HUNTERS and the Hunted

Article first published as TV Review: HUNTERS on Seat42F.

Amazon recently released HUNTERS, a ten-episode drama about a group of Jewish people in the late 1970s hunting down Nazis hiding in America to take revenge for their wartime atrocities. From the mind of David Weil, this hyper-reality series picks a handful of things from history, and amps them up a la Inglourious Basterds, with plenty of shocking deaths in this cat-and-mouse spy game. It’s like The Americans, but way more fun (which is not a knock against that excellent series) because it’s a lot less concerned with accuracy.

The cast is very capably led by Logan Lerman (The Perks of Being a Wallflower) as Jonah Heidelbaum. Jonah lives with his grandmother, a survivor of the concentration camps, and his only remaining relative. But when she is mysteriously murdered in her home and Jonah doesn’t stop it, his mission to make up for his inaction leads him to a larger conspiracy. Jonah meets Meyer Offerman (Al Pacino, The Irishman, The Godfather) and his band of Nazi hunters. Despite Meyer’s best efforts, Jonah joins them in their quest, taking his grandmother’s place.

The supporting cast is wonderfully assembled. Jerrika Hinton (Grey’s Anatomy) is Millie Morris, an earnest federal agent investigating suspicious murders. Dylan Baker (The Good Wife) is so, so, so creepy as Biff Simpson, a former Nazi. Greg Austin (Mr Selfridge) is chilling in his cleanup. Lena Olin (Alias) is the cartoonishly evil German who wants to establish a Fourth Reich. Saul Rubinek (Warehouse 13), Carol Kane (Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt), Josh Radnor (How I Met Your Mother), Tiffany Boone (The Following), Louis Ozawa (Bosch), and Kate Mulvany (Fighting Season) make up the members of Meyer’s team.

From the first scene, HUNTERS is gripping. A friendly cookout among co-workers goes wrong, and the result is something that very nearly crosses a line. From there, things only ramp up, as in the pilot alone, there are something like ten murders (most in a single scene). Each tends to be done with flair and dramatics, keeping one’s attention, even as it’s hard to know exactly when the next one is coming up. The pacing is quick, and the story flows smoothly.

There is a line one wouldn’t want to cross, and HUNTERS comes right up to it. The line I refer to is showing brutality towards children, which the show manages without being graphic the way it is in its treatment of adults. That restraint is appreciated, even if it’s clearly just for viewer sensibilities; the world isn’t any less realistic in the outcomes towards the youths.

Still, there’s a lot of violence, and without stating that it’s glorification, it is stylized entertainment. Much as the way the rest of the show is. As I said in the opening, HUNTERS operates on a hyper-reality, and from Florida wallpaper choices, to sitting positions in an alley, to a secret lair, much care has been taken to build something that feels just not-grounded enough to fully enjoy, without worrying about what might have really happened. There’s an air of fairy tale to it that keeps you from being bummed out by all the death, even as the frequent references to the Holocaust lend a sad undertone. The overall satisfaction is joyous, with those who have been wronged balancing the scales in their own ways, extralegal or not.

I love what I’ve seen of HUNTERS. It’s got some absolutely terrific performance moments in a pleasing package. I wouldn’t call it light entertainment; it threads a careful balance between fun and depth. Yes, it is prestige programming, and uses its period concept delightfully. But it also says something, and the specific point of view behind it makes it well worth the watch.

You can stream the entire first season now on Amazon Prime.

DVD Review: ‘Grey’s Anatomy: Complete Ninth Season’

Article first published as DVD Review: ‘Grey’s Anatomy: Complete Ninth Season’ on Blogcritics.

The ninth season of Grey’s Anatomy‘s is a time of great transition. As it says on the cover of the Complete Ninth Season DVD, “Everything Changes.”
The entire season focuses on the effects of the plane crash in the season eight finale, as well as events that intercede to set the doctors’ lives on new paths, proving that a series can still maintain a freshness and extremely high quality almost a decade into its run.

