SHUT EYE Review

Article first published as SHUT EYE Review on Seat42F.

My name is Charlie Haverford. I used to be a magic trick inventor. Until I became a fake psychic for a bunch of gypsies. When you’re a fake psychic, you’ve got nothing: no say in what you do. You do whatever work the Romas who control the area send your way. You disappoint anyone who’s still talking to you: an unsatisfied wife, a screw-up sister, kids, too, a hypnotist, if you’re desperate. Bottom line? Until you figure out how to get out from under the Roma thumb, you’re not going anywhere.

OK, so fun with the intro to this review aside, there are major difference between Jeffrey Donovan’s previous USA series, Burn Notice, and his new drama on Hulu, SHUT EYE, premiering this week. Still, it’s hard not to draw some parallels. Donovan’s Charlie used to be great at something, has gotten into a situation where he’s not doing what he wants to do, and doesn’t have an easy way out, sort of like Michael Weston. Also, those around him, while supportive, are not the A team he might pick, but he’s committed to them.

Yet, I like SHUT EYE a lot better than Burn Notice. Burn Notice was a thin, case-of-the-week procedural that rarely went anywhere until the end. SHUT EYE is a much more complex, ongoing tale in which a man who has been beaten into submission gains an actual clairvoyant gift, which may just be what he’s been waiting for to make some changes.

Donovan is good, building upon his success in Fargo last year. He’s someone who can play pathetic and obedient well, but there’s an edge to him that is interesting. He is surrounded by a decent cast that includes KaDee Strickland (Private Practice), Isabella Rossellini (Alias, Joy), Emmanuelle Chriqui (Entourage), Susan Misner (The Americans), David Zayas (Dexter), Mel Harris (Saints & Sinners), Dylan Schmid (Once Upon a Time), and Angus Sampson (Fargo). Almost all are well cast, and the dynamics are set pretty solidly in the pilot.

The world is one not often portrayed in long-form, that of con men and women running a very successful racket of an industry, which I appreciate. Of course, those involved are little better than thugs and gangsters, and who is on top is purely a matter of showing strength and effectively threatening. It’s seedy stuff, but a new version of the dark worlds that currently populate television.

Somehow, though, through it all, Charlie comes across as being a likeable character. Rossellini’s Rita says it best when she calls him an honest liar. Charlie does engage in the same trickery as the others, but he also helps people and cares about people. He is loyal and he follows the rules, until he is pushed past a breaking point. Even then, his intentions are good, and he’ll only turn on those who deserve it. He’s a bit noble, which is surprising, given his profession and the situation he’s in.

SHUT EYE is set up to be a hero’s journey. We’re likely to see Charlie find his inner spirit and fight back when he needs to. We’ll see him rise from his lowly position and be a man to be proud of. Hopefully at least Linda (Strickland), his wife, will see that, and maybe stop fooling around with Gina (Chriqui) on the side, not that viewers are likely to blame her in the moment; Charlie hasn’t yet awoke when that occurs. Still, I find myself rooting for them to fix their marriage, and thinking Charlie might forgive her if he learns the truth.

SHUT EYE isn’t a perfect series. The story isn’t as gripping as one might like, with the flaws in the characters being a detriment to engaging with the story. Some of the plot twists or momentum seems forced and artificial. None of the performances are the type to make you start thinking of awards season, though they’re serviceable across the board. But it’s pretty good, and I do want to see more of it.

SHUT EYE will release its entire first season Wednesday, December 7^th on Hulu.

"Wanna" Watch THE GOOD WIFE

Article originally written for Seat42F.

The title of THE GOOD WIFE’s season finale, “Wanna Partner?,” seems to refer to Alicia (Julianna Margulies) asking Finn (Matthew Goode) to start a law firm with her. But in the delightfully twisty hour, that doesn’t end up being what the quote is lifted from at all, and as much as this installment doesn’t feel like a season ender, it does indeed push a number of things forward.

