Netflix ALTERED CARBON

Article first published as TV Review: ALTERED CARBON on Seat42F.

Netflix’s newest drama, released yesterday, is ALTERED CARBON. Set centuries in the future, it is part science fiction adventure, part murder mystery. In the ten-episode first season, Takeshi Kovacs, a violent mercenary, is woken from a 250-year slumber at Alcatraz. He is told he can either go back to prison forever, his sentence, or solve the murder of an extremely wealthy man, Laurens Bancroft. Obviously, Takeshi chooses the former, and he sets off into the world he knows little about to investigate a crime of which he knows even less.

Joel Kinnaman (The Killing, House of Cards) stars as Takeshi, which ties into a few important things. One, part of the premise is that the essence of people have been boiled down into “stacks,” basically big computer chips that can be inserted into any body, deemed “sleeves.” While Takeshi is Japanese and Eastern European, played by Will Yun Lee (Falling Water, True Blood) in flashback, he now inhabits a different ethnicity form. There is certainly an argument to be made that the series whitewashes its lead, but the cast is pretty diverse, and from a story perspective, the swap makes sense. So ALTERED CARBON tries to make up for that in other ways. (Whether it does or not, I leave for someone more qualified to decide.)

Bancroft is also a white man, played by James Purefoy (The Following, Hap and Leonard), as is the AI construct Poe (Chris Conner, The Assassination of Gianni Versace: American Crime Story). But others are not. The love of Takeshi’s life is Quellcrist Falconer (Renee Elise Goldsberry, The Good Wife, original cast of the Broadway musical Hamilton). Takeshia’s sister, Reileen, is played by Dichen Lachman (Dollhouse, Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.). The primary cop who is interested in Takeshi is Kristin Ortega (Martha Higareda, Royal Pains). ALTERED CARBON also stars Ato Essandoh (Copper), Kristin Lehman (Motive), and Trieu Tran (The Newsroom).

The series itself is getting mixed reviews, and that’s fair. There’s certainly a large amount of exploitation of women in the dark corner of the world Takeshi is dropped into, prostitution, physically real or not, abundant, and drugs rampant. Little about the underworld isn’t a trope, and the main plot seems to be a basic murder mystery, albeit the intended victim isn’t really dead because his stack was backed up by a very expensive satellite, so all he lost as nearly two days of memories.

However, I found it an exciting romp with a complex, if a little two-dimensional, world. The visual effects are absolutely stunning, the futuristic city, including buildings that extend above the clouds, seeming very real. The rules of the world seem to be incredibly well thought-out and stuck to, though not overly explained, and there’s quite a bit of mystery surrounding Takeshi’s circumstances. Certainly this is more than just an episode of CSI stretched out. The acting is also pretty solid across the board, though I don’t yet see many similarities in personality between Lee and Kinnaman’s portrayals, so I’d like, over time, for the show to establish a more solid link.

There is also a trippy aspect to the production because Takeshi, as part of the side effects from being asleep so long, hallucinates people that aren’t there. This potentially calls into question the reality of what we’re seeing in every scene, even when he’s sober, and will have viewers looking for clues that things might not be real. That is an exciting element to toss in, especially when it’s so well integrated to the story.

Having only seen one episode so far, I can’t contradict entirely the uneasiness of other reviewers. What I can say is that as soon as I turn this in, I’m jumping right into episode two because I was left very much wanting to see more.

ALTERED CARBON season one is available now, streaming on Netflix.

HAP AND LEONARD Review

Article first published as HAP AND LEONARD Review on Seat42F.

I’ve been missing FX’s Justified something fierce ever since it left the air, but Sundance has a new series that might just fill that void, for awhile anyway. Premiering last night, HAP AND LEONARD is the story of two men in Texas who get roped into a heist. Based on a story by Joe Lansdale (Cold in July), the titular characters inhabit a very specific world that is caring without being showy about it, and violent when it needs to be. It’s hella entertaining.

Leonard (Michael Kenneth Williams, The Wire) and Hap (James Purefoy, The Following) have been friends for a very long time. They work together in the rose fields, they exercise together through boxing, and they accept one another unconditionally as best friends, defending the best interests of the other when someone threatens to interfere with that. They are as close as two men can be.

