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On Television |
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Premieres 10 p.m. Wednesday Sept. 24 on CBS |
 From left, Elizabeth McGovern, John Carroll Lynch, Randy Quaid, Mare Winningham, Ann Cusack |
Here comes David Kelley
with a brand new formula
By DONNA J. PLESH
of TheColumnists.com
Katie Couric. Deer. Duct tape.
Just your usual plot elements in a drama series. Granted, these
are not usual plot elements for a normal drama series, but they
are if the show is written and produced by David E. Kelley. He
of "The Practice," "Boston Public," "Ally
McBeal," etc.
"The Brotherhood
of Poland, New Hampshire"
is this year¹s new prime time entry from Kelly. It's the
tale of the lives of the three Shaw brothers living in an idyllic
small town in....New Hampshire.
Hank Shaw (Randy Quaid) is the chief of police--a guy with a
short fuse who¹s not above using his fists on those he perceives
as being bad guys....or just guys that get under his skin. Hank¹s
got problems at home with wife Dottie (Mare Winningham), who's
unhappy with life in Poland ("This town's a horrible place
for women," she says.) Befuddled Hank doesn't know how to
solve his home problems...and he finally gives in to Dottie's
request that they see a therapist. But this being a small town,
and this being a quirky Kelley-written show, the "therapist"
is an internist!
Garrett Shaw (John Carroll Lynch) is the mayor and the town's
pillar of strength. Only problem is he's hiding a secret from
his wife (Elizabeth McGovern) that could jeopardize their marriage.
Garrett agonizes over the secret--he had a brief affair with
a woman in town several years back--and finally tells his brothers.
Though he worries his wife will somehow find out, he feels pretty
secure--until the woman involved decides to blackmail him for
money or she'll spill the beans to Garrett's wife and tell the
town.
Easy-going Waylon Shaw (Chris Penn), the youngest of the brothers,
is unemployed but optimistic about his future. His school teacher
wife (Ann Cusack) and his smart and wise beyond her years teen-age
daughter (Angela Goethals) are both supportive of him--especially
in the times when he feels he¹s not as smart as either of
them--or his brothers.
At the crux of the series is the bond between the brothers and
their families--a bond that bends, but never breaks. When one
Shaw brother needs help, the other brothers are there for him.
Family comes first--and petty spats and annoyances are put aside
for the greater good of the Shaws.
Kelley, as usual, has put together an excellent cast. Quaid,
Lynch, and Penn are great as the "fat" boys who run
Poland. Early on I forgot they were actors--these guys are
the Shaws. Standing out among the actresses is the always
great Mare Winningham. She's got her teeth into the part of Dottie
and isn't letting go. Her Dottie is smart, determined when she
goes after something, and strong enough to pull off just about
anything--including buying the town's shuttered movie theater.
"Poland" is Kelley at his best. Interesting characters,
quirky storylines and great acting. But the show's longevity
may well depend on how it holds up against the other two formidable
dramas sharing the 10 p.m. Wednesday timeslot--the long-running
audience favorite "Law & Order" on NBC, and ABC¹s
promising "Karen Sisco."
Oh, and about Katie Couric, deer , and duct tape--well, you¹ll
just have to tune in to find out how they fit into the scheme
of things!
©2003 by Donna J. Plesh. The photo is courtesy CBS Entertainment.
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