Chance: Couch to Action

First television review of 2018:  What more could you ask for?  Hugh Laurie playing a specialized shrink, with a fondness for William James, a penchant for not just treating his patients' maladies but doing something about them in the real world - that is, punishing some of the people who are physically abusing his patients - and an accomplice/guide who is at once street smart, enormously capable in the martial arts, and has the keenest sense of injustice and what to do about it you've ever seen on the screen.   Welcome to Chance - the shrink - and D (short for Darius) as his partner in righting wrongs.

But lest you think that Chance is some kind of super-hero show, it's also the furthest thing from it, as Chance and D ultimately have only their flawed and all-too-human strengths to rely upon.  They take chances all the time - which makes the series especially aptly named - and sometimes fail in their endeavors.

The acting by Laurie as Chance is superb - not surprising - and Ethan Suplee as D (first time I've seen this actor, or recall seeing him, but I won't be forgetting him now) was outstanding.  The supporting acting was great, too, with Clarke Peters, who was excellent in The Wire and everything since, putting in a fine performance as D's employer (an antique dealer), and Stefania LaVie Owen just right as Nicole Chance, who takes after her father in all kinds of ways.   On fathers and daughters, we've seen this before in many a television series - Lie to Me, Californication, and Bosch are three that come immediately to mind - but Chance and his daughter have the most riveting storyline.

The first two seasons are both entirely different yet deftly woven together.   Chance falls in love with a likely psycho - fetchingly played by Gretchen Mol - in the first season, and hunts a straight-up psycho with much more to his story in the second season.  Highly recommended for fans of detective, shrink, and Hugh Laurie shows - you won't be disappointed, and you'll be eagerly awaiting a third season on Hulu, as am I.

winner Locus Award for best first novel ... introducing Dr. Phil D'Amato