American Gothic

This series has a clean, honest story line. It does have a traditional look about it, as someone mentioned, but that works for me. I'm a bit tired of the quick-cutting, montage-a-minute kind of film that passes for story these days.

The Hawthorne siblings are all different so you can find one to like and one to despise if that's your thing. Tessa is refreshingly naïve, a bit fruity, but I like Alison best, the cold, sophisticated one.

The other thing about this one is that it's not too freaky. I know it's fashionable to be pushing the envelope these days but I already think that sort of thing is done to the limit -- it seems like producers are going out of their way to find shock value. Sure, shock value gets people talking about your show but that's about it --- yada,yada,yada -- it's become boring, snore-producing.

Since I don't find much video/film/TV that impresses me anyway (compared to books where you can always find a good book), I like a good story with characters well-played even if fireworks and CGI aren't going on all the time.

Concrete in a tunnel collapses in Boston. It's a blow to Alison Hawthorne-Price (Juliet Rylance) who is running against Mayor Conley. Her father ran the family concrete business which supplied the material. Evidence of the "Silver Bells Killer" is found in the rubble. The killer has been silent for almost 15 years. The cold case is reopened led by detective Linda Cutter and suspicions land on the Hawthorne family. The father suffers a heart attack. Madeline Hawthorne (Virginia Madsen) is the matriarch. Her son Cam (Justin Chatwin) is a recovering addict with his own family. Her daughter Tessa (Megan Ketch) is married to police detective Brady Ross (Elliot Knight). Her son Garrett (Antony Starr) has returned from parts unknown.

It's a crime twisty mystery family drama. It's good enough for a network TV show but nothing more. It's not exciting or terribly compelling. There are some twists but nothing terribly compelling. The characters are fine and so are the actors. It needs one central character with real charisma to drive the show but this is more of an ensemble cast. This is not going to rewrite the TV playbook. There is just enough interest to keep watching all 13 one-hour episodes.

Although it took a few episodes to fully draw me in and the seemingly endless unanswered questions that kept piling up, this was an enjoyable watch. The questions were eventually answered and nearly everything is wrapped up nicely by the end. I was able to figure out most twists before they were revealed though so it may seem a bit too easy for some people.

The mystery part of the show was pretty good. A little slow at times but the story picked up speed as the season went on. There were enough twists and turns to hold my attention.

But there was definitely a liberal agenda. For starters this show is about a ridiculously wealthy family in New England. So wealthy that no average American can relate.

Then the family is involved in local politics. This is where the Hollywood starts to ooze out. There are little comments made about getting rid of guns, a gun buy back program, taking care of refugees, blah blah. Just like Hollywood, they fight for the rights of refugees but there isn't a refugee within a 20 mile radius of their gated community.

Make a good crime thriller. Keep the politics out of it.

I didn't know what to expect but after a hurdle of a 1st episode this is hands down one of my favorites of this season.

It is like a dark version of Clue, and I am telling you the kid steals the show he is creepy as heck.

Premise who is the silver bell killer? a member of the family? staff? is it the bloody kid?

I have no idea or do I? muhahaha you must watch if you are into character driven mysteries.

I will suggest you binge watch though because having to wait a week will frikkin kill you.

we shall see my eyes are pinned to the screen and I will be buying the DVD too.