Paul Levinson's Blog: Levinson at Large, page 45

Harry and Meghan 1-3: The Media

I'm not so much a royal watcher as a lifelong student of media (and professor of media studies at Fordham University), so it was through that lense that I watched and really enjoyed the first three of six episodes of the Harry & Meghan documentary on Netflix.

Meghan is unique among the royals for several reasons.  The most interesting and important, I'd say, in the long run, is that she was already a success in the media before she met Harry.  Although Suits on the USA Network isn't quite up there with LA Law or Petrocelli, the legal drama ran for nine seasons, and Meghan played a major role as Rachel in seven of them.  This means that Meghan has a comfort with media, an understanding of its levers, challenges, and opportunities, that few people on the face of the Earth have, including the Royals.

It shows in Liz Garbus' excellent documentary.  Meghan is sparklingly articulate, in control of every scene -- except when she wants to appear not so -- and knows just how to catch and look at the camera, and us her audience.  This is not say she's feigning emotions.  She was convincing to me -- though, then again, I of course don't really know her.

Prince Harry no doubt benefits from his wife's media insight.  He also comes across as real and relaxed, and when he's upset and not relaxed at all, that seems thoroughly justified.  Again, I don't know Harry, so I can't say what he's like off-camera, but certainly his concern for Meghan's well-being and very life, in view of what happened to Harry's mother Diana, seems 100% warranted.

So the documentary brings home Harry and Meghan as a refreshingly real and therefore relatable couple.  As a significant comparison, Harry's older brother and heir to the throne Prince William and his wife Kate are also shown from time to time in the first three hours.  They seem nice and friendly enough, but on a different planet compared to Harry and Meghan in the way they relate to the world.  I suppose part of this is understandable, given the weight on William's shoulders as future King.  But part of this also comes from their personalities, and neither having anything like Meghan's facility with the media.

Other than Harry and Meghan per se, I thought the most commanding part of the documentary came from historian David Olusoga, whose critical take on the British commonwealth was a splash of icy salt water for any who romanticize the biggest empire that ever existed in our world.  The underside of bringing civilization to so many diverse places is the price that people of color are still paying for this achievement.

But there's a lot more to Harry and Meghan's story.  We're advised at the beginning of the documentary that the filming concluded in August 2022, or prior to the end of Queen Elizabeth II's long reign in September.  There was a walkabout in Windsor in September, with William and Kate, and Harry and Meghan, greeting the people.  For whatever reason, the two couples spoke to the people separately, on opposing sides of the street, and there was not much interaction between them.  Harry and Meghan of course were fully aware of the documentary, and the story it would tell.  William and Kate must have known about it, but it's not clear if they'd seen it. Probably not.

But I'm definitely looking forward to seeing the concluding three episodes of the documentary on Thursday.

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Criminal Minds: Evolution 16.1-16.4; Outstanding!

So, I saw the first episode of Criminal Minds: Evolution aka Criminal Minds Season 16 on CBS and thought it was ok.  Last night I watched the next three episodes (16.2-16.4) and thought they were superb. So much so that I think this could be the best season of Criminal Minds in its long run.

Before I tell you why, let me give some personal history.  My wife and I were devoted fans of Criminal Minds for most of its run on CBS.  We stopped watching sometime in the 14th season.  We missed Hotch after his sudden departure at the beginning of the 13th season (since I have no direct knowledge of the incident that triggered his leaving, I won't comment on whether ABC/CBS were right to terminate Thomas Gibson's contract).  But, in addition to that, we were just getting tired of the series.

Now to season 16 [and there will be spoilers ahead ...]

As I said, we thought the first episode was ok.  Not good enough for us to rush over to Paramount+ and watch the second and ensuing episodes.  But I thought I'd give them a try last night, and ... wow -- I was glued to the screen for three hours.

