AMC had a big week debuting a new show and beginning seasons
in two other shows. I will fully admit I was nervous about all three. I thought
the new drama, Low Winter Sun, looked like it might be a little much. I was
scared that Hell on Wheels went to far to come back at the end of last season.
And I was worried that Breaking Bad might be trudging slowly for 6 or 7
episodes just to get to its climax.
My worries were laid to rest on all three shows. And in
typical AMC drama fashion … they came in an pushed Showtime right on out …
taking all three spots in This Week’s Top Three.
3. Hell on Wheels, Episodes
1 and 2, Big Bad Wolf and Eminent Domain. The ending of Season 2 of Hell on
Wheels presented some major issues for the show going forward. The death of a
very popular character followed by the imprisonment of a central antagonist
made the future of Cullen Bohannan (Anson Mount) seem very murky and possibly
uninteresting. But, the writers figured out how to keep it going and make it
fresh. The opening was a little over the top. A little of the story was
herky-jerky (I mean, Cullen and Elam get to New York and back awfully quickly).
But in the end, it stayed trued to its spirit and remains a believable Western
drama … something television has not had much of in recent memory … if ever.
Obviously, the most compelling part of the story here is the back and forth
between Bohannon and Elam (Common), but the show is able to bring plenty of
other parts of the Wild West to the forefront and explore it emotionally and
historically. The eviction of a Mormon family to build the railroad right
through their land was gripping television and the friction forming early
between Bohannon about doing what is best for the railroad and what is right is
going to be the main story point throughout the season.
2. Low Winter Sun,
Episode 1, Pilot. When AMC debuts a new drama you should watch. Period. I
was almost turned off by the previews of this show, but I kept reminding myself
to not doubt AMC’s ability to make amazing dramatic television. From the
opening moments where two cops murder another cop to the end where one of those
cops feels he was duped … you cannot turn away. Mark Strong is perfectly cast
as the brooding Detective Frank Agnew and Lennie James is equally solid playing
his partner in murder, Joe Geddes. Some of the other parts of the show were a
little cliché for cop procedurals, but in general it was well-written and makes
you want to come back for more. Two alumni from The Wire, David Costabile and
James Ransone, help round out a solid cast. I am very eager to see where this
show goes in the next few weeks and see if AMC has struck gold again.
1. Breaking Bad,
Episode 1, Blood Money. The weight of the world is on Vince Gilligan’s
shoulders for the “Final 8” and in round one he delivered big time. The first
eight episodes of Season 5 (aired last summer) were a little gimmicky in their
build up to these final eight and left me wondering if Gilligan and the other
writers have lost their mojo as the ending approaches. This opening act left no
doubt that we are in for a fantastic finish to one of the ten best shows ever
on television. The jump forward to Walter White (Bryan Cranston) making a
return visit to his house to get his ricin back had so much information in it
that I don’t even know where to begin. The house is condemned. It has clearly
been the target of vandals and more. His full head of hair seems to indicate
that he has beaten cancer … again. And his quick interaction with his next-door
neighbor shows that she knows who he is and fears him. Heisenberg has been
outed to everyone. But the show gets great when it starts to explore all the
sides of Walt trying to get out of the business. Lydia shows up at the car wash
and gets an earful from Walt and Skylar. Jesse Pinkman (Aaron Paul) is in such a
bad place mentally that he cannot bring himself to even touch any of the $5
million he has received from Walt. He tries getting rid of it any way he can …
no matter how reckless it could be to him or to Walt. And Walt, with cancer
back full throttle, realizes a major
mistake has happened and Hank (Dean Norris) is on to him.
The confrontation between Hank and Walt at the end of the
episode is exactly what you expect from great television series. They did not
delay this face-to-face for three episodes while messing around … Gilligan got
right to it. And for a show that has had so many memorable moments and so many
memorable moments and so many memorable lines … it clearly is ready to tackle
the end and it surely will not tread lightly.
Honorable Mention:
The Bridge, Episode 5, “The Beast”; Dexter, Episode 7, “Dress Code”
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