But that’s not immediately obvious from the first scene. In the modern world, nerds and geeks and metrosexuals have become the new norm, and the macho type isn’t disappearing, exactly, but isn’t as taken for granted as it once was. Leonard and Hap are definitely macho, and their bromance doesn’t fit the current definition of the word, finding a way to display their feelings while not losing this identity.

As a happy nerd myself, I never aspired to be the type of man they are, but Raylan and Boyd on Justified, among others, taught me how cool that type of character could be. HAP AND LEONARD is and are cool in almost every sense of the word.

Yet, they are flawed, complex men, too. There’s a lot more going on with both than what is immediately apparent on the surface.

The story of HAP AND LEONARD begins when Trudy (Christina Hendricks, Mad Men), an ex of Hap’s that Leonard does not like, shows up and offers them a get-rich job. Since they are both out of work and could use the money, they accept, Leonard a heck of a lot more reluctantly than Hap. They’ll have six episodes to get the work done, and viewers will have to wait awhile to see if Trudy and her most recent guy, Howard (Bill Sage, Nurse Jackie), are trustworthy.

I can honestly say, I don’t care if they succeed. I think I could greatly enjoy the run with or without a pot of gold at the end. For me, it’s all about the chemistry between Purefoy and Williams, and that’s enough. I enjoy the dialogue and the interplay between them. I like seeing Leonard open up to Hap and be protective of him. I like seeing Hap return the favor with Leonard’s homophobic uncle (Henry G. Sanders, Dr. Quinn Medicine Woman).

The fact that Leonard is gay is pretty much an afterthought, not a driving plot point, reinforcing the themes mentioned above, and seems so where Hap is concerned, too. Williams has already proven he can buck the stereotype on The Wire, and he does it again here. It’s extremely important to have a variety of homosexual role models on television, and it’s nice HAP AND LEONARD chooses to give us someone as realistic and relatable as Leonard.

HAP AND LEONARD is a period piece that doesn’t feel like one. It’s set in the late 1980s, but aside from the guys not having cell phones, I couldn’t really tell. The setting is one in which you wouldn’t expect to see the latest gadgets or automobiles. It just feels like an authentic place that would resist changing with the times, and I appreciate that.

HAP AND LEONARD airs Wednesdays at 10/9c on Sundance.

"Forgive" THE FOLLOWING Its Flaws

Article first published as TV Review: 'The Following' - Season 2 Finale on Blogcritics.
 
FOX’s The Following concluded its second season this week with “Forgive.” With the woman they love in danger, archenemies Ryan Hardy (Kevin Bacon) and Joe Carroll (James Purefoy) must join forces to rescue her. Will they succeed in saving their shared sweetheart from the scary psychos?

First off, The Following is cheesy. It’s more contrived than 24 ever was, and it asks the viewers to make some big leaps. For instance, the end of the penultimate installment paints the characters into a corner, with Ryan and Joe in a church surrounded by law enforcement, being watched on streaming video. Yet, somehow, they manage to get out, right past the cops, and are only noticed by the correct people? That’s quite a leap.

And yet, I still really enjoy the characters, especially Joe and Ryan. Joe is an evil man, but he can evoke sympathy from time to time, that is when he’s not actively murdering people. His earnestness in his affection for Ryan and Claire (Natalie Zea) is true, and Joe’s insistence that Ryan stay alive to continue their dynamic is almost touching. His true colors leak out occasionally, such as when he holds a knife at Claire’s throat and demands forgiveness this week, but there is still something magnetic about him.

Purefoy gets many chances to shine in “Forgive:” when he learns of Emma’s (Valorie Curry) death, as he manipulates twin abductors Luke and Mark (both Sam Underwood), and as he turns on his own follower to save Ryan. These are all moments of moving emotional developments for the cult leader, and it’s what makes him a rich character who is enjoyable to watch.

Ryan also has his moments to shine. Most of them involve how he interacts with Joe, forced to put his trust in a guy he doesn’t have any faith in at all to save Claire. But there’s also a moment, as Joe baits Luke and Mark, where we see the pain in Ryan’s eyes over (justifiably) killing his own father. It’s an important bit of back story for the role, and it’s well handled here.

