GOOD GIRLS REVOLT Or Revolting?

Article first published as GOOD GIRLS REVOLT Review on Seat42F.

Amazon has a new period drama called GOOD GIRLS REVOLT, which premieres this week. Set in the late 1960s, it’s a drama about the employees of a newsroom for a magazine (similar to Newsweek) called News of the World. Specifically, the characters at the center are women ‘researchers’ who essentially do all the work of writing the articles, but get none of the credit because of the sexism of the time. Now, they’re ready to fight for their rights and recognition.

GOOD GIRVLS REVOLT is confusing because it’s got a lot of real elements, but is not actually a true story. For instance, the events mentioned that are reported on more or less actually happened. Several characters, including Eleanor Holmes Norton (Joy Bryant, Parenthood) and Nora Ephron (Grace Gummer, Mr. Robot, The Newsroom), are real people. Yet, what they are doing isn’t true to life. Ephron did work for Newsweek, but at a different time, and for a longer period than what the show portrays.

Because of the real names and events, viewers are likely to be tricked into thinking this is a true story. I feel like that’s kind of dangerous. It’s absolutely fair to take a little creative license when portraying historical happenings, but GOOD GIRLS REVOLT isn’t doing that. Instead, it’s misleading to lend itself unnecessary and unwarranted authenticity. This is purely personal opinion, but I don’t approve of that sort of element at all.

Taken on its own, I did enjoy the pilot of GOOD GIRLS REVOLT, before I looked into how accurate it was. It’s very easy to get behind two of the three main women, Patti (Genevieve Angelson, Backstrom) and Cindy (Erin Darke, Love & Mercy), and root for them to succeed. It’s also a timely tale as the first female candidate of a major political party runs for office in a race beseeched by sexism, so it seems important to bring these things up.

However, the show is also pretty predictable and one-dimensional. The costumes and music are almost a bit too over the top, and the drug use and penis sculptures just make it seem ridiculous. Could people have acted like this? Perhaps. Did they? Probably not to this extent. This is more a vision of what modern viewers think the 1960s was like, taken in a cartoonish fashion. Even Patti, Cindy, Nora, and Eleanor are more archetypes than complex characters.

The one player that gets a bit of depth, Jane (Anna Camp, The Good Wife, Pitch Perfect), is not likeable. I’m not complaining about the actress; I’ve enjoyed Camp very much in several other projects. But instead of letting us see the internal struggle she is going through, wanting to hold onto the achievements she has made and afraid of rocking the boat, it’s actually surprising when Jane does the right thing in episode one because she’s shown to be such a cold person prior to this. We don’t get any insight into why she makes that decision.

There are men in the show, too, specifically, Chris Diamantopoulos (Silicon Valley), Hunter Parrish (Weeds), and Jim Belushi (According to Jim). They fare no better than the women, coming across as entitled bullies who may like girls that know their place, but certainly aren’t going to join the cause of gender equality. They aren’t outright villains, but are (mostly) quietly prejudiced. They are simply the obstacles in the way that must be toppled.

I do kind of want to see where GOOD GIRLS REVOLT is going. I like enough of the elements to be curious about episode two. Yet, that’s more because of a fascination with an era and the positive feelings I get from watching women kick butt than the show’s own merits enticing me.

GOOD GIRLS REVOLT season one will be released on Amazon this Friday.

CONFIRMATION Of Belief

Article first published as Blu-ray Review: 'Confirmation' on Blogcritics.

HBO’s recent television movie, Confirmation, will be available on Blu-ray and DVD August 2nd, and has already been released for digital download and streaming. It’s the story of Anita Hill accusing Clarence Thomas of sexual harassment during his Supreme Court nomination hearing in 1991. Or, it tells a relatively one-sided, focused version of a small part of the story with a clear message and point that the film’s producers are trying to get across.

