TV TUESDAYS: BANSHEE (CINEMAX)

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For a show that has a very interesting set up (and from the creator of True Blood), a notorious ex-convict taking up the identity of a murdered sheriff in the town of Banshee, Pennsylvania which oddly is split between the people of normal society and the Amish, I was bored out of my mind up until twenty three minutes into the show. The whole beginning was flat in storyline, like Anthony Starr plays a convict who just leaves jail, steals a car, goes to a bar, screws a waitress, goes to a ‘friend’s’ salon (Job, played by Hoon Lee) and asks about something convict like, so you can see Job has been a helpful buddy in his past and then goes into town to have a guy chasing him and shooting at him like he was Jason Bourne. It was a very intense, fiery scene full of car accidents and collisions but to me it was wasted time over questions I wanted to know like who is this guy and what is his purpose?

It’s only after the bar scene where there is a few killings that Anthony Starr loses his past and picks up the present as he picks up the new dead sheriff Lucas Hood’s phone and pretends he is him. From then on things get interesting, he runs into a past lover/partner in crime Carrie Hopewell (played by Ivana Milicevic) who is married with two children, but with very steamy and sexual flashbacks you can see the love for him still lingers in her. With those flashbacks we learn about Rabbit, someone Carrie and Lucas were both afraid of as cons, and still afraid of now even though Lucas is out of jail, which means he has a debt to be paid to Rabbit and trying to keep his life under the radar as much as possible.

Another interesting character that ties the Banshee, PA Amish society with average society is Kai Proctor (played by Ulrich Thomsen). He plays a lucrative businessman and local crime lord who has a violent streak in him, especially when people talk about the ‘Dutchies’ aka Amish people since he was once apart of the Amish community of Banshee. Very interesting connection and this kept me intrigued about him and the society as well. Even though he is a vicious man I can’t help but to wonder how he went from Amish boy to Banshee’s crime guy.

So cinematically I was concentrating more on the storyline than the camera and symbols of the show because the subtext was layered into the show and I really had to pay attention to understand the nature of the show but once Lucas picks up that sheriff star the world he was living in started to develop around him and that caught my attention.

 I have to say though to have a crime drama set in Amish country is very interesting and new so I think that’s the thread that is holding me on. Also, the cast is new they aren’t big names and for it being on Cinemax they have the ability to do what they want and with the violence, sex, crime and drama I think there is some potential here to grow. This show was first aired on Cinemax on January 11^th 2013 and has been renewed for a 10-episode second season for 2014. 

THROWBACK TV THURSDAY: GREY’S ANATOMY (ABC)

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Starting back in 2005 and into its ninth season this show has been dominating ABC’s primetime with love, sex and medicine. The more sexually stirred version of ER it’s about a group of surgical interns growing up and learning how to survive their seven-year surgical residencies. The show revolves around Dr. Meredith Grey (hence Grey’s Anatomy based off the famous anatomy book every medical doctor basically calls their bible) and her journey working at Seattle Grace Hospital. We always gain her perspective (through 98% of the episodes) because of Meredith’s voiceover that carries throughout the episode, teaching us a certain lesson that involves everyone in the episode. It is one of the cinematic choices that work for the show, it allows people to relate to the constantly changing storylines and allows the audience to empathize with characters that we may not even like because of the situational voiceovers.

Besides Dr. Grey there is a heavy loaded ensemble cast but the storylines cross and flow easily and you are easily caught up in all the crazy lives of every surgeon, doctor, nurse and patient. Meredith is doing her residency under Dr. Miranda Bailey (Chandra Wilson) along with Dr. Christina Yang (Sandra Oh), Dr. Alex Karev (Justin Chambers), Dr. Izzie Stevens (Katherine Heigl) and Dr. George O’Malley (T.R. Knight). Meredith falls for her attending, Dr. Derek Sheperd (Patrick Dempsey) who everyone calls McDreamy who is married to Dr. Addison Montgomery-Shepherd (Kate Walsh) who cheated on him with his best friend Dr. Mark Sloan (Eric Dane) so basically it’s a palooza of fun and sex and secrets! And we haven’t even touched the surface of who is sleeping with who residents wise. I’m just saying it’s a fully loaded series and it would suck anyone in.