The season premiere, “Going, Going, Gone,” picks up months after the plan crash. Meredith (Ellen Pompeo) is grieving the death of her sister, Lexie (Chyler Leigh), Derek (Patrick Demsey) has traded being a surgeon for teaching, Cristina (Sandra Oh) has not returned to the hospital because she can’t bring herself to board a plane, Arizona (Jessica Capshaw) is cold towards her wife, Callie (Sara Ramirez), because Callie has amputated Arizona’s leg, and Mark Sloan (Eric Dane) seems to be recovering, only to take a turn for the worse and dies.

This is the starting point for a roller coaster of a year. We see how the doctors try to cope with their losses and move forward while dealing with the guilt plaguing those who may be responsible or should have been flying that day, too.

The hospital pays out a huge settlement, which threatens its very existence, and the desperate plan to save the facility has great personal cost both to those keeping the mission a secret and those on the outside wishing they didn’t have to look in. And a marriage crumbles as an interloper (White Collar‘s Hilarie Burton) somewhat inadvertently takes advantage of the strain.

There is also turmoil that has nothing to do with those events. Webber (James Pickens Jr.) faces a crumbling marriage as his wife, Adele’s (Loretta Devine), mental health decays. Jackson (Jesse Williams) wants to confess his feelings for April (Sarah Drew), who is rehired at Seattle Grace Mercy West, but she is moving on with a paramedic named Matthew (Justin Bruening, All My Children).

But there are happy times, too. Bailey (Chandra Wilson) gets to marry Ben (Jason George). Meredith discovers the joys of motherhood. Cristina finds true wisdom in working with Dr. Thomas (William Daniels, Boy Meets World). New ownership looks good for the hospital. Owen (Kevin McKidd) finally stops fighting with his wife. Alex (Justin Chambers) falls for a kindred spirit. Life is a mixed bag, and there is always happiness sprinkled in the sadness.

Best of all, the halls are now ringing with a new class of interns (Camilla Luddington, Gaius Charles, Tina Majorino, Tessa Ferrer, and Jerrika Hinton). These five are built to last, unlike previous batches, with four of the quintet signed on as main characters for the upcoming tenth year. (In-demand Majorino has a previous series commitment that prevents her full-time return at this time). They remind us of the youth and foolhardiness that once belonged to Meredith, Cristina, Alex, and their friends. They are a reflector to show the growth of the central cast. They reinvigorate the story, and give the series promise of many more years. In short, they are a fresh injection of welcome blood.

The original characters are still our most beloved, but as Grey‘s approaches a milestone decade on the air, it cannot remain stagnant. The writers deftly balance plots of both new faces and the beloved veterans, keeping things going, even as they reinvent themselves, and tying both together in a pleasing patchwork. This is a stellar season, full of terrific installments which I cannot praise enough.

The bonus features are light, unfortunately, though how much more can be said this far along? “Happy Trails with Jim Pickens, Jr.” revels in the real-life passion of horses and charity that our Dr. Webber has. “The Long Road Home” is also about fifteen minutes, and covers how Arizona’s storyline this season was approached, and the special effects behind the now-one-legged doc. Plus, there are a LOT of deleted scenes, and a couple of minutes of outtakes. Plus, the finale is an extended episode. The only thing really lacking here is the absence of a single audio commentary.

Grey’s Anatomy Complete Ninth Season is one of the best ones yet, and is available to relive on DVD now.

Grey's Anatomy still running strong

Grade: 95%

ABC's Grey's Anatomy brings its fall run to a close with "Run, Baby, Run" this week. It's the day of Bailey's (Chandra Wilson) nuptials, and she is not ready for it. Does she love Ben (Jason George) enough to spend the rest of her live with him? Her first marriage ends badly, so she gets some doubts about whether entering into a second union is a good idea or not.

