As I've said before in my review of The Red Line, I give CBS-TV a lot of credit for airing this sensitive and important mini-series. It's the kind of series you'd expect to find on cable or streaming, and its presence on an old, traditional network at once tells us that this network isn't so old or traditional, after all.
[spoilers follow] ....
The ending was realistic and optimistic, a tough combination to find anywhere these days. The cop, Paul Evans, gets off without a grand jury indictment, which still happens all too often when a white cop is caught on video killing a black man, without justification. In other words, murdering him.
But Tia wins the election as Alderman. Even though the corrupt DA also wins. And, in the end, Evans resigns. He recognizes that he's racist. That's progress and optimistic indeed.
The gay thread of this vivid drama was handled very well, too. Jira's biological father has found her, and that's heart-warming. But he also found God, years ago, and his devout beliefs tell him a man and a man being husband and husband is wrong. Jira, as much as she wants a relationship with her biological father, tells him to leave. All of this is very realistic.
I know The Red Line is billed as a mini-series, but I would tune in immediately if there was a sequel. And there's ample room for that. I want to see how Tia does in office. I want to see how Daniel does with Liam. And speaking of Daniel - if Noah Wyle doesn't at least get nominated for an Emmy, I'll be stunned. And, though there have been lots of other strong male performances in short series, I'd say he has a strong chance of winning, as well.
See also The Red Line 1.1-4: Bursting with Crucial Lessons for Our Age
Videos in which I talk about Black Lives Matter: here and here
Well, although everything up to the ending in this, the very last episode of Falling Skies, was more of the recent same - which is to say, not very interesting or original - the series managed to pull off a memorable conclusion in its last few minutes.