That may sound like a condemnation of the movie, but it is not. I merely want to state what this is before moving forward to talk about it. It is completely fair for someone to make a movie with a specific purpose in mind; many movies fall into that category. What is unusual is for a piece like this to come out when public opinion is still divided, at a time when our country has rarely been more partisan, with racism having been brought back to the forefront yet again, and many of the players involved are still in positions of power. Confirmation itself is a narrow story, but the issues it brings up are many, varied, and still very relevant.

Played by Scandal‘s Kerry Washington, Anita Hill is a sympathetic woman who did what she had to do in order to pursue a career in her chosen field, but who also has strong principles she cannot ignore when this man she was harassed by is given the chance to join the highest court in the land. She takes a little urging to come forward, but she refuses to lie even before that, and she does believe Clarence Thomas (Wendell Pierce, Treme, The Odd Couple) doesn’t deserve a job on the Supreme Court and should be stopped.

Despite it being clear where the writers think the truth lies, Confirmation does a pretty decent job of showing the different viewpoints various individuals involved have, providing a more complex story than the above description indicates. There are the female staffers like Ricki Seidman (Grace Gummer, Mr. Robot, The Newsroom) and Carolyn Hart (Zoe Lister-Jones, Life in Pieces) who are frustrated at the limitations their bosses follow. There are the white men on the judiciary committee like Joe Biden (Greg Kinnear, Little Miss Sunshine), Ted Kennedy (Treat Williams, Chicago Fire), Jack Danforth (Bill Irwin,Interstellar), Orrin Hatch (Dylan Baker, The Good Wife), and Alan Simpson (Peter McRobbie, Lincoln) whose own actions and political positions color how they see the situation, and whose race and class makes it hard for them to fully understand all sides. We see Thomas’ wife, Ginni (Alison Wright, The Americans), and how she believes what she has to. And there are others, played by the likes of Eric Stonestreet (Modern Family), Jeffrey Wright (Boardwalk Empire), Malcolm Gets (Caroline in the City), Erika Christensen (Parenthood), Kimberly Elise (Close to Home), and Jennifer Hudson (Dreamgirls) that each bring a little something to add to the overall picture, too.

So while the movie itself is, at its core, quite biased, because of a very strong cast and good writing, the characters make the world seem more complex. It isn’t quite as straight forward as it might be. Add to that a very strong message of gender equality, how the race card can be misused, good historical context, and an empowered hero, and the result is something that, while not the most entertaining film made by this network, feels important and engaging. Because of what this movie says about our society, past and present, it is worthy of our attention.

The extras are sadly few and shallow. There are one-minute interviews with Kerry Washington and Wendell Pierce, and a thirteen-minute series of quick bios about each of the major players. That’s it. I really wish some documentary-style featurette were present to talk about the real events and the consequences of them, but that is left to a sequence in the end credits that, while satisfying for the viewing of the feature, is disappointing in fully fleshing out what Confirmation is. What’s missing most is a discussion about the angle that the movie takes and why that choice was made, as well as why other directions were not gone in.

Still, it’s a good film, so check it out. Confirmation can be bought digitally now, and will be out on disc on August 2nd.

Welcome to the FREAK SHOW

Article first published as AMERICAN HORROR STORY FREAK SHOW Review on Seat42F.

AMERICAN HORROR STORY is back for a fourth season, subtitled FREAK SHOW, with “Monsters Among Us,” airing this week. As in past seasons, the characters and story are new, but many of the performers will look familiar to fans of the anthology series, as actors have returned and taken on new roles. This year’s entry is set at a carnival freak show in Jupiter, Florida, 1952, and thus far, those who make up the troupe seem a whole lot less freaky than the local people surrounding them.

This revelation comes as quite a surprise. When FREAK SHOW was announced, I assumed much of the terror would be delivered at the hands of those who look different. After all, such circuses have always put off a bit of a creepy vibe, and having characters that appear monstrous actually act scary, too, makes sense. But the writers make a different choice here, quickly showing the troupe as a family and those who would threaten them, be they law enforcement, or a bitchy candy striper (Grace Gummer, The Newsroom), or an entitled rich brat (Finn Wittrock, The Normal Heart) and his doting mother (Frances Conroy), as the people to look out for. Nice idea.

