Another AMERICAN CRIME STORY

Article first published as THE ASSASSINATION OF GIANNI VERSACE: AMERICAN CRIME STORY on Seat42F.

THE ASSASSINATION OF GIANNI VERSACE: AMERICAN CRIME STORY, the second season of the franchise, kicked off its run this week with episode one, “The Man Who Would Be Vogue.” Set in both 1990 and 1997, we see the eventual killer, Andrew Cunanan, as he first encounters the legendary designer, as well as the murder and its aftermath. The mostly non-fiction story apparently seeks to examine the relationship between the two men, as well as the manhunt for Cunanan, and how Gianni’s sister, Donatella, steered the company following her brother’s death.

That’s a lot to cover, but it doesn’t seem like too much for nine hours of television, which is how many episodes this will run. By keeping the story focused to only four leads (the three above plus Versace’s long-time partner, Antonio D’Amico), it avoids the sprawling that some such dramas get into, and provides a cohesive narrative, even as the timeline jumps back and forth.

THE ASSASSINATION OF GIANNI VERSACE: AMERICAN CRIME STORY feels very Ryan Murphy. What I mean by that is, like other Murphy properties, there are strong, colorful characters, sometimes understated, at its center, the direction and design are artsy while remaining relatively grounded, and the pacing is slow but purposeful. There’s a certain tone and style that has become a Murphy hallmark, and even with most of his familiar band of recurring actors absent from this outing, his fingerprints are noticeable on the work.

As usual in a Murphy show, the casting is spot-on. He brings back Glee’s Darren Criss as Andrew Cunanan, who appears to be the lead character in the first episode. Criss is a talented man, and this role stretches him. Cunanan is a habitual liar, acting his way through life, and it’s hard to gauge his sincerity, even in the moments where he is alone. Criss balances this while still showing us why people would fall for Cunanan’s falsehoods and charm. It’s a complex and difficult performance, and Criss nails it.

The other leads are Edgar Ramirez (Gold) as Gianni Versace, singer Ricky Martin as Antonio D’Amico, and an almost unrecognizable Penelope Cruz (Vicky Cristina Barcelona) as Donatella Versace. Ramirez doesn’t have a whole lot of chance to show his skills yet, almost being set dressing in his own show, but Martin and Cruz prove themselves right away.

They are joined by a whole bunch of great recurring players, including Will Chase (Smash), Dascha Polanco (Orange Is the New Black), Jay R. Ferguson (Mad Men), Max Greenfield (New Girl), Jose Zuniga (Snowfall), Joe Adler (Grey’s Anatomy), Annaleigh Ashford (Masters of Sex), and more, with Judith Light (Transparent) and Finn Wittrock (American Horror Story) slated for later this season. So the troupe should be solid.

The setting itself is necessarily opulent. Versace did not live simply, as one might expect, given what he’s known for. And Miami Beach in the 1990s was not a boring place. This makes for a locale that looks almost Hollywood glitzy, but is true enough to the reality. It makes one think of the trappings of wealth and celebrity, and the murder itself shows how none of that protects anyone from the darkest parts of the human soul. I don’t mean this to sound overly metaphorical, because it’s not; it’s a grounded show.

The frequent back-and-forth time jumps aren’t my favorite way to tell a story, but are the right choice for THE ASSASSINATION OF GIANNI VERSACE: AMERICAN CRIME STORY. There’s really no other way to depict both the lead up and the aftermath without it feeling like two separate shows. By splitting it in this manner, it helps with overall cohesion.

THE ASSASSINATION OF GIANNI VERSACE: AMERICAN CRIME STORY airs Wednesdays on FX.

"The Last Call" From Will on THE GOOD WIFE

Article first published as "The Last Call" From Will on THE GOOD WIFE on TheTVKin

In my review of last week's installment of CBS's The Good Wife, I mentioned Will's (Josh Charles) bond with the three main women in his life, and how his connection to each is served. This week's followup, taking place in the immediate wake of Will's death, centers on that trio, as each confronts their grief in a different manner.

The overall tone of this episode is a powerful one, remniscent of Buffy's mother's sudden death on Buffy The Vampire Slayer, the gold standard for great grieving programs. There's a general feeling of sadness and numbness, enhanced by the lack of the soundtrack that usually lifts the dramatic moments. Instead, there's a feeling of nothing, a vacuum sucking the air away. It is sure to evoke an emotional reaction in any viewer with a heart.

Alicia (Julianna Margulies), being the main character of the show and the woman Will actually loved romantically, is the most important, as one would expect. "The Last Call" picks up exactly where the previous installment left off, with Alicia getting the call about Will. Not long after, she finds a voicemail from Will on her phone, interrupted and incomplete, and spends the day obsessed with putting together the last moments of Will's life, tracking down Judge Politi (Vincent Curatola) and the prosecutor, Finn (Matthew Goode, promoted to main character now), to help her fill in the blanks.