Here are some of the reasons:

The idea of a master serial killer, who puts together a network of serial killers, so he can get his kicks vicariously, since he's stuck in his house with his family in the COVID lockdown, is brilliant.  This is probably the most creative integration of the pandemic and its effects into a ongoing television series that I've seen.  It's also good to see Zach Gilford from Friday Night Lights in the role -- he's perfect for the part of Elias Volt (a suitably electrifying name), a loving husband and father, who knows how to put together and run a digital network, and has a very dark and dangerous side..On the subject of acting, the returning characters are all good to excellent.  A. J. Cook gets better and better as Jennifer every year, and she is outstanding in Evolution.  She and Kirsten Vangsness as Penelope are the only characters to have been on the show in one way or another every season, and Penelope is in fine form in this new season, too.  It was also good to Joe Mantegna back as Rossi.  I did miss Matthew Gray Gubler as Spencer, though, and I hope he makes a surprise reappearance before the end of this season.The specific stories involving the master unsub and his network of killers are also very well done, including an episode in which the BAU thinks the killings are part of the unsub network, but are not. We had master nemeses who were recurring characters in prior seasons, but none as central and multi-tentacled as Elias Volt, seething with violence that is almost always just below the surface. And when it's not ... well, his use of a vicious dog to kill someone who looks like his jackass neighbor is a representative piece of work: he can't kill his neighbor, because Volt would be an instant suspect, so he vents his anger on some innocent guy who looks like his neighbor. And ever vigilant, he then kills the dog, too.The quotes are as apt as ever, and the more realistic language is welcome, even if almost all of it comes from Rossi.So we have something in Criminal Minds: Evolution somewhere between a reboot and a new season, and an altogether commanding piece of television.

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Some reviews of episodes from earlier seasons:
Criminal Minds 8.12: Spencer's Burden
Criminal Minds 7.1: "The Is Calm and It's Doctor" ... Criminal Minds 7.3: Meets House and The Unit

Criminal Minds in Sixth Season Premiere ... Criminal Minds 6.2: The Meaning of J. J. Leaving ... Criminal Minds 6.3: Proust, Twain, Travanti ... Tyra on Criminal Minds 6.13 ...Criminal Minds 6. 17: Prentiss Farewell Part I ... Criminal Minds 6.18: Farewell Emily ... Criminal Minds 6.19: Fight Club Redux Plus ... Criminal Minds 6.20: Emily's Ghost ... Criminal Minds 6.21: The Tweeting Killer ... Criminal Minds 6.22: Psycho and a Half ... Criminal Minds 6.23: The Good Lie ... Criminal Minds Season 6 Finale

Criminal Minds 5.22 and the Dark Side of New New Media
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Surface season 1: Deeply Engaging

I saw that Apple TV+ recently signed on for a second season of Surface, and since I hadn't seen the first season (which was on Apple TV+ this past summer), I figured I should.  And I'm very glad that I did.  It's rare that I watch a whodunnit aka mystery story with so many pieces that fit together so well in retrospect but I haven't been able to work out when they -- the characters and the situations -- first come into play.  But Surface did just that, and I'm eagerly awaiting more in the second season.

[Inevitably, some spoilers ahead ... ]

The story starts with Sophie and her almost total amnesia, the result, most people think, of her attempted suicide, as she jumps off a bridge into the deep waters near the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco.  Except Sophie can't quite believe she tried to take her own life, and has a feeling she was pushed. 

By whom?

Her husband seems truly loving, but he's apparently caught up in some big money business deal which went bad.  And he is sleeping with Sophie's best friend.  Meanwhile, Sophie discovers that she was having an even more tempestuous affair with an undercover narcotics detective.  He loves Sophie, and strongly suspects that she was indeed pushed overboard -- by her husband.

