The writing in this specific episode, penned by Jody Worth, is so sharp you could cut yourself.
I do not say this lightly. I have seen my share of Broadway plays and for this episode in particular, scene after scene, discourse after discourse, aside after aside, I forgot I was watching a TV drama and felt I was watching a stage play, where every character's lines had both the obvious meaning and hidden nuance.
Even the throw-away jokes, including an off-color one having to do with the pre-requisites for having carnal knowledge of foreign strumpets, were brilliant.
As I understand it, Ms. Worth was nominated for an EMMY for this work, and deservedly so.
As for acting, every cast member was up to the usual standard (which is to say, great) but McShane again stole the episode in his astonishing ability to change personalities depending on whom he was in dialog with.
His tete a tete with Molly Parker, in particular, is the dramatic art at its highest level.
I do not say this lightly. I have seen my share of Broadway plays and for this episode in particular, scene after scene, discourse after discourse, aside after aside, I forgot I was watching a TV drama and felt I was watching a stage play, where every character's lines had both the obvious meaning and hidden nuance.
Even the throw-away jokes, including an off-color one having to do with the pre-requisites for having carnal knowledge of foreign strumpets, were brilliant.
As I understand it, Ms. Worth was nominated for an EMMY for this work, and deservedly so.
As for acting, every cast member was up to the usual standard (which is to say, great) but McShane again stole the episode in his astonishing ability to change personalities depending on whom he was in dialog with.
His tete a tete with Molly Parker, in particular, is the dramatic art at its highest level.
