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TV is the New Reading

POSTED:Sat, August 15, 2009 @ 8:56PM

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'Kings' comes to unsatisfying close; 'Rescue Me' on the sauce

It’s nice, occasionally, to see the networks take a chance on something new, something different, something a little outside their comfort zone. A modern retelling of the rise of King David surely falls into this category.

“Kings” traces the heroism of David Shepherd, the musically gifted son of a farmer-turned-soldier who lost his life defending the Kingdom of Gilboa, opening on his own wartime heroism, single-handedly destroying a tank called “Goliath” and rescuing the son of King Silas.

Shepherd, played by Christopher Egan, is thrust into palace intrigue in the mythical modern kingdom of Shiloh. King Silas, played by Ian McShane, is every inch a king and doesn’t make a single move without first calculating the next seven. Prince Jack isn’t a crowd favorite to take over as king, although His Majesty’s brother-in-law, munitions baron William Cross, schemes to install him in a coup d’etat.

David himself cuts a popular figure on the public stage, and what’s more, he seems to have God’s blessing to take over the kingdom. When Silas realizes this, how quickly is David’s heroism forgotten. Silas begins plotting against him almost immediately sending him on a dangerous mission from which he anticipates no return, and then framing him for treason. But war hero David is not merely popular. He’s drawn the attentions of the tenderhearted Princess Michelle, and by the end of the run, has sired an heir.

An heir to what, however? As the show ends, David is exiled, Michelle is exiled and Jack is locked in a room with his wife until he produces an heir. Silas resumes a shaky kingship uncountenanced by God and the screen goes blank.

See, when the show premiered in March to ho-hum ratings, left the airwaves in April and got the Saturday night summer bum’s rush, perhaps the producers and writers thought that could, what, build momentum for a relaunch in the coming season? Don’t bet on it. Clearing out unaired episodes of unrenewed programming just saved NBC from having to come up with some cheap alternative programming.

In any event, the writing should’ve been plenty big enough on the wall to repackage the series finale as something other than a cliff-hanger.

'Rescue Me'

“Rescue Me” is coming to the end of its network length, 22-episode fifth season and it has been an amazing run so far. This past week’s throwdown between Lou and Tommy has been brewing for years, and Tommy’s reminiscing with Sheila was one of the nicest exchanges between Denis Leary and Callie Thorn in the run of the show. Guest star Maura Tierney’s pursuit of probie Damien and Tommy stepping in was all too reminiscent of Tommy’s stepping in when he found out about the boy’s science teacher, Mrs. Turbody, and a nice piece of continuity there from past seasons.

One concern I had had, and it seems like it’s something that’s going to be addressed soon, is that Tommy is a mostly functional alcoholic. His out-of-control nature gets shown in lots of ways, from his attempts to drink away the visions of past family and friends, his inability to stay away from either Shiela or Janet, and meanwhile he’s still seeing other women on the side, and he continues to do his own stunts while fighting fires.

So when his family comes together as its own AA chapter (set up earlier this season following his father’s funeral) for an intervention with him at a bar, Tommy listens politely while they tell him how his drinking is affecting them negatively, and then he calmly presents a narrative while pouring himself a vodka about how drinking makes him a better, less fearful, less neurotic human being, firefighter and father -- characterizing people who do commit to the program to confront their addiction to alcohol as a bunch of scared little whiners huddling in a church basement drinking coffee that tastes like chalk -- and the scene ends with Tommy pouring drinks for everyone there.

To recap, with one nicely turned speech, Tommy reverses the intervention entirely, and in fact shakes loose a few truths about how uncommitted the rest of his family has been about staying dry.

And scenes like this would be less disturbing if the show wasn’t already soaked in alcohol -- nearly everyone drinks and it’s entirely without consequence, and when there are bar fights they’re entertaining! But also for the fact that the show is supported by Bud Light and Grey Goose vodka and there’s a ton of product placement as well as the ads themselves. So I guess my reaction as a person who drinks only very occasionally when at all, is that probably there are more consequences than are hinted at in this show.

To be fair, however, when the central character is as out of control as he is and has lost as much as he has and is as estranged from a “normal” life with his family as he has been, he’s certainly an antihero, but one could hardly call him a role model.

The show has been truly entertaining for five seasons, has explored the deep darkness of love and loss and the human condition throughout its run and truly congratulations to “Rescue Me” as it nears the end of its first network-length season and wherever we go from here, it’s been a hell of a ride. But it may be time to re-evaluate the effects of alcohol on writing a series.

'Mad Men'

Looking ahead, I’m so excited for the third season premiere of “Mad Men” this Sunday, Aug. 16. I think I’ll hold off discussing the BBC America’s dank, dark and drab fantasy series “Being Human” until next week and instead focus on the lives and loves of identity and midlife challenged Don Draper and the Sterling Cooper ad agency circa 1963.

“Mad Men” airs at 10/9c Sundays on AMC with encores at different times throughout the week. “Rescue Me” airs at 10/9c Tuesdays on FX, also with encores at different times throughout the week.

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