I won't tell you anything more about the plot, in case you haven't seen the series, which you should.  I will say that even the secondary characters are excellent, ranging from the husband's best friend to a senior detective in the SFPD.  And the acting is excellent, too, with a tour-de-force performance by Gugu Mbatha-Raw as Sophie, and memorable jobs by Oliver Jackson-Cohen as her husband, Stephan James as her narcotics detective, and Marianne Jean-Baptiste as her shrink.

And, as I said, the amazing thing about this complex puzzle of a story is that just about everything fits together in the end.  Indeed, my only big question now is why did Apple TV+ wait so long to renew this gem of a series?

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The Mosquito Coast 2.6: Close Calls

Lots of close calls on The Mosquito Coast 2.6 on Apple TV+ today.  Here are my three favorites:

[Spoilers ahead ... ]

1. Allie and Lee (I know, that's his last name) manage to walk out of that big event they derailed without killing anyone.  And that was because (a) Allie kept stopping Lee from doing that (and not by force, but by a prohibitive look) and (b) that kid did not identify them.  And that was a really nice lesson in good deeds being repaid:  Allie stopped Lee from killing the kid, so the kid didn't ID Allie.  Even more impressive, the kid didn't ID Lee, either.  Why not?  Did the kid think that ID would have resulted in Lee pulling out his gun, and who knows who might have been shot, including maybe the kid?  Hard to say.  But anyway, it was a redeeming scene.

2. Charlie points a gun at Richard and pulls the trigger -- but Richard isn't shot because the ammo has been removed -- by Charlie.  That's an amazing scene, too.  Charlie has really grown up between the first and this second season.  He now knows how to express his anger very effectively, without doing physical damage.

3. Margot under that log was a scene that made your skin crawl, in addition to Margot's.  The Mosquito Coast, especially this season, is very visceral.  You can feel the elements of the jungle on the screen, in your lungs.  The cooked goat and its head and those eyes was more of that, and also very effective.

I guess my least favorite part was back in the United States, and Raban trying to nab Allie and Margot.  Because we've seen that kind of scene and story countless times before.  But, ok, one trite thread in an otherwise brightly original tapestry of a narrative isn't too much to bear, at all.

See also The Mosquito Coast 2.1: Thirteen Years Ago ... The Mosquito Coast 2.4: Motion Pictures on the Cave Wall ... The Mosquito Coast 2.5: Hitting the Fan

And see also The Mosquito Coast 1.1-2: Edgy, Attractive, Enlightened, and Important ... The Mosquito Coast 1.3: Broadening Horizons ... The Mosquito Coast 1.4: Charlie and the Gun ... The Mosquito Coast 1.5: Charlie and the Gun, Part II ... The Mosquito Coast 1.6: What Kind of Brother? ... The Mosquito Coast season 1 finale: I'm Well Bitten

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Slow Horses 2.3: Faster Than You Think

Whew, Slow Horses aren't/isn't fooling around this season -- not that they/it weren't/wasn't deadly serious along with their/its deadpan humor in the first two seasons -- but [spoilers follows ...]

Killing off a major supporting character at the beginning of the third episode is one wicked move.   Not to mention that Min was one of the more lovable characters, especially by Louisa.   But just to make sure you -- the viewer -- didn't get too upset about this loss, it was fun to see all the other characters reacting true to form to Min's death.

Especially Ho, who remarks than Min was "ok for an average guy".  We've seen sarcastic, self-absorbed computer guys before, but Ho has become the definitive portrayal of that archetype in my book.  And Lamb's response, "I hope you don't get to write my obit," was just right for him, too.

But Lamb is getting to be a much more serious character than he was last season.  He doesn't believe for an instant that Min's death on the bicycle was an accident, even though he did have a lot alcohol in him. The next to final scene of Lamb confronting the woman who claimed to be the driver was a great piece of MI-6 work, whatever the name of the unit.

Of course, the whole point of this narrative is that Slough House isn't really slow at all.  Indeed, as Spider's comments again make clear, it's the agents back at headquarters who are little behind the eight ball, at least some of them, some of the time.  But you do get the feeling, watching this series, with Mick Jagger singing at the beginning and the end (I keep mentioning that because it's so good), but you do get the feeling that these slow horses may be the best defense our free world can muster.