First of all, as most people have known since last fall, “Wanna Partner?” serves as Kalinda’s (Archie Panjabi) final episode on the show, at least for now, most probably forever. Charles Lester (Wallace Shawn) comes looking for her, threatening Alicia, Cary (Matt Czuchry), and Diane (Christine Baranski) in the process. Still, it’s a surprise when Kalinda shows up to confront him in the frozen pizza aisle, and even more of one when Alicia burns Kalinda’s confession right in front of Lester. Kalinda is off to who-knows-where, her friends are decently protected, and the Lemond saga is over. For now, anyway.

Before Kalinda leaves for good though, THE GOOD WIFE decides to finally give fans what they’ve been longing for: a Kalinda / Alicia drink. For three years, these former best friends have barely been on speaking terms, and have not been sharing scenes together like they constantly did in the early days. The behind-the-scenes conflict between the actresses does dampen the moment slightly, but for the characters, apologizing and declaring their feelings for one another (sort of) feels right and the perfect way to say goodbye to the badass investigator. She will be missed.

Kalinda is far from the only thing on Alicia’s mind. Peter (Chris Noth) tells her that he wants to run for President of the United States. Well, technically he’s angling for VP. At first, Alicia is happy for him. But after realizing this means she gives up any chance for happiness and fulfillment on a personal level, Grace (Makenzie Vega) reminding Alicia that she will have to continue pretending to be married to him, she turns on the idea. Eli (Alan Cumming) pushing for it and “massaging” Alicia’s memoir doesn’t help, either, the campaign manager finally going too far.

Let’s be honest: Peter has no realistic shot at the White House. He’s spent time in prison, he cheated on his wife, who is herself implicated in voter fraud, and the two live apart. No matter what Eli does, Peter could not succeed in the real world. But THE GOOD WIFE, as grounded as it usually is, does make leaps from time to time, and this may just be its biggest yet. How far will they take it?

Alicia also has work to worry about. Finn does initially accept her partnership offer, and two go on a crusade to free Jacob Rickter (Seth Gilliam, The Walking Dead) – a client last seen on the show four years ago. They attack a bad cop (Danny Mastrogiorgio, Gotham), manipulate a good one (Kevin Bigley, Sirens), and finally prevail, only to have Finn back out of the arrangement.

It makes sense for Finn to do so. The reason he wants to work with Alicia is the same reason he can’t. She threatens his tenuous relationship with his ex-wife, whom he is trying to get back together with. The electricity between the lawyers is too intense and cannot be ignored. Finn doesn’t trust himself around Alicia, and as regrettable as it is for him to step away, not doing so would definitely have led to some bedroom scenes next season that might not have been a good idea for either one of them, especially if Peter runs.

“Wanna Partner?” ends much the same way THE GOOD WIFE concluded season four, with a knock on Alicia’s door from a potential new partner. This time it’s Louis Canning (Michael J. Fox) instead of Cary, sadly, but might Alicia take him up on the offer? She doesn’t want to work alone, and she’s always had a strange kind of friendship with the slime ball. Is that enough to tempt her?

There’s a very real chance Louis is coming for Alicia because he sees her as a way to get even with Diane, Cary, and David Lee (Zach Grenier), whom he feels wronged his wife, Simone (Susan Misner), by firing her. Whether Simone was a corporate spy or not (she probably was not, but Louis may have tried to trick her into being one), her tears are genuine, and Louis wants revenge. Alicia is on good enough terms with Diane and Cary I don’t see her willingly participating in their downfall, but Louis is a master manipulator. How far can his scheme go before Alicia is clued in to the truth and ends their sure-to-be-temporary partnership?

While “Wanna Partner?” may not feel conclusive enough to close the sixth year on, it is a very good episode with a lot of interesting stories and some threads that are just getting started. The hour is yet another brilliant example of how the writers on this show juggle a lot of balls at once, letting them pass right through one another, and keeping them in the air for a very long time. CBS had better bring the show back.

THE GOOD WIFE has not yet been renewed, but a decision from CBS is expected no later than Wednesday morning. Chances currently look slightly better than even.

THE AMERICANS Are Our "Comrades"

Article first published as THE AMERICANS Review Season 2 on Seat42F.

Tonight, THE AMERICANS returns to FX for its second season. The premiere, “Comrades,” pretty much picks up where the first year left off, in that all of the larger arcs are still playing out and nothing major has changed. “Comrades” begins with Elizabeth (Keri Russell) coming home, which makes sense to structure the hiatus that way because, without Elizabeth, there is no show.

