Banshee is an unapologetic, action-packed show with Game of Thrones-level nudity and violence, and is definitely not for the faint-hearted. Sexual abuse, domestic- and prison- violence, organized crime and brutal executions - Banshee does not shy away when it comes exploring the dark excesses of human behaviour.
The main cast is excellent, everyone deliver their best. The story revolves around the trials of John "Lucas Hood" Doe (Antony Starr) - a criminal who's been released after being on ice for 15 years. He needs to hide from his former employer and in order to do so he takes up the mantle of a recently murdered sheriff as a disguise in the titular town of Banshee, Pennsylvania. The story goes way beyond that, even after the first few episodes that I don't want to spoil for you.
Beside The Expanse it is probably the brightest example of using a diverse casting to its fullest advantage. Native Americans, Amish communities, Aryan gangs and many more, all are being interwoven into an interesting setting. Characters falter and prevail, show initiative, weakness, resourcefulness and fallibility regardless of their gender, race or sexual orientation.
Overall, Banshee has an OK narrative and a mostly competent writing, but it would be quite a stretch to say it's perfect. There are undeserved deux-ex-machina rescues, several plot conveniences, multiple instances of characters doing quite the opposing things they were supposed to do just for dramatic shock value, and downright abandoned story-threads that bugged me for a while. Still, characters carry the show on their shoulders so it is easy to get hooked on just for them.
The show ended on its own terms which really is as common as a white raven nowadays, so you will get a complete, full story with a satisfying closure if you wish to give it a chance.