Alicia keeps flashing to things Will might have been trying to tell her when he died. Was Will angry with her? Was he remorseful, wanting to repair the bridge between them? Was it something else? These are powerful glimpses, a look into the chaos of Alicia's mind on this pivotal day, and the last one she envisions is the right one for her to choose.
For Alicia, is this about closure, or about mourning what might have been? The latter seems to play into it, since Alicia dodges phone calls from Peter (Chris Noth), her husband and the other man who shares her heart, though she'll answer Eli's (Alan Cumming) communications. This is dangerous territory, tossing aside what you have for something you can't obtain. Now that Alicia knows the truth about what transpired, will she be able put things behind her, or will she stay fixated on Will and his tragic demise?

There is a telling moment when Alicia rejects her daughter, Grace's (Makenzie Vega), attempts to comfort her with thoughts of god. Alicia may just be a realist who doesn't buy into religion, which is valid, but she's a little cold in shutting Grace down. Maybe Alicia doesn't want to be comforted. Maybe she doesn't want to be happy, even if she says she will be eventually. This could be a sign that Alicia is spiraling.

Diane's (Christine Baranski) reaction to Will's passing is without reproach. She welcomes Alicia into the office to wallow together, no animosity left between them. She cancels professional engagements. And she not only fires a high-paying client that oversteps, demanding a meeting on the day Will died, but also makes sure to poison every well said client might now seek to sip from. It's beautiful revenge, passionate, justified anger, and a mark of just how strong Diane is, even in the tough times. Will could have had no better partner, and Baranski's performance is award-worthy, even more so than usual.

This anger and righteousness is echoed, albeit in a smaller way, in Cary (Matt Czuchry), who is forced to take up a deposition the other side demands not be postponed, even though Alicia cannot attend. Cary and Will weren't friends, but Cary's loyalty to Alicia (and Diane in going along with her shut down of the terrible client), is commendable, and proves he deserves the esteem many fans hold him in.

David Lee (Zach Grenier) is an interesting character. He's softer than we've ever seen him when insisting to Diane that he call clients, taking the task off her plate, but being realistic that it needs to happen. Even so, most would have probably thought him callous if we hadn't gotten to glimpse a mini break-down by him first, proving he is moved by Will's passing, and just dealing in his own way. He's not as bad a guy as he sometimes seems. One might even like him in "The Last Call."

The third woman after Diane and Alicia is Kalinda (Archie Panjabi). With enabler Jenna (Jordana Spiro) at her side, Kalinda gets the detective, Doug Young (Will Chase, Nashville, Smash), and the coroner to give her unfettered access to the case. Kalinda is diving into work to cope, her own way of processing grief and a dedicated tribute to Will.

See, Jeffery Grant's lawyer, Alma Hoff (returning guest star Becky Ann Baker, Girls), plans to plead temporary insanity. What's more some will argue that it's hard to tell if the fatal shot came from Jeffery (Hunter Parrish) at all, considering the cross fire. But Kalinda knows Jeffery is guilty, and she is not about let him get away with it.

Kalinda's taunt of Jeffery in his cell, offering him an opportunity at suicide, then yanking it away, is cruel. However, it's no more cruel than she thinks Jeffery deserves, and she may be right. Kalinda is a determined woman, and with her sights set on bringing Will's killer to justice, Jeffery likely will be punished.

Yet, there's still a lingering doubt that Jeffery does deserve to be locked up forever. Hoff's belief in him is an understandable one. The case was not going well for Jeffery, and he was innocent. He genuinely might have gone a little crazy, and certainly didn't intend to shoot Will. Jeffery does need help, to be sure, but a mental hospital might be more appropriate and humane that prison. And that's coming from someone who deeply misses Will and is very sad about his death (me).

I like "The Last Call" notably more than last week's "Dramatics, Your Honor," and that's saying something because "Dramatic, Your Honor" is an excellent episode. This one is just so much more character-driven, giving the actors a new side of their roles to work with, and each one more than rising to the occasion. Margulies, Baranski, Panjabi, Grenier, Czuchry - these are all fine performers, and they get to prove to everyone their skill set in this showcase. Add to that terrific writing, editing, directing, and everything that goes into the style and tone of this show, which has to match the actors and does so perfectly, and the result is very impressive. Awesome job, all around.

The Good Wife isn't done with its fifth season yet, airing Sundays at 9 p.m.-ish (varying because of the network's inability to competently schedule sports) on CBS.