Showtime/Sky Atlantic
As we began Ray Donovan he was foaming at every orifice, making death threats against his pops and it didn’t seem there were too many places you could go from there. You can only kill the old scrote once, right? The reasons to kill Mickey are legion: his never-ending stream of jokes about his child being raped by priests, generally made in front of said child Bunchy and in one case in front of said child’s abuse survivors support group in what could well be the most ludicrous scene on TV this year. Then there’s him being a rat ready to “fuck around and get the whole label sent up for years” like the rap snitches Mister Fantastik addresses.
Then there’s him being a rat ready to “fuck around and get the whole label sent up for years” like the rap snitches Mister Fantastik addresses.
THEN there’s the fact he killed the wrong priest when he got out of chokey. He let Bunchy’s actual rapist walk away scot free and in this he is at least consistent with the policy of the Roman Catholic Church, the child rape capital of the world. Good going, Mickey you dumb Southie piece of shit. So yes, when Ray puts a gun to Mickey’s head and thinks really hard about pulling the trigger it’s only the many witnesses, his children among them, that stop him. One day though. One day.
But right now Ray has a bigger problem. Van Miller, the agent Mickey has been spilling his guts to who has a boner for whatever weird criminal conspiracy Ray Donovan and associates are operating in LA, is putting some serious moves on our fixer and is determined to send the whole crew down, something Ray really doesn’t like the sound of. He sends Avi to spike Van Miller’s coffee with LSD leading to a string of terrifying hallucinations for the G-man, a DUI citation, blackmail and an unambiguous threat from Ray: back off or I ruin you. Van Miller’s later phone call telling Ray to go fuck himself was unexpected, certainly by Ray and it looks like this dude is in for the long haul.
I could watch loopy Ashley handcuffing herself to Ray’s bathroom rail in her drawers all day. Never let it be said that Showtime don’t know their audience.
Elsewhere Ezra has lost what was left of his mind, Bunchy is still fucked up, Lee Drexler is still the most annoying portrayal of a lawyer on television and Freddie Roach is having some drama with that broad that is too dull to relate. It’s a show that has improved a little on its pilot. Liev Schreiber remains the best reason to watch and the Hollywood fixer action is way more interesting than the Donovan family turd jousts. I dunno though, I could watch loopy Ashley handcuffing herself to Ray’s bathroom rail in her drawers all day. Never let it be said that Showtime don’t know their audience.
The verdict: I’d rather be at home with Ray (assuming Ashley is there).
Marks out of 10: 7