The Halcyon

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

Ovation has imported the ITV series THE HALCYON, premiering tonight in the states. Set in a five-star hotel in London England in 1940, early in World War II, the show follows people of all classes, from the owner of the establishment and his family, down to the staff that keep things moving. The premise obviously sounds like Downton Abbey, but THE HALCYON is more gritty, with those coming to stay there engaged in a variety of scandalous, and in at least one case, Nazi-supporting, behavior that makes it more drama-filled than that former series.

At the center of things is Richard Garland (Steven Mackintosh, Luther), the general manager of the titular waystation. Richard is very customer service oriented, working to keep his employer, Lord Lawrence Hamilton (Alex Jennings, The Crown), happy, even when that goes against the wishes of Hamilton’s wife, Priscilla (Olivia Williams, Manhattan). Things get more difficult when Hamilton’s outspoken mistress, Charity Lambert (Charity Wakefield, The Player), decides to take on a more public persona. This does not go unnoticed by American reporter Joe O’Hara (Matt Ryan, Constantine), who is staying at the hotel. And then there’s Garland’s daughter, Emma (Hermione Corfield, xXx: Return of Xander Cage), who has a flirtation with Hamilton’s eldest son, RAF pilot Freddie (Jamie Blackley, If I Stay), who is in a relationship with someone else.

That is just the tip of the iceberg of events at THE HALCYON, which boasts a sprawling cast and many plot lines. It’s a classic soap opera, with lots of drama, too much at once to be thought realistic. The pacing is quick, moving through various threads, and it’s hard to keep track of everyone and their relationships to one another at first viewing.

It’s a very beautiful show, the production design and set decoration superb. Part of the joy of watching the series is just to imagine oneself in the hotel. Most of the characters, despite their bad behavior, adhere to the classiness of the setting in outward manner, painting us a picture of a specific place and time, or at least a fictionalized version of it. The world is enticing enough to quickly get sucked into the plot.

While not as high-quality as Downton Abbey in terms of storytelling, there’re enough elements to satisfy most. The lack of believability hurts, but the actors play the roles earnestly enough to keep viewers interested and invested. Coincidences may stretch the bounds, but there aren’t any big or obvious plot holes in the first hour.

In fact, my only complaint about the premiere is that it starts with the end of the season, then jumps back seven months. This has become overdone enough that I automatically roll my eyes at any series that dares still do it. However, for THE HALCYON, it’s less annoying than in most because with the density we’re about to jump into, it does provide an intriguing hook to get the audience to expend the effort learning all of the players.

My main caution with this show, though, is that it has already been canceled, and does not contain a definitive ending. Because it aired early in the year in Britain, you can google fan reaction, and a very vocal group are calling for its return to, in part, resolve major cliffhangers. As pretty as THE HALCYON is, knowing it is incomplete and extremely unlikely to be concluded is enough to make it a pass for me in the age of so many other options. Were it airing simultaneously and its future in doubt, I’d be tempted. As it stands, I don’t see the point of spending my time on it.

THE HALCYON premieres tonight at 10pm ET on Ovation.

What dark thoughts dwell Inside Men

BBC America presents the four part series INSIDE MEN. This limited run show tells the story of a robbery, with a concentration on the motivations and actions of three men who work on the inside.

For those who enjoy The Killing, Luther, or other intelligent crime dramas, but worry about the ending being drawn out or left unsolved, fear not. INSIDE MEN is only designed as a four part run, and no more will be made. The length of roughly two feature films, this design allows for a deeper exploration of characters than most movies, but is still short enough to satisfy the very impatient.

As the story begins in September, John (Steven Mackintosh, Luther) is held at gunpoint in the secure money depot he is manager of by a bunch of masked men. John leads the robbers to the loot, with security guard Chris (Ashley Walters, Outcasts) getting shot along the way. It seems like the villains get want they want, and poor John and Chris are left behind with the rest of the staff, most locked in the vault.

But that's not the entire story. As the first episode progresses, viewers flash back to January. Chris falls for a young woman named Dita (Leila Mimmack, Married Single Other) who swipes a bill from the facility, costing her the job. Chris and Dita begin running a con on another company, but Dita can only manage to keep the job for a little while, not long enough to solve their money problems or ambition.

Meanwhile, a money mover for the company named Marcus (Warren Brown, Luther) owes some people some dough. He helps Chris fence a few articles of clothing, and when that runs dry, comes up with a plan to fleece cash from their employer. It sounds like an achievable feat to Chris, and the two begin their plot.

Also running through the episode are scenes of John after the attack, presumably being moved with his wife (Nicola Walker, MI-5) and daughter to safety. John seems haunted by the events of the crime, and would not like to stick around town, especially considering that the bad guys know where he lives, having held his family hostage as the thievery went down.

I will not spoil the twist ending of the first hour, for those viewers who have not seen it yet. Suffice it to say, John, Chris, and Marcus are connected in many ways, and will soon be learning not only what the others are capable of, but how far they themselves are willing to go. Will the perpetrators be brought to justice? Or will they get away? Is that even important, in the end? INSIDE MEN is a character study piece, with relatable, realistic people in a situation that many have thought about, but few have dared to act on.