Many fans are waiting to see how the relationships may or may not heal, and unfortunately, there’s little of that in the premiere, besides a very racy sex scene (by basic cable standards). Elizabeth and Phillip (Matthew Rhys) seem to be in a good place, but there isn’t a real focus on that. Their time spent together is in service to their mission or in front of their kids, so we don’t get a chance to see for sure what kind of footing they are on with each other. Phillip does not get the opportunity to stop and pour his heart out until he gets ‘home’ to his other wife, Martha (Alison Wright).

This worries me about Phillip and Elizabeth’s future. They definitely like each other and are committed to making their lives together work, but now Phillip is bonding with Martha, perhaps unintentionally, and under an assumed name to be sure, but still, he is making an emotional connection, revealing some of himself. As unlikely as the pairing may be, I could see something blooming there if this pattern continues past episode one.

I guess many affairs happen when one spouse doesn’t feel understood or heard by the other, finding solace in someone else. The situation in THE AMERICANS is anything but a traditional tryst, but I can see signs that it may turn into something resembling that. Which makes sense for the characters and provides much better drama. Or maybe I’m reading into something that isn’t actually there in those few small moments. I guess we’ll wait and see.

Interestingly, Stan (Noah Emmerich) thinks he’s having a real affair, hiding out with Nina (Annet Mahendru) instead of staying home and repairing his marriage to Sandra (Susan Misner). Yet, viewers know that Nina is informing on Stan to the KGB, trying to glean his CIA secrets, so she’s using him. So the setup in “Comrades” is that Stan thinks he’s in loving union but isn’t, and Phillip thinks he’s not but may be. This is some pretty interesting writing.

More tantalizing, though, is that realization by Phillip and Elizabeth this week that their job may not be the one they need to be in to protect their family. So far, THE AMERICANS has kept the personal and the spy lives separate for its lead couple, which is how they want it. But events in “Comrades,” from an early accident in the opening scene, to later, more obvious twists, threaten to bring the two worlds together. This would not be good for anyone, and puts their children, Paige (Holly Taylor) and Henry (Keidrich Sellati), in danger.

Will Phillip and Elizabeth continue their lifestyle if their children cannot be safe? I know they are dedicated to the cause and willing to risk their own lives, but they’re also loving parents, and have natural parental instincts. It seems like this has the potential to be a total game-changer, a reason for them to shift position in their work. I don’t know for sure if anything will really come of this, but if nothing else, “Comrades” will get the characters and the audience thinking about the current status quo, and that’s enough for solid TV.

Of course, Paige is still suspicious of her parents, and so may drag them out into the open whether they want to be or not, or force their hands in making an important decision. But this plot is still early in its development, so it’s hard to say where it will go at this point.

And for those of you who watch THE AMERICANS for good, action-oriented spy sequences, there are those, too, in this premiere. Personally, while I like a good scene that can get the adrenaline pumping, I prefer character studies, and appreciate when the excitement is tied into meaning for the person involved, or changes their perspective in some way. This isn’t always the case in this show, but it does a pretty good job of balancing the two components, personal stories and suspenseful spy stuff, and “Comrades” should satisfy both camps.

THE AMERICANS airs Wednesdays at 10 p.m. on FX.

The Americans Meet "The Colonel"

Article first published as TV Review: The Americans - "The Colonel" on Blogcritics.

FX draws season one of The Americans to a close with "The Colonel." Despite reservations by many involved, the KGB orders the meet with The Colonel (Victor Slezak, Treme) to go forward, feeling the valuable intel they expect him to provide is worth the risk. Of course, this not go smoothly.

The Americans has really crafted an entertaining and complex world in this first season. It's easy to get lost into the cat and mouse spy game of the 1980s in such a richly developed world, and the cast and writers have done an amazing job at making the story accessible. While the season started a bit slow, in my opinion, by this week's finale, I am firmly a fan.


The central question of this episode, rather or not to meet with The Colonel, is an engaging plot. As the viewer, we are kept at much in the dark about The Colonel's sincerity as the characters are. We don't know if they should meet with him, but because every main player is wary, we feel tense at the thought.

