Lester Nygaard (Martin Freeman) is bullied by the Hess family
NOTE: This review contains MILD SPOILERS for the FX series (inspired by the Coen brothers’ film- Fargo).
I heard about this show from a former co-worker (who called it “the best show on TV”) and via little snippets online. However, it took me SOME time to get into the story and finish watching the DVD set (which I purchased on sale from FYE). I watched it twice to get a better understanding of the story.
Lester happens to meet Lee Malvo (Billy Bob Thornton) in the ER
If you enjoy watching British actor Martin Freeman (The Hobbit; Sherlock), then this show MAY make you into a fan.He gets to stretch his acting muscles here, NOT only playing the meek, mild, “Nice Guy” you’d expect.
Deputy Molly Solverson (Allison Tolman) interviews Lester at his desk in the insurance office.
The good guys on this show are ALMOST as interesting as the baddies- you’ll want to cheer for them for sure! Deputy Molly Solverson (Alison Tolman) is a humble, earnest, and observant 2nd gen police officer in her hometown of Bimidji, MN (which is close to Fargo, ND). Molly is around 30, looks like an average Midwestern woman (thank you, producers), likeable, BUT sometimes undermined in her role (by the males in her department).
Deputy Gus Grimly (Colin Hanks) in his patrol car
She finds a complementary foil in reluctant cop and loving single dad, Officer Gus Grimly (Colin Hanks). On my second watch, I LOVED seeing their working friendship evolve into a slow-burn romance. Tolman and Hanks have such an easygoing and sweet chemistry- it’s rare to see in modern TV. Murder investigations CAN bring people together!
Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele play FBI agents
There are several well-known actors who are guest stars on the show; I esp. liked seeing Key and Peele as two clueless FBI agents. In a few of their scenes, I wondered if they were making fun of the two cops on Season 1 of True Detective or perhaps such sketches from their OWN show.
The “new” Lester flirts with a young woman in Vegas
One of my favorites on the show is Lou (Keith Carradine), a retired cop who now runs a diner; he is also a widower and Molly’s father. Lou and Molly have such a GREAT relationship; we see the love and respect shine through in every scene they share. At times, Lou is concerned re: the safety of his daughter, BUT he never undermines her ability to do her job. (FYI: Season 2 goes back in time to find Lou, played by Patrick Wilson, as a young deputy.)
Malvo tries to get info out of Lou Solverson in his diner
If you like Billy Bob Thornton, then this series will simply be a treat; the veteran movie actor creates a scary good villain and chews up the scenery. He transforms himself w/ different hair, clothing, posture, manners, etc. I think Fargo is definitely worth a watch (esp. b/c of the VERY strong acting, writing, cinematography, and music). It’s a character drama mixed w/ a police procedural, w/ sudden doses of violence (which is to be expected also in MOST of the Coens’ films).
FYI: The term “black mirror” is a reference to the effect of a TV or computer screen when switched off, giving a dark reflection of the onlooker. (You can read my previous review of Seasons 1 & 2 here.) If you have a LOT on your current watch list, then check out the two eps below!
Episode 1: Nosedive
This was my fave ep, besides E4 (see below); it was directed by Joe Wright (Atonement; Pride and Prejudice). The scenarios depicted are NOT too far from what’s going on in our (current) society, which makes the story funny, relatable, and a BIT scary! Every interaction (incl. brief chats, purchases, accidental run-ins, heartfelt convos, etc.) is rated by each individual living in this fictional world.
So in terms of quality, you could use a punch up right there. Ideally, that’s up votes from quality people. -Hansen
Quality people? -Lacie asks
High fours. Impress those up-scale folks, you’ll gain velocity on your arc and there’s your boost. -Hansen explains
It stars VERY likeable American actress- Bryce Dallas Howard (Lacie), Brit James Norton- star of Grantchester (Ryan), another young Brit- Alice Eve (Naomie), and respected American theater veteran- Cherry Jones (Truck Driver). Lacie, who has a positive/go-getter personality, is working hard to boost her rating, so that she can move into an exclusive housing community. Her younger/slacker brother, Ryan, thinks that this is a stupid idea (BUT he has a mediocre rating). Lacie constantly compares her rating and posts to others in her social circle, esp. Naomie (a conventionally pretty childhood friend).
