THE FIRST TV Series for Sean Penn

Article first published as TV Review: THE FIRST on Seat42F.

Warning: The following contains slight spoilers. THE FIRST is a new drama series coming soon to Hulu. From Beau Willimon (the creator of House of Cards), the show is set in the near future and chronicles mankind’s first attempts to get to Mars. With some very recognizable faces, including the lead, it’s a familiar human drama that also fires up the soul. The spirit of the human race is explored in some interesting ways, and the mission itself takes backseat to the characters, even as it drives the plot forward.

Sean Penn (Milk) stars as Tom Hagerty, a man who is watching the launch with much personal investment. Viewers may wonder why he’s so affected, as Tom isn’t working at the space agency nor among the crew, but you’ll soon find out. Tom is also a widower who would like nothing more than to rebuild his family. However, he can’t help but be drawn to events, even if they begin to interfere with what he says he wants. (I apologize if that sounds a bit obtuse; I’m trying not to give away anything, and it’s particularly hard to do with this series because of its elongated beginning.)

Penn is joined by an ensemble cast that includes Natascha McElhone (Designated Survivor) as the head of the space agency, LisaGay Hamilton (Men of a Certain Age) as an astronaut not assigned to the first crew, Anna Jacoby-Heron (Finding Carter) as a recovering drug addict, Oded Fehr (24: Legacy), Melissa George (Heartbeat), and Annie Parisse (The Looming Tower), among others. It’s a pretty sprawling group, but the story stays focused on just a few players, with others only coming in when they’re needed to serve those leads. This is an effective way to keep the story where it needs to be.

The pilot starts a little hokey, much of what happens in the first half being pretty predictable. Some different casting or direction, a bit less foreshadowing, could have made it very surprising. As it is, most regular television viewers will likely see what’s coming before it happens. THE FIRST boasts one of the most heavy-handed versions of this that I’ve seen in awhile.

However, once you get past that, the story deepens and becomes much more interesting very quickly. While it would be preferable to start strong, even if it’s not a path the show is choosing to pursue, the central threads aren’t much hurt by the missteps, coming through strongly in spite of it. And once the initial set up is over with, THE FIRST is a grounded, complex tale that isn’t just repetition of other stories.

The familiar part of the series is its spirit. For anyone who enjoys rooting for the underdog, or films where a hero overcomes obstacles because of deep-seated beliefs that make them better than the average person, THE FIRST has this in spades. It’s uplifting, inspirational, and feels very good to watch. Yet, Penn’s performance and some very good writing keeps it away from cheesy, instead delivering a powerful, no-frills story.

I’ve watched beyond the first episode, and I’m very pleased with what I’ve seen. I can imagine why Penn agreed to go to the small screen when given material this good. Hulu has been upping its game in the quality department, and this drama is no different, feeling akin to The Looming Tower and other recent triumphs. While not as socially conscious as The Handmaid’s Tale, it does have something to say that reflects part of our humanity, and that’s a great starting point for a show.

THE FIRST premieres September 14^th on Hulu.

Covert Affairs features a "Lady Stardust"

USA's Covert Affairs just keeps getting better and better. So much happens in the recent season finale, "Lady Stardust," that it will be difficult to cover it all in one, standard-length review. Instead, I am going to focus on a few key points, and feel free to add to the discussion by posting a comment below.

I love, love, love Eyal (Oded Fehr), and it has been such a pleasure to see him week after week this fall. Now that Annie (Piper Perabo) has repaid the debt of a saved life, disobeying her agency to rescue the friend that saved her when no one else could or would, it may be time for him to fade away again, until returning at some future date, as he is clearly a character that won't permanently go away until he's dead or the show ends. Then again, it may not be time for him to leave. Having quit his own government's agency, why not make Eyal a series regular, whether working for the CIA, or as a freelance consultant that Annie frequently goes to for help?

Annie has had a huge, dramatic arc this fall. She has faced every demon possible to throw at her, and been in far more than her share of tough spots. At times, she seemed completely alone, and one gets the impression that that has become her standard mode. With Danielle (Anne Dudek) gone, the transfers earlier in the season, and, later, Annie's tension with Joan (Kari Matchett), much effort was made to isolate the hero and see how she fared by herself.

