"Paul Levinson's It's Real Life is a page-turning exploration into that multiverse known as rock and roll. But it is much more than a marvelous adventure narrated by a master storyteller...it is also an exquisite meditation on the very nature of alternate history." -- Jack Dann, The Fiction Writer's Guide to Alternate History

Friday, March 14, 2014

Banshee Season 2 Finale: Just Right and Shattering

Well, with the excellent second season of Banshee now complete, I can offer a review with no spoilers whatsoever, because you presumably saw what I'll be talking about.  Or, if you need to see it, you should, and you'll be glad you did.

Among the most effective parts of the Season 2 finale -
  • Emmett and his wife getting gunned down by the neo-Nazis was pure what-a-rotten world we live in, and tough to see.   There was almost a mystical element in this - for all of its violence, there's also almost a protective magic around Banshee's law enforcement people, that somehow allows them to escape the worst of the world.  We've seen this, certainly, in the charmed lives of Hood and Siobhan.   It even extends to Hood and Carrie outside Banshee.  But not to Emmett and his wife, who die soon after they get out of Banshee's strange precincts.
  • It was good to see Rebecca give Alex just what he deserved - especially after Burton's lack of faith in her (and Rebecca's response then to Burton was just right, too).
  • The last scene between Rebecca and Proctor was also right on key.  Look, there's a strong sexual attraction between the two. Rebecca would have slept with Proctor right then and there, and Proctor was just able to pull back from falling into this and turn it - barely -  into an avuncular hug.  Proctor's strong physical feelings for Rebecca are the main reason he killed Jason Hood (though you have to give Proctor credit for apparently not knowing that Jason was Lucas's "son").   Anyway, we're bound to see more of Proctor and Rebecca together and likely in bed in the third season.
  • The New Orleans coda did just what it was supposed to do: that guy is unstoppable.  He can practically eat cars whole for breakfast.  How on Earth Lucas will deal with him in Season 3 - likely aided by Nola, no less - should be fun and shattering to see.
  • Yeah, I was glad too to see Rabbit go for good.  Much as Ben Cross's acting was superb, I wouldn't have minded at all had the character remained dead at the end of the first season. Yulish the priest, however, was another matter.   He put out a pretty good death-dealing effort, and I would've been happy to see more.   That church was indeed one memorably messed-up place, as Job's friend aptly noted.
But Banshee was not messed up at all this season, and indeed continued as one the freshest, most outrageous shows on television. I'm looking forward to more of the same next season.




Like crime stories that involve the Amish? Try The Silk Code

#SFWApro

Posted by at
Labels: ,

No comments:

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)
InfiniteRegress.tv