The group is led by Elsa Mars (Jessica Lange), the benefactor, boss, and recruiter. She is assisted by bearded lady Ethel Darling (Kathy Bates) and her son, Jimmy (Evan Peters), as well as a bunch of other members of the clan. These people are outcasts from society and Elsa brings them together not only for their own protection, but also to provide a place for them to shine. She is quick to protect her charges, and while she is a bit controlling, she understands and appreciates those who fall in with her, which is how she can inspire loyalty among her followers. After all, she is one of them, of course.

We don’t yet have the whole lay of the land; four main players are completely MIA in the AMERICAN HORROR STORY: FREAK SHOW premiere. This is par for the series, and as the story unfolds, others will naturally be added in. AHS takes its time in crafting a plot, unconcerned with forcing characters into a crowded field or at an unnatural time just because the actor’s name is in the opening credits, as many other shows do.

Among this troupe, there is one person that somewhat stands out because she’s been seen before, and that’s Pepper (Naomi Grossman). Pepper lived in the Asylum of season two, and she is the first character to appear in more than one season of AMERICAN HORROR STORY. Since Asylum is set more than a decade later than FREAK SHOW, we know where she ends up, but not yet how she gets there. It’s an interesting precedent that I hope will be repeated, and fits very well into the new season.

There is one freak that is scary in “Monsters Among Us.” We’re introduced to Twisty the Clown (John Carroll Lynch, Body of Proof), a homicidal clown with a very scary mask (or is it a mask?). Twisty is not one to mess with, and he doesn’t even require a reason to strike. But thankfully he is not part of the main contingent, so hopefully, while there will be some interaction, we’re not asked to care about him as we do the others.

For the most part, I really like “Monsters Among Us,” a cool story that intrigues and entices, but there are a couple of strange choices made. For instance, the camera teases around conjoined twins Bette and Dot Tattler (Sarah Paulson), waiting awhile to reveal them to be two heads on one body. This makes sense to be repeated later in the episode for budgetary reasons, but in the initial introduction, there’s not much reason to build suspense and mystery given that pictures of the character have been widely circulated prior to this. Also, Elsa sings “Life on Mars,” a song written by David Bowie in 1971. It’s a neat performance, but one that definitely feels out-of-time for the early 1950s.

I’m curious about the planetary themes in AMERICAN HORROR STORY: FREAK SHOW. As mentioned, Elsa’s last name is Mars and she sings “Life on Mars,” plus the show is set in Jupiter, Florida. These things cannot be coincidence. Are they meant to evoke otherworldly images, aliens come to Earth, as Asylum showed? Or are they referencing gods, better than men, sitting above us in judgment? Either way could be interesting.

While I was trepidatious about FREAK SHOW, given the content, I am happy to report that the first episode is quite good, up to the standards of the franchise. Check it out when it airs Wednesdays at 10 p.m. ET on FX beginning this week.

Excited About EXTANT

Article first published as EXTANT Review on Seat42F.

CBS’s summer slate is turning out to be nothing like their regular season fare. While tired procedurals that basically tell the same story week after week dominate CBS programming from September through May, June, July, and August have suddenly become a spot for mind-bendy, dramatic, highly serialized science fiction shows, of the likes which FOX might air and quickly cancel in the fall. Last year’s Under the Dome is a decent series, but EXTANT, premiering this week, promises to be quite a bit better.

EXTANT tells the story of an astronaut, Molly Woods (Halle Berry, the X-Men films), whom, after thirteen months alone in space, returns to Earth pregnant and in the middle of a conspiracy. She experiences something very strange during her mission, which we see in flashbacks throughout the pilot, “Re-entry,” and is determined not to reveal to anyone what she saw and felt. Those who would control her on the ground may or may not know what she knows, but they have had issues with other astronauts in recent years and are definitely are keeping a close eye on Molly.

