Pilot
I was a bit underwhelmed by this drama. In 1998 Malcom Bright's psycho dad (with his BAD US accent) was arrested as a serial killer in front of his WASP family. This was so badly lit. Why was psycho dad allowed to bother his son as he was being arrested? In 2019 the son who had somehow got into the FBI got fired after freaking out at a crime scene.
Why was the son allowed to visit his father? This was not captivating. People suspect Malcom's goodness. Why is he so flippant? Lou Diamond Phillips and Aurora Perrineau co star. Some people hold Malcom's very existence against him. Psycho dad did horrendously disgusting crimes. The FBI says Malcolm has PTSD and is a narcissist. Psycho dad is played by a hammy Michael Sheen. People have limited expectations of Malcolm. In 2009 the son went to Harvard and visited psycho dad in his massive cell.
People wonder if Malcom's DNA determines his place in the human hierarchy. There are insinuations and power relations. There is no reasonable explanation for this show. Malcolm sleeps chained up and with a mouthguard and necks pills all due to night terrors. He has a bimbo sister who is a reporter. Malcolm worries about his heritage and there is mystery and strangeness.
A cop (Phillips) is nice to Malcolm who is increasingly fearful and disruptive and his father is terribly wrong and blighted him for years to come. This was woefully inadequate. The NYPD uses Malcolm as a consultant. There is a copycat killer of psycho dad loose. Malcolm is desperately afraid. Things create a greater uncertainty. Malcolm's mother is useless. Malcolm uses the surname Bright as an alias. He is seriously distraught and psycho dad, Martin, wants Malcolm to be his legacy.
How does Malcolm pay rent on his massive loft? His mother pops pills and there are many grim reminders of psycho dad. His psycho dad was a hard to get over experience. There is talk of BDSM and Malcolm laments. There is mumbling and Malcolm is unserious. The plot, script and acting defy logic. Malcolm is psychologically messed up and he is not self-reflective and there is no intensity.
This was only okay. Malcolm visits psycho dad again. They are 2 English guys playing yanks. This tries for black comedy and Martin gets patients in his nut ward?!? Malcolm makes a devil's bargain and there is exposition and gurning. This was a reviled calamity and I don't care about Malcolm's anguish. Psycho dad is not a stranger on the street to Malcolm. Psycho dad earned his fame for his brutality and use of k. Malcolm turned psycho dad in as a 10 year old. Martin learns in the eternal present and this was not tense. Malcom's not a dutiful son. There is so much gurning and exaggerated facial expressions.
Best Lines:
“This is where you were made.”
“You don't punch a sherrif.”
“Next time you call someone crazy, ask for their gun first.”
“You think they'll trust you?”
“I have friends?”
“Track down your crazy ass.”
“You're not going to like each other.”
“Didn't want to wake up old demons.”
“Morose profiling.”
“Drink through our family's ruin.”
“Hunted down people like him.”
“Teach you about murder.”
“White male. Big suprise.”
“Don't you watch my report?”
“Not with the sound on.”
“Nice cell. Who paid for it”
“Morally suspect.”
Annihilator
Malcolm is emotionally struggling and people know his dad by repute. Is Malcom fully aware of his own behaviour? This was not harrowing or elemental. Malcolm has unexplained memories of his psycho dad. His mother and sister are determined to have successful lives. There is even more exposition. He's complex and there are honest worries. Malcolm consults. Did the man from 1x01 get his hand sewn back on? A family are killed, snakes are involved.
The NYPD guy still stands by his choice to hire Malcolm. Psycho dad's clear intention is to mess up his son even more. How does psycho dad have phone time? What's ESU? Poisonous black mambas crawl around and how did the killer get them to the crime scene? Martin shares expertise and knowledge and Malcolm is particularly vulnerable and aggravates the situation. Michael Esper of 'Shades Of Blue' guest stars and it is instantly obvious he is the killer du jour.
