Going UNDERGROUND

Article first published as UNDERGROUND Review on Seat42F.

WGN America’s newest series is UNDERGROUND. Set in the pre-Civil War Days, it follows a swath of representative Americans, both black and white, slaves and free, at a pivotal, conflict-ridden time for our country, just before full-scale war erupts. It’s a period we’ve seen before, most notably in Roots, but never in a successful, ongoing weekly series, which should allow the writers and performers to get much deeper into the personalities and complexities of the era than has been done before.

UNDERGROUND stars Aldis Hodge (Straight Outta Compton, Leverage) as Noah, a smart man who is tired of being forced to serve a master, but who knows it wouldn’t be productive to openly rebel. Instead, he plays the game, pretending to be obedient, even while making secret plans to flee the plantation and head north, using the Underground Railroad referred to in the show’s title.

Noah is not going to go alone, which might be a good or bad idea, depending on how it plays out. Among his possible traveling companions are: Rosalee (Jurnee Smollett-Bell, True Blood, Friday Night Lights), a timid house slave and protective older sister; Moses (Mykelti Williamson, Justified, 24), who allows the others to believe he can read, even though it’s his wife, Pearly Mae (Adina Porter, True Blood, The Newsroom) who has been educated; and Cato (Alano Miller, Jane the Virgin), the collaborator who wants to go so he isn’t punished in their place after the others are gone, if he doesn’t turn them in first.

To represent the dominant race of the time, UNDERGROUND has August Pullman (Christopher Meloni, Law & Order: SVU, Wet Hot American Summer), John Hawkes (Marc Blucas, Buffy the Vampire Slayer), and Elizabeth Hawkes (Jessica De Gouw, Dracula). John is a lawyer and an abolitionist, who is offered the job of campaign manager by his brother (Dollhouse’s Reed Diamond), a Northerner who has moved South and now owns the people John is fighting to free. John’s wife, Elizabeth, seems mentally unstable, though, putting additional pressure on John. And August is… well, I’m not sure if he’s a help to runaways or a slave catcher yet, but I’m sure we’ll soon figure that out.

As you can see, there are a number of different parties represented, and that gives UNDERGROUND a full feel, in a good way. The focus is on the African-Americans, as it should be. However, no one portrayed are just stereotypes, with complex realities warring with individual morality and circumstance. Each individual, including a number of those not listed above, stand out and are quickly memorable.

The production is equally well done. Filmed in the American south, one can feel the sweat dripping when characters are out in the fields, and the landscapes are beautiful. There’s a gritty realness to it, and the costumes and sets are clearly well thought-out.

The music in UNDERGROUND is probably the oddest part of the show. At times, it is appropriate for the year, including in singing some of the more spiritual songs. But at other times, modern numbers are mixed in that really kind of pull one out of the moment. The lyrics of these fit the story, so it’s not like they’re just pop songs to punch things up, but at the same time, they clash in such a way that doesn’t quite feel right to me.

The music is the only complaint I have, though. Overall, I found UNDERGROUND to be a compelling narrative with plenty of quality in the cast, the story, and the style. The drawback is minor enough to overlook, and it’s debatable whether it really is a negative, even if I don’t understand why it’s present, at least not yet. I do recommend this one, and will probably watch more of it soon.

UNDERGROUND airs Wednesdays at 10/9c on WGN America.

Out of Touch

Article first published as Out of Touch on TheTVKing.

FOX's Touch completed its two-season run with the series finale "Leviathan" last week. Aster Corps kidnaps Jake (David Mazouz) and Amelia (Saxon Sharbino), hoping to use them to finish the sequence before a financial report ruins the company. Unfortunately, with time being limited, Farington (Frances Fisher) orders a dangerous method to extract those digits from their brains that could kill them.

Jack Bauer Martin (Kiefer Sutherland) goes a bit crazy in trying to track down the children, torturing Tanner (D.B. Sweeney) for a lead. We know Martin's overriding motivation has always been protecting Jake, but we've never seen him like this before. He's violent and irrational, getting the job done, but at cost to both his soul and his ability to stay within the limits of the law.

Thankfully, not only do Martin's efforts pay off, but he's made a friend in the police force, Detective Lang (Mykelti Williamson), who is able to protect Martin from the ramifications. It's not exactly realistic, but it is satisfying that Martin gets off without trouble, while making the villains pay. This is the episode where Touch ventures into 24 territory.

