I really, really want to love “Low Winter Sun,” but this might be my final recap (unless you guys tell me you love it and want me to keep recapping it – your wish is my command!).
There are definitely a lot of things I like about the show, including the gloomy Detroit setting and the great actors, all of whom turn in fine performances. It doesn’t get any better than Lennie James, Mark Strong and David Costabile, among the others.
But I just feel like the show is trying too hard to be brilliant, if that makes sense. There’s something that feels forced about it, and maybe it’s because “The Wire” has already covered some of this ground, and covered it well. Nothing will ever measure up. But … maybe I need to give it more time…
And it’s clear that even AMC realizes the show isn’t really grabbing people. Thus, they gave a little summary at the end of “Breaking Bad,” trying to hook viewers into sticking around. I’m giving it one more episode (this one) and then might call it good, unless you guys want me to keep covering it.
The episode begins with a flashback – Joe watching Brendan saw a dead guy’s hands off while Katia – this would be Frank’s lover – is tied up and scared out of her mind in the next room. Joe takes her to the river and says “the water will wash all this away.” But first, he prays with her. That’s messed up.
Except he doesn’t put her in the river. Instead, he goes through Customs and lets her off on the other side, in Canada. And if she calls Frank or comes back, “I will find you and finish this.” Ooh, a threat.
Flash forward and Joe’s in church saying, “I should have killed her.” There’s just so many things wrong with this storyline – and I mean that in the nicest way possible.
Then there’s an encounter between Frank and Joe about Brendan, and how Frank says he’ll rat Joe out. Then Joe’s back at his mom’s house, getting patched up. She is one tough bird.
Then Frank and Simon have a discussion about cop corruption, and Simon says they need to share information. There’s a little gathering at a bar to pay respects to McCann, and it’s nice to see a section of Detroit that’s not completely run down and in ruins. And I appreciate the reference to fur traders. This is my neck of the woods.
Next thing we know, Frank and Joe are in an interrogation room talking with a guy who saw what happened the night Brendan died, albeit from a distance. It must be seriously weird to be interviewing a guy who’s explaining the crime that YOU did. That’s gotta do some internal damage.
Except, they circle back around on the guy. Says he’s behind on child support and they could arrest him. “This is what I get for doing a solid for the DPW,” he says. Yeah, that’s justice.
There’s some stuff with the people at the bar, and things end with Frank heading through Customs into Canada. If only he’d asked the customs agent (who seems friendly with both him and Joe) if he’d seen Joe coming through there recently. That might have answered some questions.
I’ll leave you with this quote:
“Have you seen my ass? I just got it chewed clean off.” – Charles
“You’ve got ass to spare, Lieutenant.” – Frank
Let me know your thoughts on “Low Winter Sun.” You watching? Should I keep recapping?
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