In fact, once one gets past the silly escape from the church, “Forgive” is pretty good. All of the scenes in the boys’ house are intense and moving. The dialogue is well written and the actors are superb. I wanted to stay forever in the dinner scene, just watching the interaction of some masterful performers in a charged sequence.

Alas, it all must come to an end, though, so Max (Jessica Stroup) and Mike (Shawn Ashmore) burst in and start the guns blazing. One of the twins is killed, the other escapes with his brother’s body, Mike and Ryan both get moments to find out who they really are and pass the test, and Mike and Max finally kiss, something that has been building for some time. The kiss itself isn’t overly dramatic, but it has to happen to satisfy fans.

It’s an odd show where one is slightly disappointed when the action begins. The time before the showdown, though, is just so good, I want it to continue. What unfolds after is fine enough, and it ties up the season as it must. I just want more of what works best, and Ryan telling Joe they are done is very, very sad, even though it’s also untrue, as the series couldn’t continue without the two in one another’s orbits.

Ryan and Claire’s dissolution is less powerful. Sure, Ryan loves Claire and it’s painful for him to lose her, but before the climax, he is with someone else and he can just go back to her. Claire is kind of a boring character, more interesting for the things that surround her than the part itself (though I am a fan of Zea overall), and, to be honest, The Following will not suffer if she now disappears for good. Though, most likely she will be brought back at some point, given her importance to both Ryan and Joe.

The ending of “Forgive” is well-crafted to evoke tension. Ryan seemingly goes home to peace and quiet, but remembering the twists of last year, these calm bits actually ratchet up the suspense. The fake-out with the dream, where Ryan thinks the twins are in his room, is a terrific way to pay off that mood, as well as surprise the audience by not going there.

The Following leaves us with a mystery: who picks up Mark and Luke and drives them away? This is a good thread to start with for the already-ordered season three, and it’s nice that Underwood should return, as he is entertaining in the current run.

Still Following THE FOLLOWING

Article first published as THE FOLLOWING Review on Seat42F.

FOX’S THE FOLLOWING returns at a special night and time tonight with “Resurrection.” It’s been a year since Joe Carroll’s (James Purefoy) death, as well as Claire Matthews’ (Natalie Zea) and Debra Parker’s (Annie Parisse). Ryan Hardy (Kevin Bacon) has moved on, settling in to a teaching job, going through AA with the help of a sponsor (Keith Carradine, Dexter), and spending time with his niece, Max (Jessica Stroup, 90210), who is a cop. It seems the nightmare is over.

It’s nice to see Ryan happy and building a life for himself. He’s self-destructive by nature, and the Joe Carroll case did a number on him. He killed in cold blood and lost people he cared about. It will give fans hope for the future to see Ryan in a good place, not drinking, not dwelling on the past, finally finding an existence that he can be at peace with.

Of course, this lasts a scant ten minutes before the sinister happenings begin again. THE FOLLOWING is not a happy-ending show, and until the series finale’s credits role, no one has a chance at bliss. Followers of Carroll’s re-emerge on the anniversary of his death, beginning a new killing spree in New York City, where Ryan lives. They must be stopped.

Ryan is reluctant to get pulled back in, of course, and who can blame him? The damage done to his psyche won’t ever heal, and why would one want to put oneself back in those circumstances? Law enforcement pulls inactive agent Mike Weston (Shawn Ashmore) in to consult, so Ryan may not be technically needed, and while Mike certainly thinks Ryan could help, he won’t force the man.

But all is not as it seems. Much of what appears known about a couple of the main characters early in “Resurrection” simply isn’t true, and there are some cool twists in the premiere. Without giving anything away, it’s safe to say that Ryan will be back on the case quite soon, some people are just putting on a face, and at least one death may have been faked.

THE FOLLOWING continues to be scary and magnetic. A cult of serial killers who can hide among us and strike at any time is a frightening thought, and this show serves up a huge conspiracy of such. The danger lurks everywhere from many bodies, and there doesn’t seem to be any clear way to stop it. Every time one branch is dealt with, another takes its place.

