The Company You Keep

For a non MA-rated show, this one is better than most in the category compared to others I have viewed recently. The premise so far is a family of con artists goes after unlikable wealthy targets, for reasons you will see if you watch it. Only a few episodes so far, but the quality cast sells this, and they play it up well together, specifically the Charlie/Birdie/Leo family. Good show for William Fichtner fans, as even though a support character, he is fun here, as expected. The agent romance mixed into the equation is a familiar trope, but good writing and a touch of intrigue is carrying it along just fine. It exercises reasonable restraint for better engagement and doesn't rely too much on the tacky cut-edit action nor overuse of hi-tech buffoonery gimmicks, at least not so far. I find that I am curious and interested to see how each upcoming episode turns out. Hopefully it will keep its momentum.

Con man Charlie Nicoletti (Milo Ventimiglia) comes from a family of cons. Birdie Nicoletti (Sarah Wayne Callies) is his bossy older sister. Fran (Polly Draper) and Leo (William Fichtner) are their parents. They con mobster Patrick Maguire and get conned in turn by Charlie's girlfriend. Daphne Finch (Felisha Terrell) is Maguire's brilliant criminal mastermind secret-daughter behind the throne. Maguire gets arrested and is demanding the Nicoletti family to repay him back and more. CIA agent Emma Hill (Catherine Haena Kim) comes from a political Korean family and finds her boyfriend cheating once again. At a hotel bar, Charlie and Emma hit it off over their mutual bad breakups. They have a fling while keeping their day jobs secret. It turns out that they both have the same enemy, Daphne Finch.

This show has potential. I like the premise. It has some of that Ventimiglia sexiness. I like all the characters. Maybe there are too many characters and too many sections of the show. It has criminal section. It has a family section for the Nicolettis. It has the CIA section. Finally, it has the Hill family section. The show should probably lose the Hill family section. It's juggling too many balls. Emma already has the CIA and she should spend more time there. The start is a bit complicated, but it quickly works itself out. Low viewership has the show canceled after only one half season.

I initially rated this an 8 a few episodes in, but wanted to wait for the season finale to review. Although the show is watchable and keeps you interested enough to want to watch the next episode, overall the entire season felt more underwhelming than exciting, and why I dropped my rating to a 7 from an 8. The actors weren't the issue, I felt all casting and performances were spot on. However the writing felt too loose and aloof, and the directing was too focused on relationship issues rather than the suspenseful drama. The sappy and borderline cringeworthy score/music that accompanied any romantic interactions took away from the dramatics that followed. This series had difficulty establishing a tone, and started to feel like I was watching a cliched basic cable television wannabe drama. Hopefully next season becomes more focused, serious and develops some attitude, with less sappiness, cliches and second-rate dramatics.

Real shame that this series got canceled prematurely. Loved the concept. I just think none of people stayed with it. It is very much a slow burn TV show and has taken 10 episodes to really find its groove. Really thought that the two leads had really good chemistry. But now we will never find out how the series and how Charlie and. Emma will stay together and get out of their predicament. I saw this series as a modern Robin Hood and very similar to the show white color starring Matt Blum. But here's hoping that maybe a nether net work will pick it up for a second season. I think one reason why the company you keep failed with yes, due to poor ratings, but also maybe prematurely canceled due to the writers strike that's going on right now.

This reminds me of White Collar. A criminal helping the authorities while getting in and out of his own trouble.

The production quality is excellent, and Milo Ventimiglia, who some might remember from Heroes, has an awesome chemistry with Catherine Haena Kim.

The humor is subtle and well crafted. The drama is intense from the get go, and the acting is superb, even from supporting characters.

Would love to see Milo being "clever". For now, he is just playing an amazing thief, but would be great to see him use a bit of behavioral psychology and manipulation.

The family of con artists is a fun little opportunity for some family drama, but it is Milo and Cat that steals the show.