Martin killed 23 people, that they know of. Martin tantrums. Why does the guard sit by and let Martin harass his son on the phone. NYPD guy, Gil, broods in this badly lit ep. What did Malcolm's psycho dad do to him? Docendo Discimus.
Malcolm walks off a snake bite. This was okay. Martin not so inadverently justifies his son's fears. There are rituals and unhelpful compulsions and fear management and obsessions performed by Malcolm. Was Malcolm complicit in sinsiter action? A killer's highest goal in life was to have a family – the kind of envy that leads to mass murder via poison. Do the neighbours not notice the killer trying to wipe out a second family???
There are public assertions and mad interaction patterns and there is an emotional ordeal and the killer will never be forgiven for his actions. What is to be asked of my time to watch this. Martin wants to unlock something in the apprehensive Malcolm who has a relentless job. Martin negatively impacts his son. I'm a bit underwhelmed. There is pain, fear, loss and facing the unknown.
Malcolm was brutalised and traumatised at age 10 by his crazy father. He's constantly fearful. There are eerie echoes and contrary reactions and emotional intimidation. This does not ask searching questions. Unnecessary dilemmas torment Malcolm and people sometimes revoke trust in Malcolm because of his DNA. This is a fortaste of what is to come, apparently. This is a complicated situation. Martin has emptiness in his ehart and rationaislation. Malcolm doesn't need Martin for anything.
Did the mother know? Malcolm was gaslit and abused by his psycho dad. Malcolm was drugged and he needs good people around him and that is not Martin or his mother. What kind of moral education did Malcolm get from his father? Martin taunts his son. Malcolm was culturally conditioned and has yearning. The mother is in on something with Martin's guard and she is spying on her ex and her son. This had bad CGI snakes and there was no moral environment in Martin's home. The baddie was screamingly obvious and Sheen seems wildly miscast as psycho dad.
Best Lines:
“Gruesome stuff.”
“I had a few snakes as a kid.”
“Of course you did.”
“If we don't move, we're not a threat.”
“They're very poisonous.”
“Secure those snakes!”
“Got a guy in the er because of him.”
“Tragedy to be endured.”
“New case only you can solve.”
“Seriously messed up.”
“Family didn't share anything.”
“Does know about bad dads.”
“If we don't move, we're not a threat.”
“Shifty people.”
“One of the most notorious serial killer's since Jack The Ripper.”
“Too much dad on the brain?”
“I never did that.”
“Are we solving the crime right now?”
“Our case just went splat.”
“Multiple stress reactions.”
“Get out of his life.”
“That's not a good thing.”
“Your father's legacy.”
“Dad's hobby room.”
~
The Trouble With Maggie Cole 1x02
Local gossip/nosey parker Maggie's cackhanded response to the growing outrage at her crap/spilling of local lore makes things worse. Maggie thinks that nothing else is acceptable other than people forgiving her instantly for her crap. She thinks she can 'charm' and or nag her way out of the situation. Maggie is all over Twitter and is a national joke. Everyone is aware of how they are spoken about. People unpack the intention of Maggie's words.
A couple have an unexplained 70 grand and hubby bought a sport's car. The local rag talks about Radiogate. Which is a thing now. What other conceivable outcome did Maggie see happening?She faces reprisals and people presume Maggie's words are true. The sun of human happiness in this village comes from gossip. Maggie's self publicity and lack of any real understanding or remorse grates. She slut shamed people and used slurs and she is still pulling crap.
This was trite and the doctor's 'husband' has a son and another wife. Maggie's faux apologies aren't convincing and she's saddened she can't gossip anymore. Maggie's useless thick husband backs her even though Maggie's BFF turned on her. Maggie's not even actively trying to be sorry.
Best Lines:
“Read it on a toilet door.”
“Always been like this.”
“Rolled up graph paper.”
“Suitably reassured.”
“I don't say it in a good way.”
“You can read now?”
“Everyone thinks I'm the victim here.”