Which is why, when The Colonel turns out to be as harmless as the Star Wars program the Russians are seeking information about, it's a great surprise. Spy shows do a good job delivering nasty twists, but to get an unexpected nice reveal is a treat.

Unfortunately, while The Colonel is harmless, the FBI has still set up a sting to catch the KGB agents. It feels weird to be saying 'unfortunately' in that sentence, but The Americans has me rooting for Phillip (Matthew Rhys) and Elizabeth (Keri Russell), and as much as I like Stan (Noah Emmerich) on the other side of the equation, I don't want him to catch them. At least not until the story can move in a direction that lets all three work together.

Phillip actually takes the meeting with The Colonel away from Elizabeth to protect her. Ironic that the mission she is left with, picking up the tape, ends up being the dangerous one. They fail to get their objective, but it's likely their objective has been tainted anyway.


More importantly, we get to see Phillip play the hero towards Elizabeth, not just in switching her assignments, but in rushing to her rescue when she gets into trouble. Their sham marriage has been rocky, which is a shame, but it's clear that some affection has grown between the couple in all the years they've been together. Phillip's actions, and Elizabeth's response to them, asking Phillip to move back home, proves this.

Phillip may have a problem repairing his marriage to Elizabeth, though, since he now also has a second union with Martha (Alison Wright). It's part of the job, not cheating, thankfully, but Elizabeth doesn't seem comfortable around Martha, posing as Phillip's sister, even though she herself sleeps with the enemy in service for her country. One wonders if Elizabeth sees Martha as more of a threat because she is such a fixture in Phillip's going-ons. Will Martha be a serious obstacle to Elizabeth's matrimonial bliss?

I don't think it will be long before Stan catches onto his neighbors' secret lives. Not only does he already have suspicions of them prior to "The Colonel," but he is present for what goes down in this season finale, so when Phillip asks him to watch their children when Elizabeth is shot during the chaos, it's likely to rile his instincts even more.


The thing that might delay Stan's investigation is his wife, Sandra (Susan Misner, promoted to main cast for season two). She refuses his offer of a vacation this week. If Stan wants his marriage not to fall apart he may have to concentrate a bit more on his home life, rather than his work. This would be good news for Elizabeth and Phillip.

Stan's life may be complicated even more by Nina (Annet Mahendru), assuming she isn't shipped back to Moscow. She isn't in anyone's good graces, Russian or American, her loyalties torn. She might just disappear between seasons, or she might want revenge on Stan for not helping her get out of the mess with her people. We'll have to wait and see about her.

The more immediate person close to finding out about them is Paige (Holly Taylor), their daughter. However, even after going into the laundry room where her mother has a hidden compartment in the wall, Paige doesn't see anything. She has no reason to think that her parents are Russian spies, so she may stay in the dark. But there's a bit of a fake out this week in regards to her.

I'm anxious to see how the kids will take the news when who their parents are is eventually revealed. They are born and raised in America, taught to hate and distrust the Russians as much as any American kid. Elizabeth, as hard as it might be for her, and less so for Phillip, doesn't correct this view. I wonder if Paige and her brother, Henry (Keidrich Sellati), will be able to support and love their parents, no matter what?


Another nice reveal we get in "The Colonel" is that Claudia, a.k.a. Granny (Margo Martindale), is a good person who cares about her charges. The way she backs up the KGB's orders makes her seem cold and stupid. But in a private moment this week, we see that just because she passes down said orders doesn't mean she agrees with them. She's a soldier who obeys, but when appropriate, questions, authority. We see how much she looks out for Elizabeth and Philip, which should instantly change many opinions about her.

It's too bad she is slated to be transferred as this season comes to a close, at Elizabeth's request. Elizabeth can't be blamed, as Claudia does appear to be unreasonable when relaying orders. But now, having seen who she really is, fans of The Americans likely won't want her to leave. She's become too vital a part of the fabric of the show.

Martindale is in a sitcom pilot, but if we're lucky, it won't get picked up. If that happens, The Americans should sign her as a full-time cast member immediately.

The Americans has been renewed for a second season and will return to FX in 2014.

THE AMERICANS are "In Control"

First published as THE AMERICANS Review Season 1 Episode 4 In Control on Seat42F.

