The Bootleg Revue

HBO's new show "The Leftovers" has gotten some pretty heavy press time. I figured I'd check it out to see if the first episode actually lived up to its hype.


Well, to cut a short story shorter, it was AIGHT. Honestly, the first episode didn't give away too much. There's several people around the world who just disappeared one day. POOF! GONE! The pets have gone feral but other than that, day to day events continue. Nobody seems to know or understand why these people were chosen. It's not religious; as one man put it, a woman who abused her children was one of the chosen. It's been about 3 years since it happened and not much has changed it seems in the small town that the first episode focused on. I'm hoping we get to see other cities such as some major cities as the season continues. There's also a cult that has formed where they don't speak to anyone but they protest a lot including during the anniversary gala in town. Not much has been said about this group of people other than the fact that no one in town cares for them or respects them much.

And that's it folks! Like I said, not much information was given during this first episode. It was more of a meet and greet your recurring characters. If the producers and writers wanted to keep audiences coming back for more, they've succeeded. I think this show will play out in the same flow as "Under the Dome". For those of you who don't watch that, be prepared for slow and steady dialogue and action. I think this could be a great show, it'll just take some time to get there. 

 This past weekend, I was finally able to catch up with the previous week's new premieres. One of the shows that I sat down to watch was "Tyrant". I had my own concerns going into this viewing; I'm not big on political dramas no matter how juicy the drama, my attention span is not meant for politics. Also, American views on international issues can sometimes be quite skewed. I was basically ready for anything. 

The premise of the show is an American doctor who has family ties to a dictatorship back in some Middle Eastern country goes home for a visit after 20 years only to be catapulted back in the family business. His wife and children aren't too happy about his family connections- his father is the reigning dictator and has a very bloody past. His wife mentions the stress that his overseas family has caused him throughout the years, his daughter wants no part in this family reunion, and his son is acting like your average Cali-driven teenager.


Now introducing the crazies. Barry (the main character) has an insane older brother. The type of brother who throws a wedding party for his son only to "test" out the new bride by making sure she is still a virgin, although his test sorta defeats that. The type of brother who is also having an affair with a lower class servant and insists on having sex with her while her husband and children wait outside the room where they hear every moan and scream emitting from the room. Yes, that type of insane. His father, the dictator, insists that he has changed his ways and cannot for the life of him understand why his country wants out and demands complete democratic freedom. His mother is a sweet caregiver to a crazy man, knowing her place is outside of the public eye and how to stay politically silent. It's no wonder he escaped when he was 16 and never looked back.

So the episode opens up to a promising wedding and ends with some crazy family events that determine the course of the season ahead. I will say, I'm super excited to see where this goes. "Tyrant" takes you beyond the political realm where the series could have stayed and instead leads you into the private lives of the most chaotic leaders. Watch it every week on FX, Tuesdays at 10pm. 

I hit the media lotto. Well, in the form of pilots I did. Someone leaked the pilot for "The Flash" and wow is it interesting. It was a pretty good first watch. Let's go over the basics:

1. It's on CW. This could be a hit or miss. CW has some corny shows such as "Hart of Dixie". However, they're also really skilled in taking a interesting story line and turning it into liquid young adult gold. Shows like "Supernatural", "The Vampire Diaries", "Arrow" and "Smallville" have thrived on that network. I must admit, they know how to turn a supernatural being into a lovable and complicated character. So don't be surprised to see Flash acting a bit corny at times. Yes, that does include those stupid one liners that CW is famously known for. CW's audience is the younger adult whose needs for fantasy sometimes outweigh the reality of life. 

2. There will be other villains. First episode, we meet another person similar to Flash. Which is a good sign. Remember "Smallville"? It took a while before we got introduced to other like ability characters. Even "Arrow" took the long road towards the introduction of similar characters. Good move here, right out the door we know Flash is not alone.

3. There's some color involved. I hate to bring race into things but it's not very often we see black cast members in the spotlight. However, here we get TWO black cast members. The officer who is like a mentor to Flash (whose name is Barry btw) and his daughter who he's secretly in love with. It's nice to see some color on late night CW shows other than irritating Bonnie on "The Vampire Diaries" 

That wraps up my quick review on the new tv series "The Flash". I don't want to give out too many spoilers but I have a good feeling about this one. The last 30 seconds of the episode left me curious for more and that should always be the aim for pilots, the thirst and hunger for more. For those who aren't part of the illegal underground streaming community, this show should be hitting it live in early October of this year.