First the review -- superb, this 2-parter, top to bottom, is in many ways as good as most of the "spy" feature films done in the 90s. Which is either a great compliment for this series or severe trash-talk for Hollywood in the 90s.
But there is a larger picture, especially since all the gurus and sages (this written Dec 2014) are now saying that network TV as we know has maybe another 10 years left before it completely implodes and is taken over by streaming content.
Something really interesting happened to "network TV" around the approximate time of BREAKING BAD. It is as if someone took all the traditional plot arcs .. and burned them. And then replaced them with some really interesting new ways to tell a story and maintain viewer interest at the same time.
Which is not to say that everything that is being produced today is a jewel; far from it. But doesn't it seem like just yesterday when the best a TV producer could do was try to remake Hawaii 5-0 or the Six Million Dollar Man...? In my view one of the three best shows currently in production as this review is written. (The other two are PERSON OF INTEREST and BANSHEE).
But there is a larger picture, especially since all the gurus and sages (this written Dec 2014) are now saying that network TV as we know has maybe another 10 years left before it completely implodes and is taken over by streaming content.
Something really interesting happened to "network TV" around the approximate time of BREAKING BAD. It is as if someone took all the traditional plot arcs .. and burned them. And then replaced them with some really interesting new ways to tell a story and maintain viewer interest at the same time.
Which is not to say that everything that is being produced today is a jewel; far from it. But doesn't it seem like just yesterday when the best a TV producer could do was try to remake Hawaii 5-0 or the Six Million Dollar Man...? In my view one of the three best shows currently in production as this review is written. (The other two are PERSON OF INTEREST and BANSHEE).