This episode is a great one for the character of Dr. Miranda Bailey. We get to see her strengths, and her vulnerabilities. The way she asks Meredith (Ellen Pompeo), Callie (Sara Ramirez), and Arizona (Jessica Capshaw) to be her bridesmaids is perfect and unique. When Webber (James Pickens Jr.) and Ben demonstrate just how well they know her, arranging a surgery to calm her nerves, it's heartwarming. Having Webber arrive to pick her up in the limo is touching. And then, watching Bailey skip the wedding to take care of an ailing Adele (Loretta Devine) is a great moment, not just for the series, but of television in general.

The way Bailey's character is so well-defined is a shining example of why Grey's Anatomy is still top notch nine seasons in. Believe it or not, many shows have less defined characters after so many episodes because the people are played out, then stretched to keep the plots going. In Grey's, that isn't the case. Situations may arise that are dire, and they can change the characters in some ways, but the core of who they are is solid, and by keeping their behavior true to that setup, the series lives on, as enjoyable as it ever has been.

But besides being consistent, Grey's Anatomy is still able to deliver surprises, just like in real life. Bailey chooses to attend to Adele, knowing Webber needs her, rather than go to her ceremony. "Run, Baby, Run" ends without knowing whether this means Bailey is calling off the marriage, letting her doubts take over, and seeing being a doctor as a truer purpose for her than being a wife, or whether she is just the compassionate woman and friend we know her to be, sticking by someone she cares about in his hour of need. We know Ben even less, and even though he has demonstrated that he likes Bailey for who she is, will he understand her actions in this particular situation? Thus, there is a hook that remains unpredictable, a triumph for a nine year old show.

I mention that the characters in Grey's are allowed to grow, while still keeping who they are at heart, and "Run, Baby, Run" showcases this for others besides Bailey, too. Several of the main cast begin the series as interns, still unsure of themselves, untested, and lacking leadership skills. But now, they are the attendings, with a new batch of newbies to rule over. Seeing Alex (Justin Chambers) try to teach (Camilla Luddington) a lesson) in his own, not quite effective way that he stands behind one hundred percent, at least in front of her, or Jackson (Jesse Williams) take nerves out of a leg without assistance in an important surgery proves this, and it's thrilling to use this scenes to measure how far the characters have come.

This is equally true when viewing the new interns, who can be sort of paralleled with the show's original five, but are beginning to deviate significantly from those personalities, only just barely starting to come into their own. The most obvious example of this in "Run, Baby, Run" is Stephanie (Jerrika Hinton), who is smitten with Jackson, and goes along as his date to Bailey's wedding, not really understanding what is going on. One can easily picture the same type of thing happening years ago, with the old attendings taking advantage of our beloved interns without a second thought, and the interns reading so much more into it.

The new generation this year is really, really strong. Other groups of interns have been introduced in the past, but haven't had staying power. These people, Jo, Stephanie, Shane (Gaius Charles), Heather (Tina Majorino), and, to a slightly lesser extent, Leah (Tessa Ferrer), seem to have what it takes to re-invent Grey's Anatomy all over again. With many of the experienced doctors leaving the series, this allows Grey's to continue with new blood, and letting the old blood of the previous interns become the surgical stars they are meant to be. Fantastic!

All of this does not mean that Grey's is done with their current cast members, by any means. Meredith is still growing, finding within her the ability to connect to Derek's sister, Lizzie (Neve Campbell, Party of Five, Scream), even after losing her own sibling. Meredith doesn't let people in easily, but as an adult in a marriage with a big family, she is learning. And Cristina (Sandra Oh) certainly ties the know with Owen (Kevin McKidd) well before she's ready, and she may finally be in a place where she can handle being part of a couple in a mature way, and thankfully Owen seems ready to give her that chance.

And does anyone else think that Jo and Alex are destined for a real romance? 

Basically, "Run, Baby, Run" highlights what Grey's Anatomy does right, reveals a path to keep it running for many more years, and faithfully serves the characters fans have come to love over many long years. Wonderful. 

Grey's Anatomy will return to ABC Thursdays at 9 p.m. ET in January.

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Article first published on TheTVKing