Episode 4: San Junipero
Black Mirror has been a great show from the start; for me, it’s main draw is the human stories it focuses on in the midst of some mind- blowing technological what-ifs. Although in other episodes, it has focused on the darker side of technology, this one focuses on how technology could connect people instead.-Excerpt from IMDB review
I consider this episode to be a movie. It felt like one. The lighting, music, choreography and acting gave it a vivid tone which truly involves the viewer. It felt like more than an hour run but didn’t drag on one bit. -Excerpt from another IMDB review
This is THE ep for those of you who love romance, time travel (I’m a big fan of Quantum Leap), &/or the 80s- fashion, hair, & music (here is full list of songs). There is a fun fashion montage that is influenced by Robert Parker’s song Addicted to Love (I learned that from a pop culture podcast, though it did look familiar when I saw it). The lead characters are shy/socially awkward Yorkie (Canadian MacKenzie Davis) and vivacious/outgoing Kelly (British-Nigerian Gugu Mbatha-Raw, most recently in Free State of Jones). BOTH actresses did great in their roles, BUT I’m a big fan of Mbatha-Raw (her character has more of the emotional heavy lifting to do in this story). This is a character-driven story and it takes time to get to know what exactly is going on. Nothing is spoon-fed to the viewer!
NOTE: This review contains MILD spoilers for the PBS original series.
This is a 6-part (1 hour long) historical drama series set during the American Civil War. It’s shot on location in Richmond, VA w/ actors who are stage veterans, newcomers, and local extras. You may have guessed that Richmond stands in for Alexandria, which was occupied by the Union Army at the tail end of the war.
The Union Hospital
Unlike MOST dramas you’d see on PBS, it has some bloody/realistic scenes (being set in a makeshift Union hospital). It’s NOT always fast-paced, BUT as it aims for historical accuracy and staying true to the (real-life) people who inspired the lead characters. The main protagonist is a (still youthful) Northern widow, Mary Phinney (Mary Elizabeth Winstead). She’ll will make you think of actress Dana Delaney- they’re BOTH tall, elegant, redheaded, and played nurses.
Nurse Phinney writes a letter for a wounded flag-bearer.
Nurse Phinney lost her husband (an older European baron) to an illness NOT too long ago; she took care of him, then got trained as a proper nurse. Mary wants to be useful, speaks confidently, works hard, and is able to stand up to the (male) doctors. The hospital administrator/veteran doctor, Dr. Summers (Peter Gerety from Homicide: Life on the Street) is impressed by her credentials and gets her working quickly.
Dr. Foster examines a young Confederate soldier.
Dr. Jedediah Foster (Josh Radnor, w/ an impressive beard) is the best doctor at this hospital; his brusque manner and lack (or avoidance) of social niceties puts others off. He’s also a conflicted man, hailing from a wealthy slave-owning family, BUT working as an Union contract surgeon. This is why you don’t see him in uniform at the start of the series. Radnor is best known for comedy (How I Met Your Mother); he is also a theater actor (having worked on Ayad Akthar’s Disgraced in BOTH Chicago and NYC).
Dr. Hale in his blue Union Army uniform.
Nurse Anne Hastings (Tara Summers)
Dr. Byron Hale (Broadway actor Norbert Leo Butz) is the doctor who thinks he’s the top dog, BUT is less skilled and innovative than Dr. Foster. The arrogant Dr. Hale and ambitious British nurse, Anne Hastings (Tara Summers), have an alliance BOTH in and out of work. Nurse Hastings trained under the famed Florence Nightingale- the model for ALL nurses (esp. those in times of war).
The Green sisters get involved at the hospital in different ways.