Which seems to be exactly what FOX wants. Shortly after cancelling Touch, it was announced that 24 will be returning next spring for a twelve-hour season, solving the difficulty of making a feature film. Kiefer fills the role of Jack very well, and it's funny that Touch works best when he is allowed to revert to that part. I look forward to Jack Bauer's return, even if that means the end of Touch, which was a decently enjoyable series.

Touch season two is quite a bit different from the first year, containing a large, compelling arc in the battle between our heroes and the evil corporation, which fits more into the action genre, something Touch did not start out in. Over the course of thirteen episodes, the back and forth between the two sides keeps escalating, until is ends in a climatic showdown. As that run-in concludes this week, "Leviathan" serves as a pretty neat series-ender.

That's not to say that there aren't more stories that could be told, of course. While season one shows us the numeric patterns in the world, and season two seeks to protect abuse of those patterns, there are still a number of directions this story could go in. Sadly, it will not get the chance.

We also get the conclusion of a couple of other hanging tales in "Leviathan." First, Calvin (Lukas Haas) has to pick a side, staying loyal to Aster Corps or saving the kids' lives. He chooses correctly, but only after influence by others. It makes him a weak character who hasn't earned a reprieve from his wrong-doings, and thus does not get one. I like that his decision is not simple, and that his earlier actions have consequences, even if that makes his redemption incomplete.

We also find out what has happened to Avram (Bodhi Elfman). His story isn't nearly so exciting, having been abducted by his own people, who hope to set him back on the right path. But because Avram's boss is Ron Rifkin from Alias, it not only makes a cool couple of scenes, but there's also a level of possible evilness lurking just below the surface of the organization. This could have made a wonderful season three plot.

In the end, I'm glad Touch was able to bring their story to a close, with no huge, hanging threads, even if it didn't feel like it got enough time to explore the possibilities. It's a series I probably won't think about enough to really miss, but enjoyed it while it was around.

Season finale is 'Justified'

FX's Justified brings its third season to a close with "Slaughterhouse." With a state trooper dead, Raylan (Timothy Olyphant) seeks justice. The trail leads him to have showdowns with all of this season's villains: Boyd (Walton Goggins), Limehouse (Mykelti Williams), and Quarles (Neal McDonough). But in the end, the only one Raylan is able to arrest is his own father, Arlo (Raymond J. Barry), who may have tried to kill him.

What a slap in the face! Off his medication or not, it is pretty clear that Arlo thinks that he shoots Raylan to protect Boyd. While Boyd and Arlo have been enjoying a closer relationship than Raylan is ever shown to have with his father, it's the ultimate betrayal for the lawman. He has never seen eye to eye with his criminal parent; Raylan even shoots Arlo in season one, but only in the leg. For Arlo to fire a kill shot at who he thinks is Raylan, and then to exhibit no guilt or remorse for it, is a twist, indeed.

Not only that, but back in his right mind, Arlo takes the fall in "Slaughterhouse" for killing Devil (Kevin Rankin), too. Arlo is already going to jail, and as old and senile as he is, tacking a second murder charge on won't hurt him much further. Besides being a favor to his adopted son, and an apology for threatening Ava (Joelle Carter), though, it's a second insult to Raylan, as Arlo knows full well that Raylan is convinced Boyd killed Devil, and will be upset that Boyd can't be charged for it. This confession is almost a taunt, in that respect.

All of the performers in this piece are fantastic. There has always been good chemistry between Boyd and Raylan, and Raylan and Arlo. But the work being done in "Slaughterhouse" is above and beyond the call. These three male actors really define why Justified is such an amazing show. And when the plot boils down to personal drama between them, it's where these stars shine the brightest.

How much will Arlo's betrayal screw up Raylan? He is already suffering from Winona (Natalie Zea) leaving him with their unborn child. Now he knows that the only other person who should love him, no matter what differences they have, doesn't care one lick. This sets Raylan up to be in a very dark place come season four.

Also going dark is Ava. One can see how she falls in with Boyd, and begins to support his criminal activities. After all, it's what she's been around, and what she knows. Plus, it's not like Raylan is trying to save her anymore, so why not put her loyalties in the man that stands by her? But watching Ava slap a prostitute, establishing her authority as the one in charge, is something new indeed. It's in stark contrast to the Ava introduced at the beginning of Justified, and giving the dynamic growth we've seen in her already, it will be exciting to see where the characters goes next.