Even if Lamb takes off his well-worn shoes and puts he socked feet up on his desk right in front of a fan.  Hey, that's how the man does his best thinking.

See also Slow Horses 2.1-2.2: Do Horses Eat Ramen?

And see also Slow Horses 1.1-2: Fast-Moving Spy Thriller ... Slow Horses 1.3: The Fine Art of Bumbling ... Slow Horses 1.4: Fine New Song by Mick Jagger ... Slow Horses 1.5: Did You Hear the One About the ... Slow Horses 1.6: The Scorecard

  

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Echo 3 1.5: Currents

I gotta say, I thought that long scene in Echo 3 1.5 on Apple TV+ with Amber battling her way down the currents of whatever that water is called, trying to make her way, I guess to the Amazon, as the woman played by Franka Potente had told her (always, a great performance), well, I thought that long scene was just one masterpiece of work.  That scene alone made the whole episode worth seeing.  And there are other reasons.

[Ok, some spoilers above, and there'll be more ahead ... ]

I liked the fish that Tomas was praising -- it sure looked delicious to me -- but when he later blamed the bad way he looked on bad fish, I couldn't tell whether he was lying then about the fish, or lying when he earlier said the fish was wonderful, to Amber.

The other good thing about that fish, even if it was little obvious, was that a dead fish out of water with its mouth open could easily be taken as a metaphor of what Amber was trying to avoid.  Or, more precisely, she's already a fish out of water with an open mouth, but trying very hard not to be dead.   Optimist that I am, I would have much prefered her escaping to ending up back in captivity, even though I know this is only the fifth episode, and the end of just Part 2 on this refreshing series.

Yeah, I think it's a refreshing take on a trite subject, and that makes the swift, dangerous currents she was contending with even better to see, because for all the peril they provided they were also viscerally refreshing to see.  Also impressive is that Amber was the only major character in this episode, a daring move in a series in which the trinity of three major characters was so well established in the very first episode.

Echo 3 also feels like it's moving very slowly and very quickly at the same time.  Is that a characteristic of currents?  I don't know, but it's working very well in this series, and  I'm looking forward to the next episode.

See also Echo 3 1.1-1.3: Bondian Flavor and Pure Adrenalin ... 1.4 Welcome to the Jungle

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Elon Musk and the First Amendment

Published yesterday on NBC News Think, my Op-Ed How Elon Musk is complicating America’s understanding of free speech

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Spiderhead: Milgram in Science Fiction

I just saw Spiderhead on Netflix, read the review in Variety just to see what other people thought of it, and find myself once again in substantial disagreement with a critic venting spleen about a movie of TV series.   Not that I thought the movie was overly good.  But--

[Mild, general spoilers follow...]

The movie is adopted from a George Saunders story which I haven't read, so I don't care about how well the movie reflected the story, whereas the Variety critic did.

And there was one thing which in itself made the movie worth watching.  It is, in effect, a dramatization of Stanley Milgram's "obedience to authority" experiment, back in the 1960s, in which Milgram discovered that subjects thinking they were in a scientific study were willing to mete out to pain to confederates of Milgram, who were working with Milgram, and pretended to be subjects and feigned pain.  The real subjects were the ones one who turned up the faux-pain delivery on Milgram's command,

In Spearhead (the movie), the subjects are on both the delivery and the receiving ends of the pain, and the deliverables are drugs which provide all kinds of effects, ranging from erotic attraction to obedience to depression.  And since it's fiction, the scientist is a flat-out bad guy, unlike Milgram, who confirmed a highly unfortunate aspect of human nature -- one which Milgram was already well aware of, doing his experiment just a little over decade after the concentration camps run by Nazi Germany were liberated.