The proud Southern family, the Greens, that used to own the hotel (now the hospital) are also part of the story. The patriarch, James (Gary Cole), balks at signing a loyalty oath to the Union cause. He somehow managed to keep his son out of the war, though Jr. resents it bitterly. The matriarch, Jane (Broadway veteran Donna Murphy) is concerned about the growing rebelliousness for their two daughters, Emma (Hannah James) and Alice (AnnaSophia Robb, all grown-up from Charlie and the Chocolate Factory). These girls have beauty, manners, charm, and style (like proper Southern belles); they also harbor a few secrets. The older sister, Emma, wants to volunteer at the hospital, BUT only w/ the injured Confederates (who are kept in a separate/guarded room). Alice is angered by the fact that loyal Confederates like her family and friends have become second-class citizens in their own town.
Aurelia Johnson (Shalita Grant) and Samuel Diggs (McKinley Belcher III) in the garden.
There are three well-developed black characters in the series: Belinda (the Greens’ lifelong housekeeper); Aurelia (a young laundress who is “contraband” from the Deep South); and Samuel (a free black man who works as a porter). We learn that Samuel (McKinley Belcher III in his first TV role) knows a LOT, having been raised in the home of a Jewish Philadelphia doctor. Samuel helps out Nurse Phinney and Dr. Foster on several difficult cases. He feels great sympathy for Aurelia, wants to be her friend, BUT she’s wary of men (and has cause to feel that way). Samuel has to keep his head down and not cause a stir- he’s a black man in the South now.
Frank Longfellow (Jack Falahee) and Emma Green (Hannah James)
You MAY be surprised to see Jack Falahee (How to Get Away with Murder) as a Confederate spy. He’s also the secret beau (hence the meeting alone in the woods) of Emma. Frank brings some intrigue, danger, and tension to the later eps of the series (leading to the finale).
This review contains MILD spoilers for the British (BBC/ITV) show.
I started watching this series in July, BUT didn’t get to the bulk of the eps until Thanksgiving. Series 2 focuses on the trial of Det. Ellie Miller’s (Olivia Colman) husband (Joe), an older case which is still affecting DI Alec Hardy (David Tennant), and how various individuals of the small town of Broadchurch (as well as a few new characters) deal w/ the aftermath of Series 1. The community is shocked (yet again) when Joe decides to plead “not guilty” to the death of Billy Latimer!
The Latimers, Beth (Jodie Whittaker) and Mark (Andrew Buchan), have a new baby girl; they still grieve for Billy. This couple has emotionally complicated chemistry with each other, perhaps even better than in the S1. (Their teen daughter, Chloe, doesn’t have much to do in this series.) Rev. Paul Coates (Arthur Darvill) and Australian hotel owner, Becca Fisher (Simone McAullay), are in a long-term relationship- BIT of a surprise. We can see that Paul is conflicted about his role in this town.
BROADCHURCH SERIES 2 PICTURED : OLIVIA COLMAN. Copyright ITV/Kudos.
Miller has been downgraded to the level of traffic cop and now lives in a small apt. w/ her toddler son, Fred. Her older son, Tommy (who was Billy’s best pal), has chosen to live temporarily w/ Aunt Lucy. Miller is STILL a dogged cop, even motivating Hardy to keep going when he gets disillusioned.
We meet Hardy’s ex-wife and teen daughter, who live several hours away and are doing well in life. We sense that Hardy wants to be a more involved parent. He is now taking meds, BUT eventually undergoes a heart procedure. The BEST thing about this series is the growing friendship and continued partnership between Miller and Hardy! Colman and Tennant, at times, have a competitive (perhaps brother-sister) type of chemistry.
BROADCHURCH SERIES 2 Pictured: EVE MYLES as Claire and JAMES DARCY as Lee Ashworth. This image is the copyright of ITV.
We slowly learn more re: the Pippa Gillespie/Lisa Newberry case. The witness Hardy had been protecting, hairdresser Claire Ripley (Eve Myles) and her overbearing boyfriend, Lee Ashworth (James D’Arcy from Agent Carter) feature prominently in this series. They seem like the definition of a co-dependent/dysfunctional couple; I would’ve liked to see less of their story.