The only bad guy that gets what they deserve in "Slaughterhouse" is Quarles, when Limehouse chops off his arm and Quarles bleeds out. The cool thing about Justified is that recurring characters come back over and over again. Quarles has a full arc this season, and doesn't have any other place to really go on the series, anyway. By contrast, Boyd has no shortage of avenues he can take next, and Limehouse, introduced this year, will also likely remain a big player in future stories. Plus, viewers now know that Johnny (David Meunier) is betraying Boyd to Limehouse, so there's another war building. Justified finds just the right balance between stopping the criminals, and leaving some out to cause further mischief.

Awesome finale! Justified airs on FX.

If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter! To catch up on episodes or buy DVDS of Justified, please go to amazon.com.

A 'Guy Walks Into a Bar' on Justified

FX's Justified starts building towards a climatic finale this week with "A Guy Walks Into a Bar." Boyd (Walton Goggins) outsmarts Quarles (Neal McDonough), using a legal loophole to get his pick for sheriff into office. Quarles does not take it well, getting high and threatening Raylan (Timothy Olyphant). Raylan is ready for a showdown with Quarles, but the bartender, Lindsey (Jenn Lyon), diffuses the situation, earning her a place in Raylan's bed. Coming out of the confrontation, Quarles gets reckless with his life, and Raylan gets reckless in court, telling Judge Reardon (Stephen Root) to go ahead and free Dickie Bennett (Jeremy Davies). The judge reluctantly complies.

Last year, Margo Martindale won an Emmy for her fantastic recurring role as the villain in season two of Justified. Up 'til now, McDonough has been interesting, but has not risen to her level. "A Guy Walks Into a Bar" changes all that, allowing McDonough to relish the dark depths and borderline insanity of his character. Whether telling the tale of how he killed his drug-addicted father, who sold a child Quarles into sexual slavery, or facing down two men wielding guns with no seeming care for his own life, this is a new, desperate Quarles. McDonough expertly lets the inner feelings bubble to the surface in a tour de force performance, certainly putting him on the short list come awards season.

Raylan is also heading towards self-destruction. After Winona (Natalie Zea) leaves him, he appears to be itching for a fight, an urge that is growing within him every week. He won't be able to ignore it much longer. It may be a natural reaction for Raylan to deal with his sadness, but it's not a healthy one. Moving in above a bar and setting himself up in Quarles's path are not good signs of mental stability. Raylan can usually handle himself in any situation, and he shows the 'cool' factor that makes his character so great in his stand off with Quarles this week. But he also lets Dickie out, seemingly just so he can stage some kind of altercation again, and possibly kill Dickie this time.

Catching Dickie just might be something Raylan is not prepared for. Dickie has also crossed the ruthless, creepy Limestone (Mykelti Williamson). The best case scenario for the marshal may be that Limestone murders Dickie quickly and quietly. Should Raylan insert himself in the middle of their situation, and find Limestone backed by his gang, it's hard to imagine how the lone lawman could come out ahead. Raylan does better with one-on-one, or even two-on-one, battles.

The wild card here is Boyd. Boyd is the one that bested Quarles, even though Quarles's rage now seems pointed mainly at Raylan. Boyd also has dealings with Limestone, and would like to see Dickie dead. Not to mention Boyd's past with Raylan. Fully back in the criminal world, Boyd is the one with connections to everyone, but it's uncertain whether he is more valuable alive or dead to any given party. Or how his self-preservation instinct will balance with his business sense.

Also, if it's apparent that Quarles is about to go down, look for Wynn Duffy (Jere Burns) to switch sides or flee, which could lead to another unexpected game-changer.

Justified was just recently picked up for a fourth year. It continues its excellent third season run Tuesdays at 10 p.m. ET on FX.

If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter! To catch up on episodes or buy DVDS of Justified, please go to amazon.com

The devil is Justified

In tonight's episode of FX's Justified, "The Devil You Know," Raylan (Timothy Olyphant) hunts for Dickie (Jeremy Davies) and Dewey (Damon Herriman), who break out of jail with the help of a guard, Ash (Todd Stashwick, The Riches, Men of a Certain Age). Figuring that the trio (which is actually a sextet at first) is heading for Dickie's family money, Raylan goes after the holder of said money, Ellstin Limehouse (Mykelti Williamson, 24, Forrest Gump). Which results in misguided machinations, leaving Ash nearly dead and Dewey killed. Dickie, with some help, takes out two more of the group, and escapes.