The good news is, Annie came through with flying colors. Not only does she continue to save the day, complete her missions, and rescue her friends, she has a renewed confidence in her own judgment and abilities. She makes mistakes, but these are the exceptions, rather than the rule. She is well past the days where she simply follows orders. She gets to make decisions on her own, such as when she tells Eyal and Auggie (Christopher Gorham) that the CIA wants her to kill the terrorist Khalid (Haaz Sleiman, Nurse Jackie) in "Lady Stardust." They protest, so she runs off without them, but then has a better idea than killing, and so implements that. She's clever, calculating, and can play the long game better than anyone else, so she deserves her autonomy.

But now that we've seen her alone, why not see how she behaves as part of a couple, with a man who is always around? One thing Covert Affairs has avoided is giving Annie true romance. In season one, she had an absentee guy who played her, and it is flirted with earlier this season when she beds an asset, but ultimately, that ends in tragedy after a short time together, hardening her soul. Now, Auggie is laying his heart on the line, someone Annie already cares deeply about. Fans surely want her to give him a try, and with Auggie, it has to be more than a mere test. She must commit completely, or else it will fail. This could be a whole new frontier for Annie, one that requires bravery of a sort she hasn't yet had to exhibit.

While some have pondered what an Eyal / Annie pairing might be like, I think Auggie is better for her, and not just because their names start with the same vowel. Auggie is loyal and capable of assisting, and his strengths complement Annie's, whereas Eyal shares most of the same skills as Annie. What's more, even when Auggie disagrees with her, he trusts her decisions, and doesn't hold them against her later, while we've seen Eyal grow very frustrated with Annie's independent spirit. I mean, Auggie gets annoyed with her, too, but he handles it better. Auggie is the one she needs to be with.

Unfortunately, these happy connections may not extend from Annie to Joan and Peter (Arthur Campbell). She maintains allegiance to them seemingly more out of duty than affection, especially recently. It might be argued that Annie's superior instincts have picked up on Joan's problems, and this is why she doesn't trust her boss like she once did, but that seems too simple an explanation. People grow apart. That has definitely happened here.

Which could be why, when Henry (Gregory Itzin) shows Annie a file, she agrees to work with him. Did Henry reveal something bad about Joan or Peter, killing Annie's good will towards them? Or is she playing Henry, enticed by whatever he has offered, at least in the sense that she must get involved to stop him? Good cliffhanger, and a promise to bring back a fantastic, slimy bad guy more next year.

There is little doubt that Henry is a villain. He may be Jai's father, but the two share little in common. Even when Henry does something that might appear a little noble, like declassifying Jai's star or taking out a threat long believed by most to be dead, he has ulterior, less than laudable, motives behind it. Whatever he has offered Annie, there are obviously layers to it, and she would do well not to trust him, which she probably won't.

Speaking of Jai, call me crazy, but I am still not convinced that he is dead. I will continue to look for him to pop up until Covert Affairs bows out for good. The way things went down just seemed slightly off. I could be wrong, but I hope I'm not. I miss him.

"Lady Stardust" is an awesome season finale for a series that started good, but has become great! Covert Affairs will return next summer to USA.

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! Article first published on TheTVKing

Rockin' some more Covert Affairs

USA's Covert Affairs returns this week with "Rock 'n' Roll Suicide" after a mercifully brief hiatus. Merciful because of the heck of a cliffhanger, with Annie (Piper Perabo) trapped in Russia, having just murdered Lena (Sarah Clarke). As season two picks up, it takes very little time for Annie to be caught and tossed into an underground secret prison.

Annie's torture scenes are light, this being basic cable, sticking mainly to psychological discomfort. I think that USA does a pretty fair job of making the threat seem real, though, even while shying away from gratuitous violence. Perabo's handling of an Annie on the edge, slowly losing her sanity over a period of weeks, changing into a much more hardened person, is extremely well played, and nuanced. There is a point where one wonders if she will ever escape, even while knowing at the same she will.

And then Eyal (Oded Fehr), with some remote help from Auggie (Christopher Gorham), comes to the rescue! It's a smart move, illustrating the realities of the CIA not being able to actually get to Annie, but bringing back a beloved recurring character who has a reason to want to protect our protagonist. His jailbreak of her comes a little too easy, and the two taking a sweet moment in the street right outside the building doesn't seem all that smart, but overall, it works, making for very intelligent storytelling.

