Terriers is a new FX show, airing Wednesday at 10 pm cst, and I am mad about it! It's probably my favorite new show of the season, followed closely in second by HBO'S Boardwalk Empire. According to the ratings, not many of you have jumped on the Terriers bandwagon. That's why I'm here, to drum up some support. Logue and James has taken t0 the road, touring college campuses, to get he word out and I'm gonna do my part to do the same.
The show stars Donal Logue as rascally Hank Dolworth, an ex alcoholic, ex cop, with a very broken soul. You get the feeling that Hank has a tenuous hold on the difference between good and bad. He's not a bad man really, he genuinely cares about people, it's just that somewhere along the way, his 'do the right thing' barometer got smashed. This causes all kinds of fall out for those around him.
Michael Raymond-James (True Blood's sexy, but psycho Renee) co-stars as Hank's best friend and partner, Brit. Even though Brit has a criminal past, his lines between good and bad are clearer than Hank's. Unlike Hank, Brit maintains a great relationship with his live in, Katie. He is aware that his partner constantly steps into that gray area of decision making, and sometimes he is okay with it, but others you can see fears that one day Hank may take it too far and drag Brit down with him.
The premises of the show is these two 'losers' run an unlicensed PI business, in which they spend their time taking unconventional cases, skirting the law (and Hank's ex cop partner), out crooking the crooks, all while fighting to keep their damaged lives from falling apart. But the show is more than that. This show is a great character study about what happens when a good man hits rock bottom and his constant fight to regain some semblance of the life he lost. Hank really does want to be that good man again, but most often he fails miserably.
I have been a fan of Donal Logue since I first became aware of him as the dumpy, yet sexy Dex in The Tao of Steve. Since then, I have closely followed his career. I adored his TV show Grounded for Life, which I still watch in syndication. I kinda liked The Knights of Prosperity, but really loved him as Capt Tidwell in Life. Unfortunately, both of those shows were cancelled. The later, far too soon, in my opinion. Life was a great show and should have had a long viewing life, but as I've lamented before, America has no taste.
If you are familiar with Logue, you'll know he's known for his comic portrayal of characters. I was expecting and looking forward to more of the same in Terriers. I was stunned when I realized this is not a traditional comedy, but a very dark drama with comedy around it's edges. Logue's Hank is not a buffoon. He is very damaged, heartbroken man with a dark side a mile long. He has a lovable, roguish way about him, but there is a black hole quality surrounding him. We realize fairly early in the shows, that unless he gets a grip on himself soon, eventually he'll suck all those in orbit of him into this void with him. This feeling of foreboding is emphasized when his ex partner, Det. Gustafoson warns Britt that "You gotta know he's gonna let you down, it is not in Hank Dolworth to do anything, but self-destruct on people and when he does, everyone catches shrapnel."
Now don't think that this show is a downer, not by any means. Often times it is wickedly funny. From the quick witted banter between the two stars, to the absurd situations they find themselves in. However, the best thing about the show is how every time they get that 'prize', it never is the outcome they envisioned. Most of the time it brings new consequences or problems. You'll find yourself nodding in agreement, "Yeah, lots of time shit just doesn't pan out like you expected it."
Despite his short comings, I find myself rooting for Hank. I want him to find that light at he end of his tunnel and I'm disappointed with him, every time he stumbles. This show is fantastic and I know many of you would dig it, if you would just give it a chance. Stick with it through episode four, before you make a decision. The other three are basically build ups and at ep 4 it really takes off. Please guys, get these ratings up, so we won't lose another great show. Don't let this be another Firefly or Wonderfalls. Don't disappoint me again!!!
0 comments:
Post a Comment