This series is anything but boring. There’s action almost immediately, with an exciting chase, a number of victims killed, creepy masks, and someone gets hit by a car. The pacing is as break-neck as ever, with no one seeming safe, and a guarantee of much more blood as the season plays out. In short, year two promises to be just as good as year one, if this episode is consistent with the ones that follow.

“Resurrection” introduces us to some new murderers, the ranks of Carrollers (love that name!) having been depleted in season one. The most fascinating thus far are a pair of identical twins (Sam Underwood, Homeland), one of whom is very mentally unstable. The hideous things he’s responsible for in this first hour alone will make your skin crawl.

Of course, Emma (Valorie Curry) is still around, too. She isn’t involved in the events that play out in “Resurrection,” but if Carroll or his followers poke their heads up, she’s quickly drawn back to them like a moth to a flame. One never knows whether she will fall in line or slice the throat of the leader, taking over, but Emma is a compelling character, and an essential part of the show, so she’ll make her presence felt. At least until they decide to kill her off.

“Resurrection” is everything I was hoping for from the return of THE FOLLOWING, easily one of last year’s best network programs, and meets all expectations. It is back tonight after the NFC game, approximately 10:30 p.m. EST, and will take over its normal Mondays-at-9 p.m. timeslot starting next week.

The Following Reaches "The Final Chapter" (For Now)

Article first published as The Following Reaches "The Final Chapter" (For Now) on TheTVKing.

FOX's The Following ends its freshman run this week with "The Final Chapter." Ryan (Kevin Bacon) is lured to a lighthouse by Joe (James Purefoy) for a final showdown. Of course, Claire's (Natalie Zea) life hangs in the balance, and of course, Ryan doesn't take anyone with him to the confrontation, including Mike (Shawn Ashmore). There, the two men have it out with one another once and for all.

I am a bit disappointed with the end of The Following's showdown between Ryan and Joe. I really feel like Ryan should have learned his lesson and trusted a few people. "The Final Chapter"'s plot only makes sense if we believe that Joe knows Ryan so well that he can predict his every move. And maybe he does. But, as a viewer who has watched all fifteen installments thus far, I feel like Ryan should have learned to out-think Joe, at least on some level, and brought along back up.

The climax where Ryan kills Joe, sort of, in an exploding building also feels a bit contrived. The moment we don't positively see Joe catch on fire or blow up is the one where fans of the genre will absolutely know, deep down, that no matter how it looks, Joe has survived. How he would think far enough ahead to plant a body there, or could fake dental records after a body is discovered, is stretching believability. But Joe has got to live on.

With those complaints out of the way, though, I must say that the hour is mostly excellent. I really like how we get to see bits of Ryan's soul. We understand how he and Mike can torture Alex (Charlie Semine), as Parker's (Annie Parisse) life hangs in the balance, and even why the other FBI agents can look away. When Ryan coldly murders Alex, one worries about Ryan's stability, but Alex's death is deserved, and Ryan doesn't put him in the coffin, which would be poetic justice, but not at all hero-like.

Despite Ryan's flaws, he is the hero. Joe casts him as such, and the moral compass Ryan displays backs that up. He crosses some legal lines, to be sure, but his motives are always pure, and his goals are noble. He doesn't unnecessary cause anyone harm, even the bad guys, as he kills Alex quickly once he's used all Alex knows to try to save the day, rather than continue to mess with him.

I'm sad that Ryan and Mike are too late to save Parker. I really like her, and like many of The Following's character, she dies too soon. However, part of the draw of the series is its unpredictability, and the way people can perish without warning. It appropriately builds suspense when it should, and as regrettable as it is to lose Parisse from the cast, and as false as it may feel to have them find her just barely too late, it is a shock that she is dead, and an example of surprising and engaging storytelling.

I do hope Mike and Ryan can work out their friendship. Ryan shuts Mike out a bit because, as close as they've grown, Ryan is a loner. He trusts Mike more than he trusts most people, but Mike still doesn't get to come to the light house because Ryan feels he must take on the burden himself. I don't think Ryan would have shot Mike in the foot to get him not to follow, though Mike must think it's a possibility, so I hope that isn't what keeps them from working together again.