Annie is Annie, though, and she can never do things the easy way. She gives away her passport to help someone else, making Eyal's job of getting her home all that much harder. Many men might give up from frustration, and it's telling that Eyal doesn't, hinting at some stronger connection that could easily turn into a full blown romance in the near future. Instead, he sticks by her, and through a series of action packed scenes, they finally manage to escape.

Why does Annie throw away such a helpful item to save another? No one would have blamed her if she had just gotten on the train with Eyal, and maybe they would have been able to do so before the military swarmed the station. Yet, this is what makes Annie a Hero with a capital H, setting her above everyone else. No matter what the circumstances, she is the best.

It's interesting that Covert Affairs makes the actual twist that gets Eyal and Annie out of the country blackmail, rather than guns blazing. A lot of "Rock 'n' Roll Suicide" is running around, but in the end, it's brains, not brawn, that saves the day. This episode, more than any before it, proves just how smart and tough Annie is, taking her to the extremes in both arenas.

My only complaint with this part of the episode is, how come Annie's main captor (Goran Kostic, Grease Monkeys) shows up wherever she flees? He can only be so many places at once. Maybe he's just that good, but to guess correctly where Annie is going to go next over and over again? Come on! Why not have someone else catch her and hold her until he gets there. His omnipotence is completely unnecessary.

Back at Langley, the others are going crazy, not being able to reach Annie. While it is debatable whether a single operative would be worth so much hand wringing and planning sessions, there is no denying that Auggie, Joan (Kari Matchett), and even Arthur (Peter Gallagher) are taking her absence hard. They feel like they've lost a friend, and they all handle things differently. Arthur sticks to procedure, Auggie discretely, and without permission, goes through back channels to a foreign connection, and Joan pops pills.

It's a little sad to see Joan go down this path. Covert Affairs is a drama, and the characters are all going to go through challenges in their personal and professional lives. But she seems like such a strong female role model, and to see her reduced to something like this sucks. Of course, she'll kick the habit, showing her inner strength. Of anyone they could have given this plot to, however, it's too bad that it's Joan.

One thing that is said, and really sinks in, is that operatives cannot possibly understand what it means to be disavowed and on their own until it really happens. This is somewhat belied by Auggie's actions and Eyal's rescue attempt. But Arthur sticks to the rules and sits on his hands, not being able to come up with a "feasible" option, and if Annie's friends didn't have such fierce loyalty, they would have to let her go, too. Any normal operative, that's would have occurred. This is something way too close to happening in "Rock 'n' Roll Suicide," heightening the tension.

In summary, this mid-season premiere is a fantastic installment, with lots of danger, intrigue, and scary moments. It takes the characters to the brink of utter disaster, and almost makes one forget that, because it is a USA show, there's going to be a happy ending. Great acting, superb writing.

Covert Affairs airs Tuesdays at 10 p.m. ET on USA.

If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter! Check out my website, JeromeWetzel.com! First posted on TheTVKing

V Getting Past "Birth Pangs"

     While I have mostly enjoyed ABC's V, it has had wild swings in quality. At times, the episodes flow nicely and make a lot of sense. Other times, there are gaping plot holes a whole fleet of invading V ships could swarm through. This season has been a bit more even than the first, but the show has gotten to a point where it is exciting enough to overlook some of the flaws. Just some, mind you. If they start to swing too far back the other way, it won't take long to turn against the show once more.

     Erica Evans (Elizabeth Mitchell) is series heroine. The last couple of weeks, Erica has been taking a turn towards bada**, which is welcome. It's about time. For too long, Erica and her friends have been hiding in the dark, barely fighting back against the V invaders. They've done a few little missions, but nothing that meant all that much in the larger scheme, other than slaughtering the eggs at the end of last season. However, after the death of international Fifth Column leader Eli Cohn (Oded Fehr), Erica now finds herself in charge of a vast organization, and she decides to use it.

     At first, though I love seeing Erica in that position, I was resistant to the change. What a coincidence that the worldwide leader just happened to be in Erica's neighborhood! And after only a week or so of knowing each other, he hands the whole thing over to her, rather than the people he has been working with for years. Then I stepped back and tried to view it from his perspective. Erica is a very formidable woman, and has huge stakes in what is going on. Additionally, she has ins and connections that the other followers do not. As such, I began to accept that twist. Eli's top lieutenants doubting her until she could deliver to them progress and a plan also helped with the transition, though I'm not sure that what she accomplished this week would really have been enough to win over her skeptics, converting them into enthusiastic followers.