INSIDE MEN is intense and gripping. The acting, much of the cast veterans of the gritty British drama scene, are amazing, really selling the parts, but avoiding overacting. The story is interestingly plotted, and though it jumps around in time a bit, is relatively simply to follow. The pacing is good, too, unspooling the mystery slowly enough to dwell on pieces of it, rather than rushing it along, but fast enough to build excitement and tension. In short, INSIDE MEN will probably be another great entry into the genre.

It's a shame that INSIDE MEN only made four episodes, and does not intend to make more. After only a single hour, there is definitely enough draw to really hook viewers and make them fans. It's already clear that four installments will not be enough. And yet, it must be respected that the writer wants to tell a complete story. Maybe another cast could be put together for another series, in a kind of anthology?

INSIDE MEN airs Wednesdays at 10 PM ET on BBC America.

Luther is a complex crime drama

For those who like gritty crime drama, the BBC's award-winning Luther, available on DVD, is a must have. Luther is the title on the case for the first series, which consists of six hour-long episodes. The show follows Detective John Luther (Idris Elba, The Wire, The Office), a cop with a tormented soul. Luther may be a genius, but he's also extremely self-destructive and impulsive. This man is both a catcher of dangerous men, and also, a dangerous man himself. It's a duality that makes him good at his job, if he can stay sane long enough to complete it.

The first episode of Luther begins with the titular character facing a child killer. The bad guy dangles from a ledge. Luther stands over him, demanding to know where the latest victim is kept. The criminal gives up the information, but Luther lets him fall, resulting in the man ending up in a coma. Luther is cleared of any wrongdoing months later, and returns to work.

This scene sets up everything else that will come. In this moment, the character of Luther is defined as both heroic and having questionable morality. Who wouldn't want to see a guy who kills kids hurt or dead? But who among us would be willing to stand by and let it happen? What Luther dispenses may be justice, of a sort, but it's not something most people would approve of.

Nor is Luther proud of his inaction. The results of what he does, or doesn't do, rather, cause him much torment, and lead to him doubting many things about himself. Throughout the six hours, as Luther hunts (and usually catches) other serial killers, that night haunts him. He is a changed man because of it. Did he do the right thing? Maybe not. Were his actions excusable? Well, that's a matter of opinion.

Luther is joined on this quest of the soul by Alice (Ruth Wilson, The Prisoner, Suburban Shootout). Alice is introduced in the first episode as a killer herself, brutally murdering her parents and dog. Luther knows she did it, but has no way to prove it, since she has committed the perfect crime, leaving no evidence behind. Luther fails to build a case against her.

But that's for the best, as Alice becomes a pivotal figure in Luther's life. Attracted to his complexity and intelligence, which she shares, she becomes obsessed with Luther. She is able to figure out the cause of his torment pretty easily, and intrudes into his life to gather more details. Is Luther an object worthy of study for Alice, or a kindred spirit she'd like to be around?

Not that Luther is always happy with the attention. Some of the things he sees in Alice are the things that he cannot stand in himself. As he questions his own sense of right and wrong, Alice feels like a dark temptation that could lead him down the wrong path. It makes for an exciting and juicy partnership, one that will keep viewers locked to the screen.

There are other characters in Luther, too, of course. Most notable is Luther's ex, Zoe (Indira Varma, Human Target, Rome). She leaves her husband, not because of what he does in the pilot, which is not a secret to her, even though Luther doesn't admit to it, but rather, she feels undervalued and unhappy. She cares about him, but doesn't want to be with him. Luther struggles mightily to win her back, but it's too little, too late, as she has already moved on with Mark (Paul McGann, Doctor Who, Collision).

Luther's co-workers certainly appreciate the job that he does, but aren't always sure about his methods. Luther's boss, Rose (Saskia Reeves), risks her own reputation to reinstate Luther, and may come to regret it. Luther's best friend, Ian Reed (Steven Mackintosh, Underworld), would like to be supportive, but it's not like Luther lets him in more than anyone else. So the working relationship in the unit is tenuous, at best.

Critical reviews for this first series are mixed, but few criticize Elba's performance. As the title character, he is the meat of the series, and carries it extremely well. For his gifted, nuanced part in Luther, Elba has deservedly won several awards, including an Emmy and a Golden Globe. Whether one believes the story of Luther is enticing or not (it is), Elba alone is enough to warrant a viewing. The rest of the cast is excellent, too, though they have not been recognized for it like Elba has.

Unfortunately, the BBC-released DVD comes with one sole extra, a half hour behind the scenes piece. It's interesting, as the series creator, Neil Cross, and members of the cast discuss the show. But it's too bad there isn't more.

Luther is still more than worth the price. With series two also out and a third ordered, it's time to catch up for those who haven't seen it yet. Pick up a copy today. You can get your copy and save on others using this Amazon coupon code.

MORE: If you like my reviews, please follow me on Twitter! To buy this and other DVDs go to amazon.com. Article first published as DVD Review: Luther on Blogcritics.