Robert Quarles (Neal McDonough, Despeate Housewives, Tin Man) goads Devil (Kevin Rankin) into standing up to Boyd (Walton Goggins). Devil gets Johnny (David Meunier) behind him, but that doesn't stop Boyd from killing Devil first as soon as Devil makes a threat.

While Justified has been back on the air for three weeks now, it's a hard series to review, and getting harder all the time. That's because episodes, including "The Devil You Know," aren't about a certain event or complete story anymore. As the series goes on, plots get more and more serial, with each week just adding a piece to the larger framework, rather than standing alone. This is certainly not a complaint, as only the best shows are able to successfully do this. But it makes it quite difficult to review an hour at a time.
 
Justified reaches some awesome new levels in season two with the Mags story, and it's gratifying that there are continuations of that still occurring in season three. Yes, Mags is dead, but her money sets the sights of many a bad dude on her son Dickie. Dickie is now out of prison, but Limehouse tells him that there is little money left. Too bad that's not something that the people after the cash are likely to believe, especially with how untrustworthy Mags turns out be towards her neighbors. Dickie is still, and will continue to be, a wanted man.

The best thing that Dickie could do is let Limehouse keep the money. Now some may keep coming after Dickie, but it buys him time and leverage to not have the stash with him. Ash learns the hard way that it's not so easy to get Dickie's family's fortune. Others could repeat the mistake. Boyd, for one, is likely to try. But maybe by not keeping any of it, and possibly still having business with Limehouse, Dickie will have a little flexibility and protection from his enemies. Of course, Dickie is still hunted by the law as a fugitive, so there's that...

Speaking of season two faces, in "The Devil You Know" Raylan pays a visit to Loretta (Kaitlyn Dever) to ask for information. Fans get to see what has become of the girl. She may not be happy, but she's leading an honest life, helping with a family. This should teach her the right things and keep her on the straight path. That's really the most important bit of this small scene, as Loretta isn't getting involved in this season's issues, so she's not important anymore. That's good for the safety of her character, but bad for the viewers who enjoy her.

It's wonderful to see Dever again, even in this tiny, insignificant role. She has been wasting away on the sitcom Last Man Standing lately, and any reminder of what a terrific actress she can be is welcome on the TV screen.

What is Boyd going to do now? Presumably, he still wants Dickie's money, not realizing that it's gone. But knowing that others are going after it, Boyd is probably wise to lay low. Especially after a betrayal by a close lieutenant, which doesn't exactly put Boyd in the best position to go after any large score right now.

But the bodies are piling up around Dickie. So something is going to have to break in this plot soon.

What does Robert want with Boyd? By approaching Devil, is Robert looking to get into business with Boyd? Take over Boyd's territory? Is Robert testing the waters? Or trying to undermine Boyd? Does Robert want Boyd's cooperation, or want him out of the way? It's a real mystery. All that is known is that Robert represents an organized crime group, which wants to make at least part of Kentucky theirs. To what end? Well, we will have to wait for the rest of the season to play out. But he certainly a threat, even if an undefined one.

Which means that Raylan's job is quite a challenge lately. Raylan knows the score with Boyd. But he's just met Robert, and been thoroughly unsettled by him. And surely Raylan isn't comfortable with all of these familiar faces, such as Devil and Dewey, winding up dead. Sure, some casualties are to be expected on a series like Justified, but it seems that the herd of recurring characters is really being culled as of late. Which leaves room for something big and, likely, unpleasant. Even with the plot remaining murky, the anticipation level is building as viewers are left to wonder what Raylan's main challenge will be this season, and how he will cope with it.

Watch Justified Tuesdays at 10 p.m. ET on FX.

If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter!

To catch up on episodes or buy DVDS of Justified, please go to amazon.com

Article first published as TV Review: Justified - "The Devil You Know" on Blogcritics.