In the second major element of the series, Molly’s husband, John (Goran Visnjic, ER), has created an artificial intelligence to satisfy the couple’s un-fulfilled urge to have a child. The boy, named Ethan (Pierce Gagnon, One Tree Hill), is every bit as self-aware as the kid at the center of A.I., but with an added creepiness where viewers are left to wonder if he is performing as designed to do or is the first stage in a robotic uprising. Of course, this question is barely posed in the first episode, nowhere near an answer yet, but worth exploring.

Thus we get a suspenseful mystery, a tale of corrupt leadership, a Big Brother-like level of secret monitoring, questions about the existence of a soul and the ethics of creating life, and many other smart elements all wrapped into one. The writers have spun a very interconnected web of characters and motivations, obviously intelligently put together in “Re-entry” alone, and an incredibly enjoyable watch.

That is not to say that the show is without problems. At first, I wondered about a huge plot hole in Molly trying to keep her secrets her own, but then realized that the character is acting exactly as many would given the circumstances, logical or not. More troubling is that she has the means to try to cover things up, which I find unrealistic given the level of scrutiny she is under.

Overall, though, EXTANT is very good, definitely the best thing on the broadcast networks this summer. It’s exciting, fast-paced, gorgeous in its special effects demonstrating futuristic technology (it is not set in the present day), a world that captures the imagination, and a story that engages viewers. The questions it raises are deep, and the universe these characters live in is one I can see us getting very close to within my lifetime, even if we’re still many decades away from it. It feels right.

The acting is pretty convincing. I’m not a big fan of Berry, never have been, though she does a serviceable job. I like Visnjic a lot here, and Gagnon is amazing, given his age and relative lack of experience. The supporting cast also includes some capable players such as Camryn Manheim (The Practice) as Molly’s doctor and friend, Grace Gummer (The Newsroom) as a colleague of John’s, Michael O’Neill (Rectify, Bates Motel) as Molly’s boss, and Hiroyuki Sanada (Helix, Lost) as John’s investor. Plus, Annie Wersching (24), Brad Beyer (Jericho), and Tyler Hilton (One Tree Hill) serve recurring roles. Most of these are not A-listers, but they are no slouches, either.

If you’ve been on the fence about whether to give EXTANT a try, and believe me, I understand that position, please do. You’re likely to be pleasantly surprised at the superior effort put forward. More summer shows like this and CBS will be a competitor in the hotter months for the first time.

EXTANT premieres Wednesday at 9 p.m. ET on CBS.

THE NEWSROOM - "Election Night: Part II" Review

Article first published as THE NEWSROOM - "Election Night: Part II" Review on TheTVKing.

With the fate of HBO's The Newsroom officially still undecided, despite what star Jeff Daniels tweets, this week's season two finale, "Election Night: Part II," may very well serve as a series finale for the Aaron Sorkin drama. If it does, it will be a great loss for television, a medium that is bettered by such intelligent writing, bold characters, and inspiring stories, showing the media how they should be reporting. But in terms of closure, the episode satisfies pretty well.

"Election Night: Part II" has the team covering the results of the 2012 election, while waiting for the hammer to drop after the Genoa fiasco. Will (Daniels), MacKenzie (Emily Mortimer) and Charlie (Sam Waterston) are trying to resign to spare their colleagues' careers. Yet, the rest of the senior staff plans on leaving, too, showing their solidarity. This angers Will, but insults the others when he insists they not do this folly. They stick together and do the right thing; he taught them that.

One fantastic element of The Newsroom is the cohesion of the gang who work at ACN. These are not just co-workers, these are friends. They are united in a noble mission, and without the heads of the organization, the mission would fail, making the job not worth having. It is essential for everyone to stay together, and even after losing all credibility for Genoa, they can only recover by remaining on the job, working to build themselves back up.