The final moments of "The Final Chapter," in which Molly (Jennifer Ferrin) attacks Ryan, are a great cliffhanger. This installment makes pretty clear, whether Joe is dead or not, there are still threats out there, such as Molly and Emma (Valorie Curry). Some may have been brought out by Joe, but some of the threats Ryan will eventually face, as the show has been renewed for season two (and stands a good chance of living longer), won't be Joe-centric. This is a series about a man fighting evil, and evil will always exist, no matter how often it is stopped.

Now, does The Following go a bit too far, having too many people being stabbed and surviving, then bouncing back to their jobs too quickly? Yes, that can certainly be argued. But some grade-A acting and tight plot work keeps the flow going and the series enticing. I really like The Following, and look forward to its return.

Follow The Following

Article first published as The Following Series Premiere Review on Seat42F.

Grade: 97%

FOX is known for high-octane action dramas that are also about good storytelling. In THE FOLLOWING, premiering this Monday at 9 p.m. ET, not only does it follow in this proud traditional, but it uses a well-known group of actors and a seasoned creator, Kevin Williamson (Scream, Dawson’s Creek, The Vampire Diaries), to deliver one of the best network series in the genre to date.

As the story opens, after a suitably intense first scene, we meet agent Ryan Hardy (Kevin Bacon, Mystic River, Apollo 13), an alcoholic, washed-up fed who once captured a notorious serial killer named Joe Carroll (James Purefoy, Rome, Resident Evil). Joe is on the loose, and with some new agents by his side (X-Men’s Shawn Ashmore, not to be confused with twin Aaron, and Law & Order’s Annie Parisse), Ryan has to track down Joe all over again.

While the hunt is on, THE FOLLOWING takes time to show us some of the previous events in a series of flashbacks. We are introduced to Sarah (Maggie Grace, Lost, Taken), the victim Ryan saved from Joe’s killing spree, and Claire Matthews (Natalie Zea, Justified, The Other Guys), Joe’s wife, whom Ryan previously had a sexual relationship with, during the first go-round with Joe. Ryan checks in on them both in the present day, concerned, and hoping that they can lead him to Joe.

Other than that, it’s hard to tell you much. FOX would like me not to spoil the various plot twists that make up the hour, and after thoroughly enjoying the story, I agree that everyone should watch the episode for themselves. It’s a thrilling ride, with plenty of the unexpected happening, and it would be pretty rude to give you a heads up about those things.

This also makes it hard to talk about the series going forward, or what it will be. The story is significantly different at the end from what it appears to be at the beginning. so I can’t write about the premise very much without spoiling. So I won’t.

What THE FOLLOWING does well is set up an intense situation. As publicly released materials on the show’s official website have already revealed, the show will deal a lot with what would happen if serial killers in many different areas formed a network, rallying around a central figure. It takes an element of society that it already dangerous, and heightens the threat, with a support network helping the bad guys complete their evil missions. This is exactly what is happening.

There is also the Battlestar Galactica element of the enemy hiding among us. On that sci-fi show, the villains are Cylons, robots that look like humans, live as humans, and may not even know they aren’t humans. In THE FOLLOWING, serial killers masquerade as normal people, and like in BG, they could be anybody. This makes for a high-stakes guessing game sure to engage viewers.

Of course, we have the flawed hero in Ryan, a familiar enough trope at this point. Bacon brings something fresh to the table, though, as the latest in a string of well-respected, highly talented film stars that are transitioning to the small screen for the great roles offered. Bacon takes Ryan, and immediately sets up someone fans will get behind and root for, even as we wish we could help him through the internal and external traumas he is dealing with, forgiving him his slipups because of what he has endured.

There is a simmering tension in the air, as THE FOLLOWING makes us wonder what a person is capable of. We get both sides of the spectrum, hero and villain, both intelligent and capable, and both ripe for exploring humanity through the prism of. Obviously, Joe’s actions are heinous, but the show seeks to get into his head a bit. At the same time, Ryan has clearly taken almost all he can possibly take, but, somehow, he has to find a way to overcome his failings and be the man the public need him to be to protect them.

