Last night, AMC premiered their newest drama, "Low Winter Sun", immediately after the first episode of the final season of "Breaking Bad" -- admittedly a high standard to measure up to. Everything about the show, from its bald protagonist to its bleak tone, seems an attempt to cash in on the void that will be left behind when Walter White closes up shop eight weeks from now. But is the show successful on its own terms or is it simply a cheap "Breaking Bad" knock-off?
The cast is certainly strong enough to stand on their own. The show is headlined by Mark Strong, who originated the role of detective Frank Agnew in the British miniseries on which this version is based. Strong is one of those actors who you might not know by name, but who pops up in everything -- he's recently had roles in "Kick-Ass", "Green Lantern" and "Zero Dark Thirty". After this performance, I predict many more people will know his name. His Frank is stoic, tough and relatable. He's also something of a cipher. Despite claiming to be a "good man," he begins the first episode by committing a meticulously thought-out murder. Only time will tell if this was a one-time transgression for an otherwise noble cop, or if this will be the beginning of a slow moral descent à la Walter White. The rest of the cast is filled out by terrific TV actors, including a few borrowed from other AMC shows (Lennie James from "The Walking Dead" and David Costabile from "Breaking Bad"), who all turn in typically exceptional work.
Yet while the anti-whodunnit aspect of watching a detective try to get away with murder feels unique, the rest of the show has some catching up to do. A plot involving low-level drug dealers is mildly interesting but thus far completely unconnected from the main story. The dialogue verges at times on the farcical (especially in the opening scene where James' character rhapsodizes theatrically about the many shades of morality). And the tone captures the grimness of other successful dramas but without any humor to help alleviate the bleakness. (See Badger and Skinny Pete's conversation about Star Trek during last night's "Breaking Bad" premiere for an excellent example of how to cut the tension.) It remains to be seen if viewers will subject themselves repeatedly to the unrelenting solemnity of "Low Winter Sun".
"Low Winter Sun" certainly shows promise with its strong cast and complex story of corruption and murder. But any series about ethically dubious cops has a lot to measure up to, including such classics as "The Wire" and "The Shield". "Low Winter Sun" has some strides to make if it hopes to fill the gaping hole that will be left by "Breaking Bad" next month.
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QdWAYnkuF8c[/youtube]