This is the decision both Leona (Jane Fonda) and Reese (Chris Messina) come to, too. The heads of the company will not accept any resignations because they've studied the evidence and know that even though Genoa was false, the newsroom did as thorough job as possible given what they had. The snake Jerry Dantana (Hamish Linklater) screwed them; they didn't screw themselves.

I don't know why Charlie can't be gracious with Reese when Reese decides not to accept their resignations. Yes, Charlie has already decided that they will withdrawal their offers to quit, but he and Reese so rarely see eye to eye, he should celebrate, not fight, when this occurs. Yet, perhaps emotions are just running unusually high, as Charlie spends much of the episode yelling, faced with losing the profession he loves deeply, and so he can't bring himself to make nice with someone he considers so despicable.

It's funny how Reese and Leon have changed sides this year, now supporting those they tried to fire not so far in the past. I think crisis have a way of bringing people together, and also ACN being disgraced personally shames the Lansings, so they want to fight back, for their names as well as the network's. Even if their motivations are selfish, it's sure nice to see the pair of them in the room at the end, joining our beloved heroes.

We know The Newsroom's crew is righteous because even the lawyer who takes their depositions, Rebecca Halliday (Marcia Gay Harden), thinks so, and she seems a tough one to win over. She vows to defend them and argues against settlement. I hope she sticks around for a possible third season, as she will be needed to help with the major hanging thread of the Dantana plot, Don's (Thomas Sadoski) defamation lawsuit.

The Newsroom can never just do one thing at a time, though, so "Election Night: Part II" is about more than just the decision of who should stay and who should go. They also get to cover the 2012 election results, which is done in a very entertaining way. From Will constantly cutting off Sloan (Olivia Munn), to Neal (Dev Patel) being tasked with helping Sloan and MacKenzie with trivial things, to the bickering with the D.C. anchor, to Will gleefully sparring with Taylor Warren (Constance Zimmer), there's a lot to watch, and all of it very, very fun.

Taylor is another familiar face I'd like to see return. She ingrains herself in several characters, and her inquiry about having Jim (John Gallagher Jr.) work for her appears to be sincere. She's a sassy, combative type who unintentionally causes trouble, but her heart is in the right place, and she's a fair judge of character, even amongst people she disagrees with. She makes quite the impression this season, and the show could use more of her in the future.

Alas, any episode of The Newsroom would not be complete without some romantic stuff. Sloan and Don finally share a kiss in a spectacular, public fashion. This has been simmering all year, even if it usually is a very minor part of the subplot, and it's gratifying to see them get together, especially if this is it for the show.

Will and MacKenzie have an even better story, getting their feelings and secrets out in the open. MacKenzie is able to get the chance to explain her actions, with Will actually paying attention, and Will admits to wrongdoing, too. The viewers get to understand where both have been coming from, which leads to even more of an urge to see them put the past behind and get this couple together. They do, as Will produces the ring he lied about returning and proposes!

I don't think the dynamic of The Newsroom will change at all with Mac and Will married. They will still disagree and do all the things they normally do because they are passionate about their jobs and have always been united on that front. This doesn't change that. Unlike other shows where adjustments must be made for such a development, the only thing different will be them not pining over one another. Very cool.

The third couple fans root for is Jim and Maggie (Alison Pill), but they are not in a good place to be together, and any union at this point would seem false. That's probably why "Election Night: Part II" just has them bonding as friends over a screwed up call, and has Jim working to fix things between Maggie and her estranged roommate, Lisa (Kelen Coleman). Besides, Jim is happy with Hallie (Grace Gummer), as he should be, as it is a healthy relationship. Maybe, seasons down the line, this could change, but for now, they are where they should be.

