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Annie Berke - June 15/07
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From the makers of Deadwood comes a new series which will fill The Sopranos time-slot and, HBO is hoping, its shoes. Judging only from John From Cincinnati’s pilot, the most that can be said is that the show has promise. From the first moment, we are thrown into this world of washed-up surfers, drug addicts, and sexy, foul-mouthed grandmothers—we are thrown, in fact, so suddenly that it takes a while to get your bearings and even understand what is going on. The most compelling elements of the story involve relationships within the Yost family, a now-crumbling surfing dynasty, and the power of celebrity worship in this community. Perhaps the most satisfying moment in the pilot is a small one, in which a mentally unstable classmate of Butchie Yost intently makes his teddy bear surf, then drops him to the floor. “Wipe-out.” The supernatural questions that the show introduces—Who is this bizarre John character from Cincinnati? Why can Mitch Yost float all of the sudden?—are more distracting than compelling. This show will only be a hit if the writers can focus on what makes this story of fallen idols and super-human beings… well, human.
John From Cincinnati could take a page out of Big Love’s play-book. (Big Love used to be run after The Sopranos on Sundays nights and only this season is going out on its own.) The writers of Big Love know how to balance the show’s wacky polygamous premise against the real human emotions of these characters. The season 2 premiere is perhaps one of the show’s most brilliant episodes to date, in that it combines a whodunnit plot—who outed Barb Hendrickson as a polygamist?—with a gratifying exploration of Bill and Barb’s marriage, as well as the group marriage which includes Nicki and Margene. This is not to mention what’s going on back at the Compound, with the Hendricksons’ involvement in the attempted murder of Alby Grant… or what’s happening with Sarah and that cute boy she met in a group of ex-Mormons… truly, the show has too many fascinating sub-plots to discuss here. Just believe me when I say every plot holds its own, and each episode leaves you wanting more; this premiere, thankfully, was no exception. Jeanne Tripplehorn truly steals the episode, and her final scene with Bill at the station wagon is so elegant and powerful as to remind us that Tony Soprano may be dead, but HBO is still alive and kicking.
JOHN FROM CINCINNATI: Sundays at 9 (HBO). Premiered June 10.
BIG LOVE: Mondays at 9 (HBO). Premiered June 11.
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