What I’m Watching: The Deep End

The Deep End: Season 1, Episode 5 “An Innocent Man” (C+)

Perhaps my initial enthusiasm about this show was a bit strong, and there are certain elements which are now giving me pause about its quality. The ridiculous moments are at this point at risk of dominating the legitimate, serious ones, and that could be a problem. Maybe Addy’s boyfriend moving into her place without asking and then proposing only hours later isn’t a flaw of the show but rather a decent plotline, and at least it’s serving to help Addy and Malcolm get closer. I’m talking more about Liam punching the client to help him fake being sick and then using the phrase “given his verticality and lack of deadness” as a legal argument. The stubbornness of the judge, or rather the way she was so comically portrayed, is also somewhat problematic, but fortunately some of the more entertaining moments ultimately save the episode. Hart’s appearance in any scene is a boon for the show, and his best-delivered line this episode was “Gentlemen, tidy up. This is a place of business, not a dorm room.” It’s also good to see Rowdy actually stepping in and doing something helpful for once. The fact that he jokingly stole Dylan’s wallet at the end is something that I can work with, some boundary-pushing humor that does play out effectively on this show. Addy’s face when she walked in on Cliff and Susan fighting and her subsequent decision that she doesn’t use cream were funny, and, while it was a bit obvious, the way that their marriage problems played out was actually good for the episode. I also enjoyed how Beth was pissed off at Addy for keeping both her boyfriend and her birthday secret. Digging into the personal lives of these characters is exactly what this show needs!