24: RIP CTU

     Wow.  I just completed a three episode mini-marathon of Fox's 24, ending with last night's, and I just have to say, wow.  An essential part of the show has always been the CTU (Counter Terrorist Unit) Los Angeles, until last season.  Prior to last year's episodes, CTU had been disbanded, its practice weres under review by Congress, and the FBI picked up the slack, although in a different way.  I was very happy to see the glossy new CTU New York building in Day Eight's premiere in January, staffed with a whole new crew of agents, and of course, Chloe O'Brian (Mary Lynn Rajskub).
     Then last night happened.  An EMP pulse effectively wiped out their entire operation.  Only halfway through Jack's (Kiefer Sutherland) eighth bad day, his support system is kaput.  Yes, he managed to save everyone last year without them, so the tension there is off, despite the startling preview for next week's hour, but that doesn't mean it isn't shocking and sad.  Chloe, Hastings (Mykelti Williamson), Arol (John Boyd), and Dana (Katee Sackhoff) are there!  What do they do now?  It would be nice if Rene (Annie Wersching) could step up and help them out, but I'm not counting on it.
     Well, surely Dana will continue her very annoying, and far too long drawn out plot of covering up her past life as Jenny.  This story, which, at the latest, should have ended two weeks ago when she disposed of the bodies, was made slightly more interesting by the appearance of another great actor on the case, Stephen Root (True Blood, Pushing Daisies, The West Wing).  However, as previously noted, Katee is a great actress, too, and that hasn't been enough to save the plot, so it is doubtful Root, despite his considerable talents, can help.
     24 does do some things right, though.  Besides the dramatic taking out of CTU, the subplot between Kayla (Nazneen Contractor) and Tarin (T.J. Ramini) was done well.  There was real emotion between the two, and I was kept guessing what Tarin would do throughout.  First he was thought to be guilty, then innocent, then guilty, then guilty but having a change of heart, and now, he's fully on the wrong side of things.  How the two of them may further affect the plot is a point of interest, although it seems unlikely that a happy-ever-after is in their future.
     24 still has twelve hours left, and will continue Monday nights at 9pm on Fox.

Another 24 hours for Jack Bauer

     Last night Fox aired the first two hours of their annual 24 season premiere event, and as usual, it did not disappoint.  Opening with Grandpa Jack (Kiefer Sutherland), happy and satisfied with his family, fully recovered from the biological weapon that almost killed him last season, it took a bit longer than usual for Jack Bauer to get fully involved in the action.  In fact, Jack didn't agree to commit to stopping the latest terrorist plot until nearly the end of the two hours, even denying his best friend, Chloe, (Mary Lynn Rajskub) the favor he so seriously owed her.

     Speaking of Chloe, it is awesome to see the technical guru playing fish out of water, presumably having fallen out of practice and the latest innovations because she was spending time with her own family, and was forced back to work by her husband getting laid off.  Chloe, who started as an annoying, anti-social tech whiz at Counter Terrorist Unit (CTU) back in season three, and has become the series's second most important character, after Jack.  Last year, she only appeared in about half the episodes, and she was certainly missed.  It's nice to see her back in action, with a new and fresh plot.

     The sparkling new CTU New York Chloe is working at is welcome, after CTU had been disbanded and put on trial sometime before last season.  While the FBI bureau filled in for it, it wasn't the same.  Already we are putting together all the pieces of our typical CTU formula: a hot shot new agent following in Jack's footsteps (Freddie Prinze Jr., Scooby Doo), someone with a secret that should have never been missed when they joined the group (Katee Sackhoff, Battlestar Galactica), an inept boss who won't listen when Jack tells him what is really going on (Mykelti Williamson, Forrest Gump).  The only thing missing is the inevitable mole within the unit that works for the terrorist, but surely that will show up soon as well.  Believe it or not, that formula somehow manages to never get stale, and when it was changed a bit last season, it was felt.  The best part of the FBI last year, Agent Renne Walker, (Annie Wersching, General Hospital) should be showing up in tonight's installment.

     Also nice to see back President Allison Taylor, (Cherry Jones) the woman who choose to continue to serve her country rather than let her daughter get away with murder.  This year she is working on an historic middle east peace accord with President Omar Hassan (Anil Kapoor, Slumdog Millionaire), who is the target of the assassination plot Jack is trying to stop.  Fans of 24 know that the murder is only the beginning or what will be a rapidly falling domino array that Jack must stop before he can get back to his family.  Despite the fact that Jack kept saying "I'll be done soon" last night, we know he will be in done in exactly 24 hours, not a minute more or less.

     Hours three and four of 24 will air tonight on Fox, before settling into one-hour-per-week episodes next Monday.