Ryan is starting a step behind, Joe, of course, not knowing the game is already afoot. But the chemistry between these leads is great, and surely the upper hand will go back and forth between them repeatedly over the run of the program.

What makes THE FOLLOWING even better than the typical series are the literary and artistic references. Edgar Allen Poe plays a huge role in influence, with a thumping heart beat even accompanying one scene in a brilliant way. Joe thinks that there is a beauty in the murders he commits, and while THE FOLLOWING will not glamorize or agree with Joe, we see the elements in his act that he attributes to the more noble pursuits.

In short, THE FOLLOWING works on many levels, and is extremely well put together in every category. It takes what FOX did with Prison Break and 24, testosterone-fueled dramas, and pumps it up with some braininess that elevates the game. This is a fascinating story with plenty of mystery and suspense. It should become a much-watch for many very quickly.

Want to read some of my fiction? It's on my website, JeromeWetzel.com! Also, for the latest updates and article links, as well as commentary on episodes I don't fully review, please follow me on Twitter!

Injustice comes to DVD

As the five-part series Injustice begins, Barrister William Travers (James Purefoy, Episodes, Rome) lives in a small village. He used to be a successful lawyer who won murder trials for his clients, whom he always believed innocent. But after one particular case, William suffered a nervous breakdown and had to step away from the more intense proceedings.

Now, a friend of his is accused of murder. William steps back up into it for the case, returning to the cutthroat world he left behind, with the caveat that he will quit if he stops believing his client's innocence. His wife, Jane (Dervla Kirwan, Ballykissangel, Blackout), is anything but pleased, having left a very successful career in London to accommodate her spouse. She is also worried about what the pressure might do to him. William ignores this, and jumps in anyway.

As with any excellent drama, there is a lot more going on than meets the eye. Viewers will learn details about William's break through flashbacks, and the type of man he really is now, beneath the put-together exterior. Present events will collide with the past in a complex, interwoven story. I don't want to give anything away, but trust me, this is well worth watching,

Interestingly, a second investigator, DI Mark Wenborn (Charlie Creed-Miles, The Fifth Element), is present as a study of contrast to Travers, adding another layer to the tale. Wenborn is everything that William is not, cruel instead of kind, with virtually no moral compass to guide him on his mission. It's a wonderful study on the differing personalities of men, and how they can both survive within the same system.

The big, shocking query Injustice delivers is, can it make viewers root for the bad guy against the good guy? With the villain out to expose something that hero did, who is right? This delves into a level of ambiguity and greyness that inhabits only the best dramas, and makes all five parts incredibly compelling. And as someone who has watched the series, there is never a clear choice between which character should come out on top, which is not easy to do.

Injustice is as modern as it is timeless. The story and the characters, trying to be beacons of hope in a cruel world, holding up ideals and defending them, but limited by personal failings, could happen anywhere, anytime. Yet, the series also embraces technology and the ever-present closed circuit cameras that spy on citizens like a Big Brother. The plot is as much a comment of society and the legal system as it is on the specific circumstances portrayed. There are broad strokes, as well as the personal.

Is Injustice a police drama, or a suspense tale? Both are accurate representations. It melds the two seamlessly into a heck of a thrill ride. Both of these can deliver a good mystery, and thus a great mystery doesn't have to choose between them.

Something neat about this show is that it changes course so spectacularly in mid-stream. Twists are present in many stories, of course, but rarely does one show, especially one with such a limited number of episodes, make such a dramatic change in the middle. It's a very cool trick that, while it wouldn't work if it became overused, should set it apart in this instance.

What makes Injustice so terrific is the masterful way in which this ambitious script is executed. Not only is the writing solid, but the acting and direction is also fantastic. The world of the series is well illustrated, with a very authentic feel, especially as it delves into the murkiness. It's true that more and more productions have managed to pull this off lately, but that doesn't take away from Injustice's accomplishment, a worthy entry among its peers.

The only special feature included is a photo gallery. This is disappointing, but should not be enough to keep TV lovers away from the DVD.

Injustice is available now from Acorn Media.

If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter! Check out my new website, JeromeWetzel.com! Article first published as DVD Review: Injustice on Blogcritics.