Seriously, Shonda Rhimes the program creator (and series writer) is a genius for creating such a diverse show that shows female empowerment in a male dominated hospital along with amazing and thrilling medical mysteries to the point where I am crying if a certain patient dies because I grown personally attached. The best to me besides very clever transitions like a door closing and then another door opening but to a different character and different storyline. Or for instance someone says a certain statement and it’s finished or echoed by another character in another storyline. Very clever and sometimes could be a comedic relief after a sad or rough scene. However, I catch a lot of editing mistakes especially continuity but I’m a TV major and my eyes are trained to do so.

Overall, the storylines, characters and clever cinematography on top of the voice over are the key factors that draw me to the show. Every season there is a new character to replace another one that is still unique in their own way and the actors own it. I never doubt their characters for a minute and that’s what makes this show so enjoyable and I’m glad I am able to watch seven out of the nine seasons on Netflix so I never skip a beat! I never thought I would enjoy a overly sexy version of ER but somehow it just works and I’m enjoying the ride very much. 

TV TUESDAYS: BATES MOTEL (A&E)

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Let’s talk about Bates, baby. I am a huge Alfred Hitchcock fan and loved Psycho; from the casting to the way the movie was shot (especially back in the day) it was a great thriller for that time. Creator of Bates Motel Anthony Cipriano knew what he was doing when he casted Freddie Highmore to play Norman Bates, he really connected to the material. He has the same mannerisms, same explosive behavior and slowly but surely you can see this kid growing up to dress up in his mother’s robe and stab a girl in the shower. His mother, Norma Bates, (Vera Farmiga) also does an amazing job portraying that overprotective and needy mother who has been unsuccessful in love but will always have Norman, and through subtle shots of the mother in lingerie or changing in front of Norman down to their fully loaded dialogue suggests that their relationship will enter the creepy status sometime soon (I don’t want to spoil it but seriously look at every scene Norma and Norman are in for hidden glances and subtle sexual gestures.)

What absolutely kills me about the show is that it takes place in the PRESENT. I nearly shouted at the TV when I saw Norman Bates was waiting for his school bus with an IPHONE! I was caught so off guard because from that point on I was lost in the show gapping on how it takes place in our time and not the 1950s, when Psycho came out. Yes, that would make Norman a teenager in the 1930s-1940s but I was shocked how they changed the era completely instead of making it more ‘movie era accurate’. Is it to grab the attention of people who don’t know Psycho? I mean the house and motel itself is a legendary set so I don’t know how people could not know however, life goes on and I continued to watch the show.  I decided to take it with a grain of salt because I’ve always loved the movie and decided it would be interesting to see Norman Bates as a teenager now, especially since so much has happened historically since then, like famous murder cases and huge leaps in crime scene forensics.

Another fact I found unrealistic is Norman Bates meeting four hot girls from his new school at a bus stop and them automatically trying to be friends with him. Sorry, I’m not used to new kid in creepy house becoming popular with the ladies overnight and basically that is what happens. It is refreshing from the typical “eww he’s new, no one be friends with him” thing but in this day and age, lanky pale teenager would not be the heartthrob of the hot rich chicks in school (unless you were Harry Potter).

All that aside, within the first episode there is murder, suspicion and secrets that are begging to be told.  It’s very gripping and I personally don’t like horror but I would keep up with this show because of the Psycho roots and the way they adapt the roots of this classic film into a modern day series. They even keep similar camera angles around the house like they did in the film, and every scene between Norma and Norman show sexual tension, even with the size of the frame. Wait until the cops enter in the series because we constantly then see Norma always in the front of the frame while Norman lingers in the back frame, being protected by his mother. The very interesting cinematography kept me hooked as you can see.

This series was aired March 18^th 2013 but you can easily catch up on A&E or on their website. 

THROWBACK TV THURSDAY: ARCHER (FX)

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Already in it’s fourth season on the FX network, this animated show will make you want to watch the whole season in one day. Created by Adam Reed (who also plays Ray Gillette, the openly gay agent at ISIS) its bright-animated colors and clever editing makes it a show worth talking about for a TV review. Warning it is for mature audience’s only but I find it’s spoof on the sixties spy motif to be hilarious, even though they use the technology of cellphones in the show. Now the show is full of sex, racist remarks and sexist jokes but in it’s core it’s about relationships in the workplace and it is cleverly set up to be full of wise comments and one liner jokes that really makes even my Roman Catholic mother chuckle. Basically it’s centered on the most deadly agent at ISIS, Sterling Archer (H. Jon Benjamin) and his relationship with his usual partner (and past sexual partner) Lana Kane (Aisha Tyler). Among working with the other members of the ISIS family like, wants to be chocked for pleasure secretary Carol/Cheryl (Judy Greer), the overly gossipy HR personal Pam (Amber Nash), the Financial Guru Cyril Figgis (Chris Parnell) and the head of ISIS Malory Archer (Jessica Walter) and yes she is Archer’s mother.

