SHORT SHRIFT ELONGATED

Does anyone else find it at least mildly amusing that English novelist George Eliot… the very same 19^th century author who is universally quoted for the admonishment “never judge a book by its cover”… was, in fact, a woman? Honest. Mary Ann Evans is responsible for the quote and the seven novels credited to Mr. Eliot.

This is the stuff of the COVID sufferer on an island paradise in Florida’s sub-tropics. Just why I would research something like that at this time is really the subject of this article which focuses on the wisdom of drawing a conclusion about a television series based on viewing only its first episode.

As in so many things, temptation makes these things understandable. The opening episode of A Man in Full was an easy tip-off to flip off the TV and run off into the night. Alas, I did not do that but remained at my post through the entire six-episode Netflix debacle.

Sugar on Apple TV was next, and my thought was not to be so seriously misled again. True, the opening episode of this private eye homage to Hollywood and film noir, starring Colin Farrell, was not nearly so poorly conceived as the previously mentioned Jeff Daniels’ piece, but it was just too cute by half for me to stick with it for another seven episodes.

I have been spoiled by J.J. Abrams. The opening episode of his series Alias, with Jennifer Garner, or his subsequent series, LOST are paradigms of how to begin a television series that will capture an audience and give those viewers every reason to want to continue to watch what comes next. More recently, writers Donald Glover and Francesca Sloane prove that knowing how to start a television series is NOT a lost art and they demonstrate that in their recent Amazon Prime hit, Mr. and Mrs. Smith.

This is not rocket science. In fact, it is sort of series creation 101. Still, not everyone gets it. Sometimes, though, it is the fault of the viewer (or, in this case, reviewer). I did not much like Game of Thrones when it debuted. Not my cup of tea, I thought… and the actors’ accents and the arcane dialogue did not resonate for me. Weeks later I returned to the show and… well, save for that final episode, I became and remained a huge fan for years.

I got through the worst episode of David Milch’s first series on HBO out of respect for the writer, the cast that had been assembled, and the nagging thought that something special was about to occur. It did, and Deadwood remains at the top of my list for all-time best television series. It took me two episodes to get into Watchmen, but with the arrival of Jean Smart’s character I was sold.

I will not go on much longer. Still, I find my COVID racked brain wondering… why not?

I digress. The point of the piece is the rush to judgment. Often not a good thing. I revisited Sugar and streamed the final seven episodes in two sessions. It is a good show. Not a great show even though it is now sharing this column with Game of Thrones, Deadwood, Alias and LOST. It ain’t one of those. It is not even a Mr. & Mrs. Smith, but it is good. The cast is spot on, the direction is stylish, the reveal in the penultimate episode is a genuine surprise, and my admonition to you is to watch this.

And lest it was not clear from the short shrift given RIPLEY in previous columns, this series also is to be watched and admired. Stylish, cinematic, well-acted and beautifully staged, I commend these Netflix eight episodes to you with the caveat that RIPLEY is methodically tense throughout. You want to watch TV to relax? Stick with Netflix and revisit The Good Place with Ted Danson and Kristen Bell. Simply delightful.

 

Barney Rosenzweig