Banshee

This show has few culturally redeeming qualities: but it sure is fun to watch.

The plot is absurd, the violence and sex are excessive, and disbelief is completely suspended. But, I really enjoy it.

And, bear with me, there is some good acting. Sure, most of it is way way over the top. But there are some well done moments. Frankie Faison & Hoon Lee really shine. Even pretty boy Antony Starr gets some good lines.

I give a lot of credit to the show runners for putting - and keeping - this series together. If you like this, check out 'Warrior'.

Note: there are scenes that are a millimeter from soft-core porn. I'd caution against watching this on a fight, or near anyone for that matter :)

Sex, drugs, the Amish, stolen identities, lost love, organized crime, disorganized crime, Native Americans and corrupt casinos, fistfights with a hundred punches--any one of which in real life would put the combatants in hospital... nothing is too much for this lunatic series that never takes its foot off the accelerator.

Shameless fun, and we can only envy writers commissioned to stop at absolutely nothing to pique our interests or perversely curious natures. One of those times when excess succeeds.

And Lili Simmons.

This is one of the best shows I've ever watched. It's intense, consistent, has great characters and it never... ever... stops. It's relentless up until the end and it ends pretty well, without a fuss. Dig in people, there aren't many shows like this anymore.

With this insistence in having every new action show with a female lead and every guy around her being either a sidekick or a bumbling fool, here's one with a lot of strong, badass female characters that look real (within the context) and not shoehorned in the story just to appease the masses. Hell, you even have a cross dressing badass action hero who fits perfectly into this story. What a gem.

Every once in a while a show comes along that catches you completely off guard; you only want to check out the pilot because you've read a comment or two on IMDb comparing it to some other show you kinda like – and BOOM: you're blown away. That's what happened to me with 'Banshee'.

It's amazing this show hasn't found a bigger audience. It has its fans, sure, but as far as the amount of steady viewers is concerned, it's nowhere near playing in the big leagues – yet. When I started to watch the first episode, I expected a decent, but low budget 'neo-noir' crime show with some sexy women and a few good shoot-outs. What I got instead is high-octane pulp cinema that gets your heart pumpin' with adrenalin from the first second, and an opening chase/shoot-out that wouldn't have to hide behind any mega-budget action production Hollywood has churned out recently.

Needless to say, I was hooked. This show is raw, gritty, brutal and over-the-top; it's got everything most action films lack these days – and it's absolutely NOT PG-13. Granted, it's pulpy, trashy, sometimes even down-right ridiculous – but I loved every minute of it so far. The production values are among the best I've seen on TV and the cast is fantastic. Up until now, every episode felt like an injection of pure testosterone (and let's be honest: sometimes, that's just what the doctor ordered). My favorite guilty pleasure at the moment. 8 stars out 10.

Favorite films: http://www.IMDb.com/list/mkjOKvqlSBs/

Lesser-known Masterpieces: http://www.imdb.com/list/ls070242495/

Favorite Low-Budget and B-movies: http://www.imdb.com/list/ls054808375/

Favorite TV-Shows reviewed: http://www.imdb.com/list/ls075552387/

This is not a show based in reality. It's beyond silly. But that's OK. It knows what it is and just turns it all up to 11. The sex scenes are basically soft porn, and there seems to be at least one in every episode. Each episode is basically a setup for Hood getting into a fight where he gets his ass kicked but ultimately wins, and also has some girl drag him into bed for some graphic sexy time. But the characters are likeable and well acted, and the constant parade of bad guys getting their well deserved beating from our hero is undeniably satisfying. It's all very dopey, but extremely enjoyable.