     That being said, Erica has already uncovered more about the V in the last few weeks than she has all season. She and Hobbes (Charles Mesure) have a rousing sequence in the apartment complex, and her video chat with her original cell is pretty inspiring. With Sid (Bret Harrison) on board, real progress is being made on understanding the V's DNA tampering. As Erica gathers more and more people working for her, I get more and more behind the belief that Erica can topple the technologically-superior aliens. And now that her son Tyler (Logan Huffman) is not around, she has a bit more focus.

     On the subject of Tyler, why the heck doesn't Erica tell him the truth? She should have done so a long time ago. I can't believe that she can't stop him from going to the Vs if she just explains what is going on. Tyler's true loyalty to the aliens is bonded mostly through one particular V, Lisa (Laura Vandervoort), who is on Erica's side! If Erica doesn't want to inform Tyler, can't Lisa? She cares about him, too, so she should stage some sort of break up to keep him safely away. Instead, both Lisa and Erica, who are supposed to care about the boy, let him be pulled into Anna's plans, in which, by the way, Tyler is expendable. Great job, you two!

     Erica has a chance to succeed because of the V uprising brewing against Anna (Morena Baccarin), the series' other leading lady, only on the opposite side of the fight. While thus far the show has shown a two woman battle of the wills between Anna and Erica, every week Anna's daughter, Lisa, is growing more formidable. Yes, Anna is beginning to suspect that Lisa's loyalty isn't with her mother, casting suspicion on her actions. But Lisa has the support of her imprisoned grandmother, Anna's mother, Diana (Jane Badler), which I am thinking may give Lisa the power that she needs to take over the fleet. But if she does that, the show will be over, so I'm not expecting it anytime soon.

     Diana, on the other hand, is simply mysterious. I know she stands against her daughter, but Badler's sly looks make me think that Diana is not just going to stand behind Lisa, either. She must have her own motivations, and while Diana does exhibit emotion, I'm not convinced she suddenly developed feelings for her just-reconnected with granddaughter. I worry that once Lisa gets Diana free of her prison, Erica and the others may suddenly be battling two formidable enemies.

     Luckily, all of these power struggles have been the most interesting part of the show. On both sides of the line, leadership is being questioned and changed, in sometimes action-packed ways, like buildings blowing up and fierce shoot-outs. Honestly, as much as I like the personal drama side of things, V can be a little weak with the writing, so a focus on big action and betrayals is probably the smartest way to go to keep an audience. Know your strengths and your weaknesses, and play to the former.

     I am pretty unnerved about Anna's new hold over Hobbes, supposedly having his wife prisoner. It feels like this has already been done before with Ryan (Morris Chestnut) and his daughter. I think it's lazy of the writers, having lost Ryan from Erica's central group, to just do the same thing to another one of her friends. Unless they play it quite differently going forward, this was a bad move.

     As to how Ryan may or may not be relevant to the story anymore, I don't really see his place. His daughter is more attached to Anna than him, and she's the subject of Anna's latest experiments. The only place story-wise I see to go with Ryan is to have him rescue his daughter. In which case, he will need to find a hiding spot and be a father. I don't see how Ryan could re-enter the fight, unless his daughter is aged to at least teenager before he rescues her (a possibility, I know). Then perhaps they could get into the Fifth Column together. As such, I wonder why Ryan even survived the explosion last week. I think it may have been more dignified than what is character is about to become to the show - a drag.

     Then there's Father Jack (Joel Gretsch). While he has pledged to be a soldier now that he's been kicked out of the church, I can't imagine that means he'll be fine with a killing spree. Will he be Erica's moral compass, letting her know when she's gone too far? I hope that is how he will be used, as if he's not willing to step up in a violently aggressive manner, and I don't see that as a realistic choice, that's his only real purpose.

     Lastly, we have Chad (Scott Wolf), who is just a courier right now. I'm glad that he was swayed from V-supporter to a member of the Fifth Column. But now what? Will he just be a message relayer from Lisa to Erica? I don't see him excelling in combat. His access is limited, at best. Anna uses him, but doesn't really trust him. His place in the series confuses me.

     We're definitely more in the middle of a story arc than at either end, so now is mostly just the time to wonder. To see what comes of things, watch V on ABC Tuesday nights at 9 p.m.


Article first published as TV Review: V Getting Past "Birth Pangs" on Blogcritics.

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