THE ASSETS Not an Asset to ABC

Article first published as THE ASSETS Review on Seat42F.

There is a fantastic new series about spies set during the Cold War era on television. The Americans and Soviets clash, tensions run high, espionage is especially dangerous, plots are layered and intricate, loyalties are divided, and the characters engaging in this battle are well acted and well written. It’s a heck of a good show, and one you should definitely be watching.

It’s called The Americans, and the second season will soon be coming to FX.

THE ASSETS, on the other hand, ABC’s eight-part miniseries premiering this week based on real events and set during the same time period, isn’t very good. It’s melodramatic, over the top, and unnecessarily campy. When you think the story is moving in an interesting direction, it ruins the good will it has built up quickly. In short, it’s extremely disappointing, and it’s puzzling why ABC would even attempt this weak series when there’s currently an example of what it should be on another channel.

THE ASSETS stars Jodie Whittaker as Sandy Grimes. Sandy is a CIA operative who wears the pants in her household, and then second guesses whether that bothers her husband, Gary (Julian Ovenden, Foyle’s War), or not. In fact, she asks him straight out in the pilot, “My Name is Aldrich Ames,” if her personality makes him feel bad, and of course he replies that he loves her for who she is. Is this meant to call attention to the fact that she isn’t a ‘typical’ woman in the 1980s? It not only seems like an outdated stereotype, even for that time, but also paints her character as weak and unlikeable.

I know Whittaker can perform well; she did a terrific turn in the British series Broadchurch last year. Yet, here she yells in scenes where she shouldn’t and, in general, overacts. I wonder if it’s the direction or the writing that leads her to make these decisions. Her American accent is passable, but the way she plays the role takes away any points Sandy might score with viewers.

This is very unfortunate because Sandy is our plucky hero, the one in THE ASSETS who fights for what is right, even when her superiors don’t agree with her. While we should be admiring her intelligence and how she can keep her home and work life separate, instead she comes across as a stereotype played badly. THE ASSETS should rest on the strength of a multi-layered, compelling Sandy, but that strength is sorely lacking.

The villain is just a little bit better. Aldrich Ames (Paul Rhys, Borgia) may be Sandy’s co-worker, but the very beginning of “My name is Aldich Ames” lets the audience know right away that Amex is actually a mole, subverting the Americans from the inside as he helps out the Soviets and the Russians. Revealing this could be a really cool approach, except it takes away a lot of the depth and mystery in the way that it unfolds.

Now, no character suspects Ames of being dirty, and it’s easy to see why. He’s a geek in glasses, not one who would risk life and limb to take the big risks. Yet, because we know his secret, one wishes Ames would pull back a bit on telegraphing things. His tale, in real life, is an intriguing one because he did fool all his co-workers. What we are seeing wouldn’t fool anyone. Except maybe this watery version of Sandy.

The spy games are equally trite and nonsensical. In one scene, an operative loses his tail by turning back in the middle of crossing a street. So not only does the fellow following him appear unobservant, not keeping an eye on the guy, but he also is unable to follow from across a few lanes of traffic for a few blocks as the other man doubles back, and then cross later? I thought these were professionals?

THE ASSETS just plain doesn’t live up to its potential. As a concept, it should work quite well. In execution, it fails miserably. Perhaps I am influenced in my opinion because I have The Americans so readily available to compare it against, a much superior effort. But so does every other TV viewer, and the network should have known that before putting this on the air. I wouldn’t say THE ASSETS is the perfect example of how broadcast has become a paler imitation of great cable dramas because I don’t think that statement is completely true, but in this case, ABC is doing itself no favors.

THE ASSETS airs Thursdays at 10 p.m. ET on ABC.

BROADCHURCH Not Warm, But Welcome

Article first published as BROADCHURCH Not Warm, But Welcome on TheTVKing.

BBC America viewers are halfway through the first series of the British show Broadchurch as of this past week. The hour-long drama is similar to The Killing, revolving around a single murder of a young boy over the course of the eight episode run, and depicting his family as well as the police looking into the death. At this point, the list of suspects is long, but the number of important clues are sparse.

Broadchurch is an excellent entry to the crime genre. It boasts strong storytelling, with natural twists, and numerous threads intertwined. The acting, done by a roster that includes several familiar faces, is fantastic, and the series lets us dwell on characters as appropriate. However, it also avoids the slow pacing that turned some (not including myself) off of The Killing, and will almost certainly solve the case at the end of hour eight.

The lead detective is DI Alec Hardy (David Tennant, Doctor Who), a man with a past. It is clear that whatever demons dwell within him, owing to an old case he screwed up, are catching up now, as he falls and hits his head, which is presumably connected to pills he is taking, mixed with alcohol. The question we're faced with is, will he self-destruct before he can finish the job? Tennant very rarely lets Who slip into the role, showing fans something new with this part.

Alec is assisted by DS Ellie Miller (Olivia Colman, Twenty Twelve), who is inexperienced in such grisly murders, but is intelligent and capable. This week, Ellie invites Alec over for dinner, which he awkwardly agrees to. This not only allows them to bond a bit, but we see a lighter side of Alec as he drinks with Ellie's husband, Joe (Matthew Gravelle, The Bible). Alec and Ellie are a bit of an odd couple, but are likely to succeed together, both being beneficial to the other.

Of course, Ellie is distracted by her very personal connection to the small town scandal, her son, Tom (Adam Wilson, Mr Selfridge), being the dead boy's best friend, leaving her in an awkward position when talking to the victim's mother, Beth (Jodie Whittaker, Wired). It's an interesting dynamic, when the police, by virtue of the size of the village, have feelings about those involved, and it's part of what makes Broadchurch so good.