The production of Spiderhead had its highs and lows.  The music -- playing of well known songs -- was excellent.  But suffering of the victims ... well,  I would have been happy not to have seen (on this point, the Variety critic and I agree).   The acting was adequate.

So ... if Milgram's experiment is of interest to you, or if you enjoy a movie about the benefits and drawbacks of emotions brought forth by drugs, check out Spiderhead if you haven't already seen it.

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Three Pines 1.1-1.2: Murder North of Montreal and Much More

Just caught the first two episodes of Three Pines, a new series on Amazon Prime Video -- at once charming, dangerous, provocative, with a Sherlock Holmesian detective (Inspector Gamache, played by Alfred Molina) and gorgeous wintery scenery north of Montreal.  It somehow manages to have elements of a British cosy whodunnit, with cursing you wouldn't hear even in Chicago PD, and it's an altogether wonderful treat to see.

I should also mention that it's based on Louise Penny's series of novels (which I haven't yet read), before I warn you about spoilers ahead...

These first two episodes feature Gamache hard at work on two cases, a missing Indigenous young woman, and soon an horrendous mother -- an author -- who is electrocuted sitting in a chair outside in snow, watching a curling match.

The second case is solved by the end of the second episode.  The first case remains, and I assume will be pursued throughout at least this entire season.  The first case, in addition to what I said above, also has elements of the Murdoch Mysteries, and a group of intriguing suspects, each somewhat plausible, given what an awful parent the victim was.  How awful?  She tells her daughter she's sorry the daughter was born.

The series is also lifted by a contemporary dialogue, rife not only with cursing but wisecracks and sarcasm.  These are heard in a timely way, every time you might be lulled into thinking you're only seeing a Hercule Poirot in Canada.  I've found there's something about Canadian TV shows in general which gives them a special appeal you don't find in American TV -- I'm thinking here of the police shows 19-2 and Flashpoint, as well as the Murdoch Mysteries -- and Three Pines has a nice helping of that, too.

Highly recommended, and I'll see you back here with more reviews.

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The Mosquito Coast 2.5: Hitting the Fan

I thought The Mosquito Coast 2.5 on Apple TV+ was the best episode so far this season, and among the best in the overall series.

Here's why:

[Spoilers ahead ... ]

1. Dina's conversation with her mother Margot finally let it all hang out.  Dina now understands at last how and why she and her family wound up in this jungle.   She's also understandably furious, and in an epic scene tells her mother she wished Margot had slit her wrists, taken her life, as Margot admitted she had wanted to do and still thought about doing from time to time.  To Margot's credit, she didn't crumble under this massive and mostly justified attack.

2. Allie and William Lee working together was sight to see, beginning with their time in the car and the music that was playing, ending with their sabotage of Carter Albrecht's media presentation (good to see Reed Diamond in this role).  Allie stepping up and in front of the kid in the control room to save his life from Bill's bullet about to be fired was a prime moment, as was the very last moment of this episode, leaving both men in quandary: how to get out there, not get caught, as Bautista had commanded them not to do, on pain of losing everything that was dear to them, including Allie's family.  And just to raise the stakes of that final scene even more, Allie clearly not only wants to get out there, but do that without Bill killing anyone.

Indeed, that ending in itself was probably the best in the series.  I'll see you back here next week with my review of how it all turns out.

See also The Mosquito Coast 2.1: Thirteen Years Ago ... The Mosquito Coast 2.4: Motion Pictures on the Cave Wall

And see also The Mosquito Coast 1.1-2: Edgy, Attractive, Enlightened, and Important ... The Mosquito Coast 1.3: Broadening Horizons ... The Mosquito Coast 1.4: Charlie and the Gun ... The Mosquito Coast 1.5: Charlie and the Gun, Part II ... The Mosquito Coast 1.6: What Kind of Brother? ... The Mosquito Coast season 1 finale: I'm Well Bitten

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