If there was any doubt that good drama on network television goes unappreciated, I urge you to go and check out the next to last episode of The Chicago Code at the Fox website. A series that was canceled by Fox this past week, The Code appears to be just reaching its stride as the series heroes, Superintendent Colvin(Jennifer Beals), and her former street partner, confidant, and Batman like hammer Jarek Wysocki (Jason Clarke), close in on bringing complicated, often effective, but positively corrupt Chicago city Alderman Ronin Gibbons' (the great and perfectly cast Delroy Lindo)crime syndicate to justice. And even naming Gibbons "Ronin," taken from legendary Samurais without Masters, is a subtle reminder of creator Shawn Ryan's genius here.
There is unfortunately only one more of these gripping episodes to be aired (May 23rd at 9 pm). Ryan, who gave FX the unforgettable cops of The Shield, Code had "keeper" literally written all over it, but fell victim to audiences who appear to only want cookie cutter procedurals and a not top flight serial drama that takes time to unfold. Thus Fox sliced off the series before it had a chance to expand its audience base.
But, in giving The Code the boot, Ryan was forced to complete the crime story arch quickly and, for the benefit of the show's fans, his writing turned out recent stories that had to be more crisp and urgent. For example, the drama flowing out of the pores of the confrontation between Wysocki and Gibbons at the close of this week's episode was magnificent. Lion against Tiger and face-to-face.
**Spoiler Alert** That clash between the titans, featuring Gibbon's offer to name the killer of Wysocki's brother, the premise on which the main character's story arch was based, was preceded by Colvin's interrogation of Gibbon's just arrested Irish mob kingpin partner (Patrick St. Espirit), whose daughter, his bookkeeper-of ill-gotten-gains, had just put a seemingly fatal round into Liam (Billy Lush)the series' intrepidly moral undercover officer, who had just saved the live of the crucial key witness against Gibbons and his gang, with said witness then immediately showing his gratitude by then decided to not testify after all. **End of Spoiler**
And this all happened in seemingly the last five minutes of the episode.
Next week The Chicago Code ends, and while my heart would like someone, anyone, who has the sense to see that The Code is the next The Wire, pick up this great tale and continue it on until Colvin, ala Tommy Carcetti in The Wire, becomes a Governor, or Senator or, hell even the first woman President of the U.S.)-- with Wysocki by her side (they are meant for each other as a couple), its probably over.
And that is going to be a shame. Maybe Ryan's premise did not have enough overarching drama. There was no assassination or terrorist plots to give the show the kind of meaning audiences want. For example, there was no use of Chicago's natural advantages, such as being the home of the current U.S. President, or current world President Oprah. And no scenes being out on Lake Michigan, and no reference to any of the films that have been shot there (such as the Batman films). In hindsight Gibbons should have been running for mayor all along, and what about tie ins to the juicy Rod Blagojevich scandal? Seems to me Ryan was not smart enough to use any of these symbols to better his product.
In not doing so Ryan did not give Americans outside of Chicago a reason to care about it or the characters. There was also just not enough messy conflict within each of the characters to make us give a damn. Wysocki's sister should have been a secret druggie, or anything other than squeaky clean. And maybe older brother Wysocki will turn out to be a hitter for Gibbons who just got hit himself. There's still a week to go.
The Chicago Code had promise but as compelling as it was, Ryan failed to deliver more pop, to distinguish the show from the plain vanilla.
And that is a shame.
There is unfortunately only one more of these gripping episodes to be aired (May 23rd at 9 pm). Ryan, who gave FX the unforgettable cops of The Shield, Code had "keeper" literally written all over it, but fell victim to audiences who appear to only want cookie cutter procedurals and a not top flight serial drama that takes time to unfold. Thus Fox sliced off the series before it had a chance to expand its audience base.
But, in giving The Code the boot, Ryan was forced to complete the crime story arch quickly and, for the benefit of the show's fans, his writing turned out recent stories that had to be more crisp and urgent. For example, the drama flowing out of the pores of the confrontation between Wysocki and Gibbons at the close of this week's episode was magnificent. Lion against Tiger and face-to-face.
**Spoiler Alert** That clash between the titans, featuring Gibbon's offer to name the killer of Wysocki's brother, the premise on which the main character's story arch was based, was preceded by Colvin's interrogation of Gibbon's just arrested Irish mob kingpin partner (Patrick St. Espirit), whose daughter, his bookkeeper-of ill-gotten-gains, had just put a seemingly fatal round into Liam (Billy Lush)the series' intrepidly moral undercover officer, who had just saved the live of the crucial key witness against Gibbons and his gang, with said witness then immediately showing his gratitude by then decided to not testify after all. **End of Spoiler**
And this all happened in seemingly the last five minutes of the episode.
Next week The Chicago Code ends, and while my heart would like someone, anyone, who has the sense to see that The Code is the next The Wire, pick up this great tale and continue it on until Colvin, ala Tommy Carcetti in The Wire, becomes a Governor, or Senator or, hell even the first woman President of the U.S.)-- with Wysocki by her side (they are meant for each other as a couple), its probably over.
And that is going to be a shame. Maybe Ryan's premise did not have enough overarching drama. There was no assassination or terrorist plots to give the show the kind of meaning audiences want. For example, there was no use of Chicago's natural advantages, such as being the home of the current U.S. President, or current world President Oprah. And no scenes being out on Lake Michigan, and no reference to any of the films that have been shot there (such as the Batman films). In hindsight Gibbons should have been running for mayor all along, and what about tie ins to the juicy Rod Blagojevich scandal? Seems to me Ryan was not smart enough to use any of these symbols to better his product.
In not doing so Ryan did not give Americans outside of Chicago a reason to care about it or the characters. There was also just not enough messy conflict within each of the characters to make us give a damn. Wysocki's sister should have been a secret druggie, or anything other than squeaky clean. And maybe older brother Wysocki will turn out to be a hitter for Gibbons who just got hit himself. There's still a week to go.
The Chicago Code had promise but as compelling as it was, Ryan failed to deliver more pop, to distinguish the show from the plain vanilla.
And that is a shame.