BROADCHURCH SERIES 2. PICTURED : CHARLOTTE RAMPLING. Copyright ITV/Kudos.
BROADCHURCH
SERIES 2
Pictured: MARIANNE JEAN BAPTISTE as Sharon Bishop.
This image is the copyright of ITV.
The newcomers to the series were the main draw for me (aside from Tennant and Colman). Two former colleagues, prosecutor Sharon Bishop (Marianne Jean- Baptiste) and veteran defense attorney, Jocelyn Knight (Charlotte Rampling) are on opposite sides of the trial. These women are BOTH very smart, tough, and experienced in court. They each have other issues to deal w/ outside of work, which we slowly discover. I wanted to see a BIT more of them! There is a LOT more to this show, so check it out if you liked Series 1.
What would you like young audiences, esp. young black men, to get from this story? -Sunny Hostin (CNN)
That your history did not begin with slavery.-Malachi Kirby, actor
You may be asking- WHY do we need a retelling of this story? MANY in the US (and worldwide) already read the book and watched the 1977 series. But once you start watching, you realize how important it is that Roots reaches a new generation of viewers.Faith (NOT necessarily religion), family (incl. marriage- “jumping the broom”), and traditions (from Africa) become even MORE important under slavery.
Mark Wolper, son of David Wolper (who developed the 1977 miniseries) decided on the remake after his kids couldn’t sit still to watch it. The main issue- it was TOO slow! NOT only does this show have more action, it’s much more colorful, richly detailed (thanks to technology and knowledge filmmakers didn’t have 40 yrs. ago), and very watchable (thanks to veteran and newcomer actors, as well as skilled directors). I was esp. happy to see that LeVar Burton (who played the original Kunta Kinte when he was only 19 y.o.) was an executive producer on the series; he also has a brief cameo in Part 1. The music is one of the BEST elements, thanks to Ahmir “Questlove” Johnson, a member of The Roots.
Part 1
Kunta Kinte (Malachi Kirby) rides his horse through the woods in West Africa.
This is (undoubtedly) the strongest 2 hrs. of the 8 hr. series! Time is given for us to know re: the West African city of Jufuree (which was NOT a little village, BUT had a pop. of nearly 10,000). The sets are quite intricate and large-scale. There is the gorgeous turquoise dyed cloth that is worn by many people. Women use dark color on BOTH their lips and around their eyes. Tribal practices are blended w/ the religion of Islam (a fact which was jarring to SOME viewers, from reviews I read). Yes, people do use the term “Allah” and prostrate themselves to pray! About 30% of the African slaves brought to “the New World” were Muslims.
The Kinte Family in Jufuree
Kunta Kinte (British newcomer Malachi Kirby in a standout role), the son of Binte Kinte and Omoro Kinte, is a bright, observant teenager who is training to be a warrior (w/ his male peers). He also has a crush on a local girl, and she seems to like him, too. But his parents say that they’ll arrange a marriage for him (when the time comes). Kunta has great respect for his parents, tradition, religion, yet he ALSO possesses a strong will (which will BOTH help and hurt him later in life). We will see things more from his eyes in MANY cases (thanks to camera-work). If great acting is in the eyes, then Kirby is definitely one to watch in the future.
The next segment of the story which impressed me was The Middle Passage; a huge ship was built to accommodate actors, cameras, and crew! If you saw 12 Years a Slave, then you can handle this part (maybe a BIT better than more sensitive viewers). We get a glimpse of JUST how cramped, crowded, and downright horrific conditions were for the men (and some boys)!
A slave is not bought; a slave has to be created! -The overseer explains to Kunta
When we get to America, it’s Revolutionary War era, and Kunta is purchased by a surly/middle-aged planter from Virginia, John Waller (British actor James Purefoy). He has a British wife, Elizabeth, who has settled easily into the life under slavery, though their marriage doesn’t look happy. His more sensitive and younger brother, Dr. William Waller (British actor Matthew Goode), lives in a neighboring plantation and is also the local physician. But the worst of this lot is the red-headed (and bearded) Irish overseer who REALLY enjoys his work!
