This was a very pleasant surprise: I hadn't heard about this and yet it stars Rome's James Purefoy and The Wire's Michael Kenneth Williams. So far, to me this is one of 2016's most uexpected gems. It may take a while to get going (hence probably the low rating from viewers who expected something different), but boy does the patient viewer get rewarded with the last 3 episodes (for your information: the story consists of only 6 episodes).
The first 3 episodes are all about the characters and their relationships, slowly building the story and creating atmosphere, while the last 3 episodes really let the shît hit the fan. It's not for the faint of heart, frequently depicting Fargo-level brutality and bloody violence. The overall tone might be that of a quirky, slightly melancholic and darkly funny buddy comedy, but it changes several times from rather light to pitch black and even downright disturbing.
Thanks to the great chemistry between leads Purefoy and Williams, the bromance - and near constant bickering - between Hap, a disillusioned ex-hippie and war protester (white and straight) and his best friend Leonard, an easy to anger Vietnam vet (black and gay), keeps you entertained even through the show's somewhat sluggish start. To give you a brief synopsis of what the first season is all about (without any spoilers): We're in the late eighties and our two constantly broke southern protagonists barely get by, working as pickers in the east Texan rose fields, when one day Hap's wannabe revolutionary ex-wife shows up with a promising proposition. The proposition (which is not a spoiler as it's all in the first couple of minutes of the first episode): In exchange for a fair share upon success, help her find the long lost loot of a bank robbery gone wrong which is supposedly in the trunk of a car on the bottom of a river somewhere in the wild, overgrown swamps of the south.
We get to take part in the ensuing adventure, while also learning via flashbacks how the unlikely pair of Hap and Leonard became best friends during early childhood, as well as getting to know (also via flashbacks) the back-story of Hap and his Hippie ex-wife. I was entertained during the first 3 episodes and thrilled during the last 3. While the show does have a distinct "TV-feel" (its only minor flaw) it's still a solid first season and I absolutely recommend it to anybody who likes quirky buddy comedy and doesn't mind bloody violence. Now that Banshee is all but over, I hope this pulpy delight will be renewed for a second season and more adventures of Hap and Leonard. 8 stars out of 10.
Favorite films: http://www.IMDb.com/list/mkjOKvqlSBs/
Lesser-known Masterpieces: http://www.imdb.com/list/ls070242495/
Favorite Low-Budget and B-movies: http://www.imdb.com/list/ls054808375/
Favorite TV-Shows reviewed: http://www.imdb.com/list/ls075552387/
The first 3 episodes are all about the characters and their relationships, slowly building the story and creating atmosphere, while the last 3 episodes really let the shît hit the fan. It's not for the faint of heart, frequently depicting Fargo-level brutality and bloody violence. The overall tone might be that of a quirky, slightly melancholic and darkly funny buddy comedy, but it changes several times from rather light to pitch black and even downright disturbing.
Thanks to the great chemistry between leads Purefoy and Williams, the bromance - and near constant bickering - between Hap, a disillusioned ex-hippie and war protester (white and straight) and his best friend Leonard, an easy to anger Vietnam vet (black and gay), keeps you entertained even through the show's somewhat sluggish start. To give you a brief synopsis of what the first season is all about (without any spoilers): We're in the late eighties and our two constantly broke southern protagonists barely get by, working as pickers in the east Texan rose fields, when one day Hap's wannabe revolutionary ex-wife shows up with a promising proposition. The proposition (which is not a spoiler as it's all in the first couple of minutes of the first episode): In exchange for a fair share upon success, help her find the long lost loot of a bank robbery gone wrong which is supposedly in the trunk of a car on the bottom of a river somewhere in the wild, overgrown swamps of the south.
We get to take part in the ensuing adventure, while also learning via flashbacks how the unlikely pair of Hap and Leonard became best friends during early childhood, as well as getting to know (also via flashbacks) the back-story of Hap and his Hippie ex-wife. I was entertained during the first 3 episodes and thrilled during the last 3. While the show does have a distinct "TV-feel" (its only minor flaw) it's still a solid first season and I absolutely recommend it to anybody who likes quirky buddy comedy and doesn't mind bloody violence. Now that Banshee is all but over, I hope this pulpy delight will be renewed for a second season and more adventures of Hap and Leonard. 8 stars out of 10.
Favorite films: http://www.IMDb.com/list/mkjOKvqlSBs/
Lesser-known Masterpieces: http://www.imdb.com/list/ls070242495/
Favorite Low-Budget and B-movies: http://www.imdb.com/list/ls054808375/
Favorite TV-Shows reviewed: http://www.imdb.com/list/ls075552387/