Grade: 89%

This week’s installment of FX’s THE AMERICANS is entitled “In Control.” No one knows exactly who is in control when President Reagan is shot. The CIA scramble to find out if the Russians are behind it. So, in fact, do the Russian agents, who are also on the lookout for a U.S. government coup.

The assassination attempt on Ronald Reagan is the first major historical event that intersects with THE AMERICANS, but it is a vitally important one. Set during the Cold War, “In Control” reminds us just how tense things are in that time period, and how close we are to war. If Reagan’s shooter had been a Soviet, instead of some guy trying to impress Hollywood actress Jodi Foster, World War III could have begun at that moment. If the Russians had struck first, assuming the U.S. would attack them, as they could have if the Jennings had reported the garbled conversation they overheard, the same could have happened.

After watching “In Control,” it makes me think it’s a wonder that nothing like this did happen. Too many people who are too paranoid in positions of power. Rumors can spin out of control and provoke nuclear war. How did we survive such a thing?

Elizabeth (Keri Russell) would have been the spark of just such an incident. She wants to hand over the choppy recording, in keeping with their orders. Phillip (Matthew Rhys), who seems to understand American culture better, objects. He wins the argument, and thus prevents an incident. This means as much as she loves her country, she may have come to care about Phillip just a little more, which may affect her allegiance as the show goes on.

It’s interesting to see Elizabeth trust Phillip’s judgment, especially when she so clearly doesn’t agree with it. Weeks ago, she comes close to turning him in for possible treason, until an act of love on his part stops her short. Even though the real romance between these covert spies is just beginning, Elizabeth is clearly invested in their marriage already.

It’s not too often on television that we see a relationship like this. Elizabeth and Phillip have been living together undercover for a long time, and are just now falling for one another. It’s unconventional in every sense of the word, but incredibly sweet, after all this time. They are familiar, and also slightly strangers. They know a lot about one another, but there are also a lot of secrets.

There is a period during “In Control” where the bond they are just beginning to build could easily fall apart. For most couples in the early stages of dating, they would be over before they even begin. Yet, Elizabeth decides to listen to Phillip, and Phillip doesn’t hold it against her that she voices her concern. This belies a deeper trust that they have in each other, which could mean that their feelings aren’t as fresh as we, the viewers, are told they are, or even as the characters themselves might believe. Perhaps they have been in love for awhile, and are only now able to admit it to themselves.

I do worry that Phillip and Elizabeth are going to get caught, though. They are taking bigger chances lately, follow orders from their new handler, Claudia (Margo Martindale, Justified). She is pushing them to act swiftly, which isn’t as safe as their previous assignments have been. This week, she has them ready a cache of weapons for guerilla warfare. I hope she doesn’t expose them with her instructions.

Plus, it may not be a good idea for them to spend so much effort bonding with their CIA neighbor, Stan (Noah Emmerich). Their questions about the shooter can be seen as concerned citizens talking to a friend, but Stan could also take them for what they are, intelligence gathering. Stan is already a bit suspicious. Perhaps it would be better to be a little less chummy.

Of course, in any great drama, each side will suffer setbacks. Stan’s is brewing on the home front as his wife, Sandra (Susan Misner), complains they aren’t spending enough time together. Whether Stan divides his attentions to give her what she wants, or whether he ignores her, causing his marriage to fall apart, either scenario could hurt him personally and, by extension, professionally. This might provide a break for the Jennings at a key moment down the line.

It’s hard to root against Stan, but at the same time, Elizabeth and Phillip are highly sympathetic characters. They may be double agents working for the enemy, but they are also parents who care about their family. People are people, and whose flag they salute depends a lot on where they are born; not everything, if anything, they do is evil. This makes the series an intelligent, complex picture of a number of individuals, rather than the old fashioned good vs. evil dynamic.

Four episodes in, I still think the pacing may be a tad slow for my taste, but I am quickly becoming enamored of the series. THE AMERICANS has a fantastic cast who excel at what they are doing, and the writing is smarter than what I first perceived. I am definitely going to keep watching, as I don’t see any clear path laid out for how the story will proceed, which is exciting.

THE AMERICANS airs Wednesdays at 10 p.m. ET on FX.