[ACT] What shows have you been watching?

[Oedipussy Rex]

Leverage: Redemption. The first two of the eight episode season were a single, two-part story that was actually pretty good television. Not Breaking Bad good, but good. Gina Bellman got to flex her acting chops (the best talent on the show, now that Timothy Hutton is no longer with the show). The rest of the season wasn't as good, reverting back to the final season level, which is still entertaining, just not at the quality of the premiere. Christian Kane, I believe, has enough talent, and was given enough material, to keep the character from becoming a caricature. Unlike Beth Riesgraf, who wasn't given the material. Aleyse Shannon, replacing Aldis Hodge who was only there for the first two episodes before the writers put him in a coma, or sent him to a Buddhist monastery, or something, was the was basically a Robbie Rist. No, that's unfair. Cousin Oliver was an addition, not a replacement. Let's go with the ultimate replacement actor, Ted McGinley. Which is a little unfair to Ted. Noah Wile was there as the love-child of Peter Lupus and Zoe Saldana in the Star Trek movies (if you can call that Star Trek), brought out when the plot needed him and often in scenes where the character really doesn't belong. (Why is Uhuru with the landing party? She's the Communications Officer? Shouldn't she be on the ship doing, oh I don't know, communications? Ah, the plot needed some drama between her and Spock.)

At any rate, Gina Bellman was great, I enjoy Christian Kane, and the show was fun entertainment that would mention societal issues without actually addressing them. Better than what Lovecraft Country turned out to be. Or what I figure Lovecraft Country turned out to be considering I stopped watching and have no intention of going back to finish.

3.5/5.0