Is The Newsroom the perfect show? Of course not. Characters frequently deliver parables instead of answering questions. The succeed as heroes when realistically they would fail. Personal moments happen most often in their place of business. And sometimes people devolve into caricatures. Yet, these aren't complaints because they are done so well, and are part of the charm of the fabric. The things that make it schmaltzy also make it awesome, and so while it isn't perfect, it is pretty darn good, and I sincerely hope it comes back, as it ranks among my favorite shows on the air right now. Even if Charlie acts a little too one-note in this episode, and I disliked knowing Genoa was a bomb from the start of the season.

HBO will likely announce the fate of The Newsroom soon.

Smash does not deserve the haters

NBC's Smash faces "The Coup" this week, as Derek (Jack Davenport) has a musical number developed without the input or knowledge of Tom (Christian Borle) and Julia (Debra Messing). He isn't the only one facing loyalty issues, though. Ellis (Jaime Cepero) is only too happy to jump Tom's ship and go work for Eileen (Anjelica Huston). Also, Eileen's daughter, Katie (Grace Gummer, yes, Meryl Streep's daughter), comes to visit, and scolds her father, Jerry (Michael Cristofer), for how he is treating Eileen. Not to mention, Ivy (Megan Hilty) is totally jilted when she learns that Derek's new number stars Karen Cartwright (Katharine McPhee) as Marilyn. 

Smash has been getting a lot of flack lately from critics. They complain that the drama feels forced and the musical numbers aren't good enough. This seems odd, given the quality of the show. Glee still gets praise, and it is far campier, with less consistent characters. Perhaps that's the problem. Trained by two years of Glee to expect fluff, Smash presents more realistic situations, fewer spontaneous songs (though there are some), and lots of original music that has to be good. It is.

And if one still isn't happy, take heart there will be a new show runner when the recently renewed Smash returns for season two next year.

That doesn't mean Smash is without any problems. For instance, the kid playing Leo (Emory Cohen) is just not up to the task. Perhaps that is why the writers have Julia overact in the courtroom in "The Coup." Playing opposite of Cohen, Messing tends to run circles around him, so they lower her to his level. Or she is just an upset, concerned parent, and that could excuse a bit of an emotional outburst, too.

The Ivy vs. Karen plot has been pivotal to Smash up to this point, but it now appears to be over. Karen shoots herself in the foot with Tom and Julia by being sneaky with Derek, and Ivy is out because Eileen feels a star is needed if Marilyn's production is going to continue.

Eileen is probably right. As talented as Ivy (and Karen, for that matter) is, she isn't the audience bait that a famous person would be. One might think that Marilyn Monroe is the draw, and there's something to be said for the bold step of choosing a newcomer to capture Marilyn's early persona. That might still happen. But for selling the show to investors, having a big name attached will go a long way to making things easier, and ease is a desirable concept, with all of the other problems being faced. Along those line, Uma Thurman will soon be joining the cast.

The only thing really not working in "The Coup" is Ellis. He is a shifty, despicable character, but that it not the problem. Every show needs a villain, and Ellis fills that role nicely on Smash. What is hard to believe is that Eileen is not hip to his antics. Maybe Ellis lied and told her that Tom was cool with the job switch. But without seeing that, it feels wrong for Eileen to poach him. The characters are wise enough that they should be noticing his too-obvious behavior, and he should be cut out completely. Also, Cepero has absolutely no chemistry with the woman playing Ellis's girlfriend.

Overall, the story in "The Coup" feels authentic. Derek's background with Tom, the details of which slip out this week, explains their animosity. Derek's lack of people skills justify the mistake of going behind Tom and Julia's backs. His idea isn't horrible, he just presents it the wrong way. Gossip does spread like wildfire. Ivy's friends would cheer her up with song and dance, though a few annoyed looks from other bowlers should have been included, and a slip on the slick lane would have been nice.

But a show bound for Broadway never has an easy road. These are things that need to be shown for Smash to work, and hopefully the angry voices will quiet time in time. Watch Smash Mondays at 10 p.m. ET on NBC.

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