Another thing the show does well is deal with the aspects of this type of murder. For instance, this week Beth finally agrees to talk to Karen White (Vicky McClure, Line of Duty), a big-paper journalist who is working with the local press. Karen isn't pushy, and seems sincere when pleading with Beth to do the interview, pointing out that press attention could help motivate witnesses to come forward and the truth to come out, and she's not getting that support now. But are Karen's motivations merely selfish? The pack of pushy reporters who follow behind her aren't so kind to the family, and Karen doesn't do a good job of preparing Beth for that backlash. It's a tricky business.

There is also a fake psychic who convinces Beth he wants to help, but whom Ellie reveals as a charlatan. It's a shame such jerks prey on those who are grieving, but this is a fact of life, not often seen in standard cop procedurals, so it's interesting to be brought in here. Plus, the psychic character is fairly convincing, even for those skeptical, so it's easy to see how a desperate Beth would fall for his charade.

I also love the way Alec goes to church just to spy on the locals, hoping to figure out who is responsible. It's a smart, though cynical, viewpoint, aided by the other characters' treatment of religion in general, attitudes that are just now catching on on this side of the pond.

Among the prime suspects right now are: Mark (Andrew Buchan), the victim's father, who was having an affair with hotel manager, Becca (Simone McAullay, Blue Heelers); Jack (David Bradley, the Harry Potter films), the victim's newspaper delivery boss, who claims his recently uncovered past as a sex offender isn't what it appears to be; Susan (Pauline Quirker), the scary owner of the cabin that is likely the crime scene, and who goes by a different name than she used to; and Rev. Coates (Arthur Darvill, Doctor Who), who doesn't have an alibi, and just feels slightly creepy.

It likely isn't any of these people, since we're still only halfway through. Anyone who has read or watched a few murder mysteries know that the killer isn't unmasked until late in the game, with plenty of red herrings along the way. My wife has theorized that Joe Miller could be the culprit, appearing the least likely at this time, but that seems too much of a stretch to me. However, I don't mind waiting to find out when the journey getting there is this good.

Something some people misunderstand about a good series such as this is that who is guilty is not the point. If it were, we'd learn who they are early on, and the rest of the tale would be about proving it. Instead, the draw is the process of putting together the clues, as that is what most of the plot concerns. In this, Broadchurch is doing a spectacular job with a complex, well-thought-out arc. This is definitely one of my favorite shows of the summer.

Broadchurch airs Wednesdays at 10 p.m. ET on BBC America.

Wired hits DVD in the US this Tuesday

     New on DVD from Acorn Media is the well received 2008 British TV miniseries, Wired. Three episodes make up this tale of financial deceit, double crossing, theft, and self preservation. Louise Evans (Jodie Whittaker, St. Trinian's, Venus) is approached by her friend, Anna (Charlie Brooks, EastEnders, Bleak House), to help some bad men steal a bunch of money from a rich client at the bank where Louise works. When Louise refuses, the villains threaten her daughter, Erica (Helena Fox). Louise goes along with it, only to be approached by Detective Crawford Hill (Toby Stephens, Die Another Day, Severance) to help the cops catch the crooks. Louise ends up playing both sides as she looks for the best way out of a terrible situation.

     Totaling around two hours and fifteen minutes, Wired feels like a heist movie rather than something made for television. The acting is top notch, the directing and art design makes the entire thing look realistic, and the plot is complicated and obtuse. Many characters aren't on a right or wrong side, but are doing what they can given the circumstances. Lest you worry about being bored when the robbery merely involves electronic transfers, rather than breaking into vaults, the pacing and various twists keep things flying along at quite a fast pace. From start to finish, it's hard to really be sure what anyone's motivations are, or what they might do next.

     Besides Louise, who is the star of the entire piece, Ben (Sacha Dhawan, Outsourced) is in a similar position, and provides a nice foil. Considering Dhawan was most recently seen in a zany NBC sitcom, it is refreshing to see him work his chops, and prove he can do gritty drama, as well.

     Manesh (Riz Ahmed, Dead Set, Four Lions) and Phillip (Laurence Fox, Inspector Lewis) are the bad guys Louise has direct contact with, but as they are only in the game for themselves, their loyalty, too, is called into question. Also appearing is Jason Watkins (Being Human) as Louise's boss. Delightful to see him in an environment that doesn't include the supernatural, though he does play a similar character. Instead of sucking blood, he sucks money from those who can afford it.

     Louise is a highly sympathetic main character. She obviously needs the money being involved in illegal activities will bring, but she can do without the threat, and so is willing to forgo the payout if it keeps her out of trouble. Though, if she can snag a bit in the process, she will. Her morality merely extends to protecting her daughter and herself, and she seems to have little qualm about defrauding the bank's clients.

     Really interesting is the dynamic between Louise and Crawford. Not a typical romance, they do have some sexual tension, and there are romantic moments for the duo, including a bedroom scene. However, while Crawford does let his emotional connection with Louise get in the way of the case, he doesn't aggressively pursue her. Louise is agreeable with the attention she is getting from him, but won't let herself be distracted much when the events are so serious. It is a really neat, unexpectedly original way to handle a love story.

     There are no special features.

     Wired will be released this Tuesday, June 21st on DVD. I highly recommend purchasing a copy.

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Article first published as DVD Preview: Wired on Blogcritics.