Fiddler (Forrest Whitaker) and Kunta/Toby (Malachi Kirby) on the Waller plantation
Kunta (who is named Toby by Elizabeth) DOES find an (at first hesitant) ally in Fiddler (American veteran actor Forrest Whitaker), who has special role in the Waller household (thanks to his musical talent) and is a favorite slave of the mistress. Whitaker does a GREAT job in his role (as you’d expect); he also gets some of the BEST lines in the entire series! In one esp. poignant scene, Fiddler stops in his tracks, recognizing a lullaby that Kunta sings. He swears that HIS grandmother sang that song, too.
Belle is a female slave who feels sympathy for Kunta. She convinces Dr. Waller to get Kunta to care for his horses and drive him around to patients. Belle looks after him when he’s near death, and they grow to love each other (over the span of 10 yrs.) Belle (though still youthful) has a painful past, BUT decides to marry Kunta and start a new life. They have a daughter, who Kunta names “Kizzie.” Now he is firmly rooted in America, yet still VERY much an African in his heart and mind.
Part 2
Never let them take your mind. -Kunta tells his daughter
Kizzie becomes a companion to the Waller’s daughter, who insists on teaching her to read. BUT (of course) this is the SAME reason that she is sold “down the river” when she reaches adolescence. Kizzie ends ups at a small farm in South Carolina owned by an alcoholic, violent gambler- Tom Lea (British actor Jonathan Rhys Myers). The first time, Kizzie fights w/ ALL her strength to stop her new master, BUT to no avail.In time, she has a son, who Tom names “George” (after his father). Kizzie, who gathers up the strength of Kunta, Belle, and her ancestors, decides that she’ll endure for her son to have a better life.
Part 3
Kunta’s daughter, Kizzie (Anika Noni Rose), worries for the future of her son on Tom Lea’s farm.
In some odd way, Tom seeks to be closer to his (unclaimed) young son, which causes Kizzie (American theater/TV actress Anika Noni Rose) great pain. Tom announces that the older slave, Mingo (who handles the cocks and goes to fights w/ him), will teach George. It turns out that Chicken George (as he is called) has a natural gift w/ these animals!
Chicken George (Rege-Jean Page)
Chicken George (British newcomer Rege-Jean Page) grows up and falls in love w/ Matilda, a slave from a neighboring plantation. Her father is a no-nonsense minister (on his day off), while Kizzie doesn’t believe in the Christian god. Chicken George keeps making money for Tom, gets respect for his talent/hard work from the local cockfighters (of all colors), and eventually marries Matilda.
You have no honor, Tom Lea! -Chicken George shouts to his master/father
In time, the gentlemen planters even warm to the Leas, though they are from low birth and Tom is of Irish heritage. Kizzie fears that things can go wrong at ANY moment, b/c of Tom’s volatile temper. There is an explosive scene between Chicken George and Tom, where we realize how low a master can go (even when the matter at hand is his OWN blood). BOTH Page and Rhys Meyers shine in this scene; however, these men are eclipsed by Rose, who is a standout in this series.
Part 4
There’s no wrong way to be a slave.-Chicken George explains to his son, Tom
This is the weakest of the episodes, BUT does have some good moments. We see Chicken George join up w/ one of the “African” regiments of the Union army. One of his son’s, Tom, becomes a skilled blacksmith. Like his father, he earns money for his master, and raises a family w/ his part-Cherokee wife.
The free descendants of Kunta Kinte leave the Murray plantation in South Carolina to start their new lives.
Tom straddles that conflicting (yet exhilarating) time between slavery and Emancipation, working hard to keep his anger and resentment in check. The descendants of Kunta Kinte grow in number and take their place as free black Americans. There is a LOT more (which I haven’t discussed above)- check this show out for yourself!
Knightleyemma 