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On a single day, Keegan Deane is described as many things – most of which are far from flattering. His ex-wife calls him “unreliable”; to his fellow lawyers he's “an obstruction”; judges think he's “an outrage”; the IRS calls him a “defendant”; his bookie says he's a “pain in the ass”; and to his former dealer, he's simply a “tragic loss.” Brilliant and frustratingly charming, Keegan is one of life's great addicts. His staggering lack of discretion and inability to self-censor land him the cases that nobody else will touch, but behind that lies a resolute optimism and belief in justice that fuel his dogged determination to defend those who seem beyond redemption. He always tries to do the right thing, but at the same time struggles to save himself from the many self-destructive elements that plague his own life, such as his overindulgence in women, gambling and other excesses.
In many aspects, FOX's new show "Rake" seems a little late to the party. It's another adaptation of a recent glut of foreign remakes (this time of an Australian show), a la Showtime's "Homeland" (originally from Israel), FX's "The Bridge" (originally from Sweden), or AMC's "The Killing" (originally from Denmark). It's a legal drama in a time when legal dramas that aren't "The Good Wife" are on the decline. It's centered around an exasperating but lovable, morally ambiguous antihero, when Walter White, Dexter Morgan and Gregory House have all gone off the air. It stars a famous actor mostly known for film work, when Kevin Spacey already dominated headlines earlier this year for "House Of Cards". In short, there's no reason on paper that "Rake" shouldn't just feel like more of the same.
And yet it doesn't. Whether it's because of the likability of its star, the schizophrenic mishmash of tones, or the everything-and-the-kitchen-sink plotting, "Rake" impresses by not stumbling out of the starting gate. As Keegan Deane, Kinnear is charmingly louche. He may be a cad, addicted to gambling, and in love with a prostitute, but he's not a total loss. He's also a loving (if distant) father, a good (if messy) friend, and a capable (if unorthodox) lawyer. Kinnear plays Keegan's contradictions effortlessly -- almost too effortlessly. It will be interesting to see the writers mine more of Keegan's faults and darker traits as the show goes on. In tone, "Rake" resembles a comedy more than a legal drama, and yet, with an hour-long time slot, it's bursting with colorful characters, including menacing bookies, sarcastic assistants, corrupt cops, exasperated friends, lovable hookers, and a not-so-villainous villain. There's a lot in the "Rake" sandbox for the writers to play with, and it'll be interesting to see how these varied characters continue to smash into each other.
Part of the reason the pilot is so exciting is because it doesn't quite feel like the show knows what it wants to be yet. Is it a comedy or a drama? Is Keegan a lovable-but-flawed hero or a downward-spiraling ticking time bomb? Who's Rake's main antagonist, his bookie, corrupt cops, or himself? Only time will tell whether the writers can keep up that anything-can-happen feel, or if the show will slowly settle into a predictably "unpredictable" rut. But -- at least for now -- "Rake" shows plenty of zany promise.
Did "Rake" rake you in? Tweet us @Stagebuddy and let us know what you thought of the pilot!
[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZIf6MgnY9_I[/youtube]