With that heavily loaded comedic cast plus their very unique character personalities it’s easy to fall in love with this show. Not only does Archer and Lana go on some dangerous missions where someone is always shot or close to dying but the way they handle each situation and the small tidbits of information we find out each episode about the sex lives of certain ISIS personal, including Malory Archer’s sex life and the possibility the head of the KGB may be Archer’s father.

What I love about this show, besides the blatant sarcastic humor that I secretly enjoy is the transition between characters and storylines that makes it effortlessly easy to follow each and every story without being lost. Most transitions we are left on a verbal cliffhanger and the answer to the question is usually answered at the next transition by a different character in a different situation. It’s the best editing for an animated show I have ever seen. For example, Archer hangs up on his mother saying he is being shot at by agents when he clearly isn’t and he says to Lana something like, “Watch, she is so freaking out right now.” And it cuts to Malory going “Oh my God!” Then it cuts to a master shot of her painting her toenails and saying, “What shade is this? Crackwhore red?” So obviously, it shows she doesn’t care too much while showing the nature of the scene and what she is doing through a close up then a wide master shot.

These cinematic choices and clever chemistry amongst actors (did I mention that they all mostly really look like their characters in real life) are some things I really enjoy about the show and feel it’s worth talking about. And I’m not the only one since it’s been nominated for a Primetime Emmy in 2010 for Outstanding Voice-Over Performance for J. Jon Benjamin and in 2012-2013 been nominated for seven various Annie Awards. This show has a witty new way of looking at the spy era that we haven’t viewed before, and using our modern humor and sarcasm to highlight the various touchy subjects of the past, that affect our present as well like racism, sexism and working with previous sexual partners and working in a crazy place in general. 

TV TUESDAYS: THE AMERICANS (FX)

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This show completely took me by surprise in some aspects. The violence and fight scenes are very well choreographed and introduce how dangerous the lives of our main characters Elizabeth (Keri Russell) and Phillip Jennings (Matthew Rhys), two Russian KGB agents living the ‘American Dream’. The opening scene is Elizabeth Jennings hard at work, undercover trying to get top secret information out of an FBI agent and then within two minutes we are Every time they are at work using their Russian Spy disguises the world/surroundings change. Their world becomes darker, from the set to costumes and definitely their demeanors. Seeing the couple take on these different personas is remarkable to watch because of the way these actors have to constantly keep becoming different characters. I enjoyed seeing how and who these people will become on top of their biggest roles they play in the show, which is a loving American couple with two children, oh and who have an FBI agent in counterintelligence as their new neighbor.  

What kept me intrieged in the show besides the whole Russian Spies living among us theme is the certain little quips and mocks it has to that era. Like one scene where the daughter, Paige Jennings (Holly Taylor) is talking about space travel, especially the moon landing and Elizabeth remarks on how it’s getting into space that is important not just landing on the moon, showing her feelings towards her Mother Russia getting into space before USA. That lead me to another surprise, which is Elizabeth being the hard-core lover of all things Russia while the father and husband, Phillip being more accepting of the American ways and traditions. There is a scene when he’s shopping with his daughter for shoes and he tries on cowboy boots and does a gig, not even caring if people are watching. He’s the cute, corky dad and tries to be a loving husband to a more sterile, dry and quiet wife. I liked this role reversal because we get to see why she is so stubborn and set in her ways but it does make the dad more loveable and only that much more rewarding when he kicks the crap out of people who truly deserve it.

The storyline does get much darker as the series goes on but these inserts about the characters in the first few episodes does want to make the audience hold on and see how this non-traditional family deals with their lives as Russian spies and Americans. However, I don’t like choppiness of the editing sometimes, especially during fight scenes but the overall atmosphere and camera set ups to reveal storyline and nature of the characters and their relationships is very effective and kept me engaged. I give this show a seven out of ten and find that it’s the storyline that really keeps me intrigued to watch it more.