Pilot Review: Boss

Boss (Starz)
Premiered October 21 at 10pm

The cinema has seen its share of corrupt politicians, yet it’s hard to find someone quite as despicable and manipulative as Tom Kane. This pilot provides an intriguing introduction to Kane, showing him broken down before we see him put together, receiving some devastating details about his diagnosis. From there, he reveals his true colors, giving an intense speech in support of the Governor Cullen reelection campaign and then calling in wunderkind Ben Zajac to position him to run against that very same governor. Kane is hardly alone in his ruthlessness and cruelty, as evidenced by Cullen’s reaction to bad news from an underling, which leads to tragic results for an iPad. Grabbing someone by the ear during a meeting, threatening to expose voters by name if a bill doesn’t pass, and commissioning a terrifying warning for someone who hasn’t even done anything wrong all add up to make Kane one seriously determined and frightening leader. I can’t get that scene where the doctor was paralyzed in her car as her son was only feet away just to ensure that she got the message out of my head. Seeing how coldly Meredith reacts to him underlines his ability to make and keep friends. Sarn Miller is sure to have an intriguing and troublesome role in the res of the show, and Tom’s daughter seems to have enough problems of her own. The rather graphic sex scene between Ben and Kitty says plenty about those two characters, and I find Martin Donovan’s almost unrecognizable Ezra Stone especially captivating. The show can be dense and dark at times, but overall this is a strong and compelling series, even if it may not be my particular cup of tea.

How will it work as a series? There should be no shortage of possible plotlines related to politics, and with characters like these, there’s going to be a wealth of ground to cover. It may be a bit dull and impenetrable at some times, mainly due to the show having a widespread ensemble cast with a number of tangents.
How long will it last? This show got renewed for a second season before the first even began nearly a month ago. Kelsey Grammer is a bankable star, and I don’t think Starz will want to let him go anytime soon. The first season is only eight episodes, while the second will be two, so we’ll have to see where it goes from there.

Pilot grade: B