Low Winter Sun

I thought the actors were a good group and did well with their characters. The storyline seems a bit exaggerated. . . if this was anything remotely close to accurate, then I would join the Defund the Police movement. It can't possibly this bad, but it sure looks like Detroit is that bad - do people still live there, or survive there? I don't know how one would follow up this season, trying to out do the outrageous corruption of the first season. Best that it was not renewed as it gave politicos enough ideas to expand their repertoire.

Low Winter Sun, on paper, has a lot going for it. Mark Strong & Lennie James lead a strong cast of great actors you'd recognize but not know by name. The cinematography matches the grittiness of our locations. The theme from the pilot is super thick. It's "A" grade material on paper.

So if that's all there, why am I left with C+ results?

First off, Low Winter Sun, I don't think really knows what show it wants to be. It kicks off with the murder by a policeman by two other detectives. From there, we learn it was a revenge plot. Cool. The internal affairs is investigating. Great. Then... we don't EVER stay focused on that, we constantly veer to side stories that are so loosely connected to the main story that it gets VERY frustrating. Especially when it burns so slowly.

Breaking Bad, The Wire, The Sopranos, The Shield, Damages etc. These shows ALWAYS linked things back, not only to the main story, but our main CHARACTERS. I know these are some of the best shows ever written, but when you throw your hat into the "crime drama" ring, you face off with these shows.

Low Winter Sun doesn't throw an punches that haven't already been thrown and it doesn't do it as well. Too Bad.

There have been some solid American remakes of UK TV shows: All in the Family to Life on Mars. But there's also shows like "Coupling" too. This series seems to fit somewhere in the middle.

On the plus side, the acting isn't bad. The storyline has its multiple levels: it doesn't dumb itself down for the audience. And Detroit is an excellent choice of settings for this US remake.

On the negatives: my kingdom for a steady-cam. Are directors so infantile as to still believe the tired trope from Hill Street Blues that the more amateurish the guy holding the camera, the more it's supposed to feel like a documentary. Fail #1.

Fail #2: good directors make you care about the characters involved and some of the storyline before the blood and guts come out and create a visceral reaction. Unfortunately, this show opted straight for the violence as a cloying attempt to capture you're interest immediately -- except that it's performed on characters you know nothing about and have zero investment with. Maybe if I was 7 years old, but not as an adult.

Fail #3: the best dark shows often have comedic elements -- even if it's dark comedy -- to lighten up the pace. But this show is written with no redeeming moments -- no mood lighteners, no dark humor, no cracks. As such, it's a bit like listening to a 60-minute bass solo. Maybe you love bass, but it loses it's strength if that's all you get all the time. Darkness just has more impact when you get a reminder of the light once in a while. There is no light in this show.

Fail #4: Closing scenes where the actors emote to the soundtrack. Cheesy to the extreme.

Why was this cancelled!!!! So many really bad series lately, ya finally get a really good one, and it's cancelled! Either ya love it, or ya hate it. We loved it!

This is without a doubt 1 of the best dramas of 2013. A compelling story spread out over 10 episodes, with complex characters, a solid storyline and a satisfying ending.

What to me stands out the most about this show is the story. This is not some cheesy drama with bits and pieces stitched together or some crap show where they started off with a good story and then scrambled to fill the pages. There is no scene that doesn't really add up, or make sense in the larger story; There is no little annoying episodic arc story that only lasts a few episodes and doesn't fit in to the greater arc of things; there is no moment where you feel that a character has acted out of turn, said or done something you know that they wouldn't. All those things that make you feel like you're watching some hammy, episodic, so- called-drama which has no substance and will probably carry on for years without going anyway. No, this show is not like that, this for a change, is a good show.

To go along with that, the acting and directing is fantastic. Lennie James is brilliant as Joe Getties, 1 of the most interesting characters to come on TV in the past few years.

Sadly I don't think this show will get picked up for another season, as it always is, very few people appreciate a good thing. Honestly though, I don't mind, it's better to go out on top rather than have multiple season of crap. The show doesn't end in a cliffhanger, or have any loose ends, so even if it does get canceled, this season will still be satisfying to watch.

In short, you'll like this if you like good, fast passed, well told, well acted, drama.

(Season 1 review)