like a dark, award-worthy, boundary-pushing cable show, even without the nudity and vulgarity, which for some reason aren't much missed, it deserves the chance.

The problem with already knowing the events of seasons four through six (which are set to adapt the three books these characters come from) is that most of the major players are not in any real peril. Will can't die in season two, nor can Jack; the central cast is safe. Yet, that doesn't take away at all from the enjoyment of the show because the characters are so well crafted, and we don't know how they are going to get to those points. If the show is smart, it will make some departures from the source material and rewrite the rules. But for now, it's completely great without having to make many changes, aside from switching genders on a couple of players.

As much as it might seem so right now, Will is not the center of Hannibal. That belongs to the titular character. However, it will take multiple seasons to get Hannibal into a position where he can carry the show himself. Currently, his inaccessibility to viewers, the way he hides most of himself from others, and because we don't see much of what he does, prevents him from being front and center. Yet, there are already signs that the show is well-structured enough to move that way eventually, which should be gratifying if it comes to pass.

In "Savoureux," we get to see the emotional side of Hannibal for pretty much the first time. He actually openly weeps in front of his psychiatrist, Dr. Bedelia De Maurier (Gillian Anderson, The X-Files). It could be a front, as we know Hannibal hides things from Bedelia and puts on a face for her, but it doesn't seem so. Hannibal cares about both Will and Abigail, so it's understandable he would grieve for losing the dynamic with the two of them that he has, especially if he plays a hand in destroying those relationships, which "Savoureux" strongly hints at, leaving just enough doubt to know for sure.

Is Hannibal more upset about Will or Abigail? He professes the latter, and that makes sense, since he sees her as someone to nurture and protect. Yet, he also admits in an earlier episode that Will is the first person in awhile he sees as a friend. This seems to indicate that his feelings extend to both, not just one or the other.

Of course, Abigail may not even be dead. Until the body is seen, a little blood and a severed ear don't prove anything conclusively. In fact, the absence of her cadaver seems to indicate the opposite.

I am extremely interested in Bedelia, whom we don't know much about. Dialogue in this finale seem to indicate that she knows that Hannibal is both a killer and a cannibal (the veal he serves her is likely young Abigail, if she's dead) and worries about his activities staying a secret, not wanting him to get caught. Yet, she refuses to have a personal relationship or dine at his house. Also, there's the still-untold story of a patient Hannibal refers to her attacking Bedelia. What exactly is the interplay between them? What is in their past? What are her secrets?

While Hannibal cries, showing humanity, Jack (Laurence Fishburne) turns cold, eschewing it. The signs are there previously in the way that Jack pushes Will to keep working, despite the negative affects that work is having on him, and acts very coldly towards Abigail when he believes her to be a killer. We know Hannibal is the villain and Jack is a hero, but Hannibal is painting the opposite pictures of both. It will be delicious to see how that reverses down the road.

I feel most sorry for Alana Bloom (Caroline Dhavernas). She blames herself for not fighting Jack harder on protecting Will and keeping him safe. She worries more about healing Will than what he has done. While she may be right, there likely isn't much more she could have done for Will, anyway, so hopefully those are emotions she can come to terms with and move past.

Also, if I may plead for one change from the books, please make Alana Will's eventual wife! Their chemistry is fantastic, and I want so badly to see them together. We know Will is married in Red Dragon, so how about get them together in the next year or two? If nothing else, it saves the budget of hiring another main character.

The ending of this episode is perfect, with Hannibal striding through the halls to majestic music and seeing Will in his cell, evoking images from other adaptations of the story, where Hannibal is usually the one behind bars. What a great way to tie this to its fore bearers, and yet, also serve the characters as they have been created here!

"Savoureux" is a masterful pause point, with praise-worthy performances from Dhavernas, Anderson, Fishburne, Mikkelsen, and, as always, Dancy. Some things are concluded, and other plot threads are just getting started. The batch of guest stars in season one is stellar, and it's hard to imagine next year's group will be as good, but one can hope, as excellent talent is definitely drawn to this project. I can't wait to see where Fuller takes us next!

Hannibal will return to NBC sometime in 2014.

The Crimson Petal and the White

Recently released on DVD by Acorn Media, The Crimson Petal and the White is a tale of love, betrayal, and insanity. Set in Victorian England, it's a character-driven drama with an impressive cast, playing out as a heartbreaking miniseries.

William Rackham (Chris O'Dowd, Bridesmaids, The IT Crowd) is heir to a perfume company, but would rather be a writer. Saddled with a father (Tom Georgeson, Bleak House) who wants William to face reality and give up on his dreams, and a wife, Agnes (Amanda Hale, Bright Star), so mentally unbalanced that she doesn't even recognize the existence of her own young daughter, Sophie (Isla Watt), William finds nothing but misery. That is, until he meets Sugar (Romola Garai, The Hour).

Sugar is a prostitute. But she, too, wants more than she has in life, working on her own novel, inspired by an equally miserable existence. Sugar is all too willing to become monogamous for William in exchange for money and a decent place to live, eventually becoming nanny and mother to Sophie. It's a position that badly needs filled, so that Sugar is less an interloper, and more a savior, to the family, deranged Agnes even believing her to be a guardian angel.

But emotions and motivations are complicated. Those who indulge their dreams often are flighty, never satisfied when they get what the want. William is controlling and Sugar is ambitious, not subservient. This is the makings of a clash, one highly entertaining in this psychological thriller.

One thing for which The Crimson Petal and the White has been routinely praised is its cast. Besides O'Dowd and Garai, who do an absolutely stupendous job in the leading roles, Hale is perfect as a madwoman, Gillian Anderson (The X-Files) is delightfully monstrous, and Richard E. Grant (The Iron Lady) brings to his character new levels of creepiness.

Visually, The Crimson Petal and the White succeeds well. It perfectly builds a specific world for which these characters to dwell, the setting every bit a part of the people in it as anything else. Costume and makeup design are also top notch, really selling the story well. There is a dark quality the world, and the people inhabiting it.

The one complaint raised by those who have read the book upon which this miniseries is based is that some of the material has been toned down. True, there is only so much nudity most television channels can show, and the violence can't really be R rated. Still, creating a masterful tone helps sell the story anyway, making these complaints insignificant when weighed against the other factors.

Sadly, the bonus features are lacking. Eleven minutes of deleted scenes, some character biographies, and interviews with a couple of the cast and crew is all you get. Yes, the discussions provide some meaningful insight, but mostly these aren't anything memorable, nor entirely necessary. More might have been included.

Overall, though, the story of The Crimson Petal and the White is well worth your time, no matter what omissions may have been made in crafting the extras. This is a wholly original, brilliantly executed drama that will delight, surprise, and creep you out, sometimes all at the same time.

The Crimson Petal and the White is available now on a two-disc DVD from Acorn Media.


If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter! Check out my website, JeromeWetzel.com! Article first published as DVD Review: The Crimson Petal and the White on Blogcritics.