Boss Season 2 Premiere

Power doesn't corrupt...It destroys

I loved the first season of Boss. I think that in order for a brand new television show to be noticed amid the plethora of current superlative shows including Breaking Bad, Dexter,  the Walking Dead to name but a few, it has to operate in the extremes. There is no doubt that Boss operates to extremes in the maximum, to the point where it seems that many viewers and critics found the show’s bleak atmosphere and lack of positive characters to be a negative quality. I, however, find that to be a positive and perhaps a more realistic trait. In life there aren’t always people who have interests of the masses to heart, heroes don’t always exist. But in fairness while this is common in reality, Boss is, at the end of the day, a TV show and as such has to include characters of identifiable morality and that is perhaps one of the primary causes of the television show’s less than spectacular ratings up until this point.

This Season picks up after the dramatic conclusion of the Season 1 finale, with many of Kane’s opponents still suffering from the ruthless retribution he exacted upon them for plotting against him, oddly enough a number of players who were so integral to the last series are barely seen in this episode. Mayor Kane’s daughter, Emma Kane was limited to two brief on screen appearances, though it was enough to show us, the audience that she has not forgiven her father for what may be considered by many as the ultimate betrayal. Likewise the object of her affection (obsession) Darius, played by Rotimi, was seen only twice, but at least his scenes were of more dramatic value seen once accosting the Mayor and his entourage in the street over the treatment of Emma and seen again in the company of former ‘Gangbanger’ (such an unusual phrase, but one that I remember reading somewhere) and now Politico wannabe Trey (T.I) who serves as a sort of parallel amalgamation of both the political and the criminal elements that this show has come to be known for. While Kane and his breed are political criminals, Trey seems to personify a criminal politician. It is in this scene, where these two characters surrounded by cohorts and a table full of guns, that the one of this season’s major plotlines develops showing that war will really come at the Mayor from all sides. Kane’s political rivals and douchebag titans Alderman Ross and Governor McCullen were barely seen at all, with Ross shown to be slinking in his apartment, drinking heavily and obviously still affected by Kane’s particular brand of revenge. However these characters are shown just enough to show us all that they are still there, they may or may not be important but right now...But when their time arrives they will be waiting.

Two of my favourite characters, who were regulars last season and are set to return in a more significant capacity, is Treasurer Zajac  (Jeff Hephner) and his wife Maggie (Nicole Forester). However, there are some noticeable changes to their character development, while he appears to  be somewhat meeker and insecure in the opening episode his wife by stark contrast seems to have hardened, while it was always hinted that she wielded the power in their marriage this episode confirms it to be so, and she is shown to be calculating and intelligent and perhaps a potential foe for the Mayor Kane. I look forward to seeing how this plot develops. In addition Troy Garity as Political Journalist and now newspaper editor Sam Miller seems to have upped the ante in his pursuit in the exposing of Mayor Kane’s criminal activities, while there is no denying that the man is far from clean himself his self righteous crusade, if continued at the rate it is seems certain to pit him and the Mayor against one another, perhaps making him Grammer’s main foil within this show, though with the amount of enemies his character has it is hard to say yet if this will indeed be the case.

Now for the man himself, I continue to believe that this is Kelsey Grammer’s best role, and considering this is the actor who played both Dr. Frasier Crane and Sideshow Bob that is saying a lot. With Corrupt Chicago Mayor Tom Kane he gets to display a wider variety of emotions which his most famous roles do not. As his illness begins to become more noticeable and debilitating we watch as Kane, the most powerful man in the city and as his closest and oldest friend describes him “a man of honour, a man of vision...and the mightiest warrior I have ever come across” begin to slowly come to the realisation that his best days are in fact behind him, and that perhaps he is not long for this world. Grammer displays a maelstrom of emotions that I didn’t even believe him capable of, showing that his Golden Globe victory for his portrayal in season 1 was no accident.

The show maintains the bleak, almost Shakespearian atmosphere in this episode (with one magnificent reference to the Banquet scene in Macbeth featuring my favourite character) but it seems as if this season, due to the obvious declining health of the Mayor, will focus on him trying to leave some form of legacy as his time draws ever nearer and will achieve it by any means necessary. His character may be dying but this episode shows that he has lost none of the skills which made him so dangerous in his prime, most importantly a remarkable talent for manipulation which rivals that of Benjamin Linus on LOST. In addition it seems as though he wants some form of relationship with his family, while he does not go and see his daughter in person, leaving that duty to his wife Meredith Kane (Connie Nielson, who once again shines as one of this show’s highlights) he does express some form of paternal concern over her well being, even though he is responsible for her being in prison it doesn’t mean that he doesn’t love her...deep down. Even his relationship with his wife seems to be improving, after the disturbing, and in my opinion rather sick proof of loyalty he asked of her at the end of last season he seems to be genuinely making more of an effort. I hope that this becomes one of the main narrative points this season as I find it both amusing and somewhat eerie to see a man of his nature sitting down to a nice family meal.

One of the main problems that I have with this show as a whole isn’t even really its own fault. Due to the fact that I am not American, I am a Brit, I do find some of the political elements i.e. the Jargon, the Processes etc to be a little confusing, I can follow most of it, but every now and then there is a reference made to politics in America that goes right over my head, and that does make me a little frustrated at times. However, it is not a significant enough deterrent to convince me to not continue with this show, because I truly believe that once it irons out the kinks it will be able to stand proudly upon the pantheon of television.

I know in this review I largely missed out discussing the new characters, I did so intentionally because at this point they are largely unknown, as with most television shows, the premiere focused more on the main character than any of the supporting players and as such I would rather they be allowed to develop a little more before I discuss them. While I do not plan on reviewing every episode of this series I do plan to revisit the show at both the halfway points and the finale, so will no doubt discuss them in greater detail...Especially the character Mona Fredricks, played by Sanaa Lathan who is serving as Alderman Ross’ chief of staff and Kane’s primary opponent in the Chicago City Council in the shamed Alderman’s absence. She is strong, resourceful and a bitch, in other words a very serious cog in the workings of Mayor Kane’s operations.

With clever writing, a dramatic narrative as well as a collection of new characters and a variety of new and exciting plotlines looming on the horizon I urge anyone who reads this to give the show a go, I know this is a review of the Season 2 premiere but if you stumble upon this review and are new to Boss then I recommend you try it out. You will not regret it