Meadowlands concluded its first of who knows how many seasons tonight on Showtime with a satisfying eighth episode.Best tonight was the acting - especially of the core family. David Morrissey put in a top-notch performance, acting making Danny look happy when needed. Felicity Jones as Zoe and Harry Treadaway as Mark were the best they've been all season, too. And Lucy Cohu as Evelyn was excellent.
The writing was outstanding, too. Zoe probably had the best lines - my favorite was her "bullet in the sun feels the same as a bullet in rain" (sun being out of Meadowlands, rain being in) - but just about everyone had memorable zingers. Kudos to writer Robert Murphy.
The plot was good, too. We were treated to Brenda's back story tonight - and these back stories, as I mentioned last week, are making Meadowlands feel ever so slightly like Lost. Which is a high compliment, in my book.
And speaking of Lost ... Danny is told the truth of his non-paternity of Zoe and Mark (Evelyn tells him, because the awful Dr. York is drunk and really about to) ... Danny drives away from Meadowlands without Evelyn, Zoe, and Mark (after working hard to convince them to leave, after they didn't want to) ... and he drives and drives ... only to get to the end of the road, and find himself at a precipice looking out at some desolate who knows what territory ...
And Dr. Jack Shephard comes walking up a hill ...
No, only kidding about the last ... would have been a good twist, though.
So where does that leave us on Meadowlands?
It has its moments - mainly propelled by the attractive cast - their dialog as well as acting. But a lot of it was too soap-operish.
If there's a second season, I would vote for it being more like this final episode in pace and plot. Would I like to see a second season? Yeah - on balance the road, though long and windy, did offer some intriguingly miasmic possibilities...
reviews of other episodes: Meadowlands Opens ... with Tongues and Grooves ... Episode 2 ...
Episode 3 ... Episode 4 ... Episode 5 ... Episode 6 ... Episode 7
The Plot to Save Socrates
"a Da Vinci-esque thriller" - New York Daily News
"Sierra Waters is sexy as hell" - curled up with a good book
3 comments:
Hi Paul, I didn't get to see the whole episode but I will. I did watch this full season of Big Love and your right it sucks you in in a strange way. I am going to watch the beginning of Big Love on demand can't wait to see how it all began
Did you notice I put this Meadowlands review up, really early, especially for you.... :)
Hi Paul,
The big question for me is, was the wasteland at the end real, or just another hypnogogic hallucination?
I guess we'll only find out if the show is renewed for another season.
Keep up the good work!
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