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Title: Mania (14 Sep 2012)
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| Episode cast overview, first billed only: | |||
| Kelsey Grammer | ... | Mayor Tom Kane | |
| Connie Nielsen | ... | Meredith Kane (credit only) | |
| Hannah Ware | ... | Emma Kane | |
| Jeff Hephner | ... | Ben Zajac | |
| Kathleen Robertson | ... | Kitty O'Neill | |
| Troy Garity | ... | Sam Miller | |
| Rotimi | ... | Darius Morrison (as Rotimi Akinosho) | |
| Jonathan Groff | ... | Ian Todd | |
| Sanaa Lathan | ... | Mona Fredricks | |
| Amy Morton | ... | Catherine Walsh | |
| Karen Aldridge | ... | Dr. Ella Harris | |
| John Hoogenakker | ... | Jeff Doyle | |
 |
Anthony Mockus Sr. | ... | Mayor Rutledge (as Tony Mockus) |
| Nicole Forester | ... | Maggie Zajac | |
| Martin Donovan | ... | Ezra Stone | |
Kane orders a corruption sweep and arrests several members of his own political machine. Kitty O'Neil crushes Zajac's campaign just as he is on an upswing. Kane spirals out of control when his mental symptoms reach a boiling point and he can no longer distinguish between his hallucinations and reality. Written by Starz Publicity
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For any who are wondering, the episode 6 years ago that I was referring to in the title was "Exodus: Part 2" (Battlestar Galactica Season 3 Episode 4).
Now to the review (Spoiler Free). I should start by pointing out that I rarely give anything a perfect score in my own personal rating system, and I hope that people don't get too rapidly turned off the review because I gave it a ten, but this episode was nearly flawless without nitpicking.
The morality play side of this wonderful series comes out in full force this time, with several characters really starting to either make their power known, or be broken by the sins of their own past. Kane's scenes with Ezra are purely Shakespearean in scope, and we start to really see Ezra as more than the chorus figure that he has been in the past, but rather a true haunting of Tom's very soul. Emma really starts to show how far her addiction has brought her, and Darius asks her one of the most telling questions her character has faced, with the audience left to judge if her response is truthful. Kitty really shines in this episode, showing where her limits lie with Sam, her new campaign, and, most spectacularly, with Ben. Kane's plans for the projects are challenged by intimidation, violence, and his own sanity. The climax of the episode is the 1st debate between Ben and Walsh, the outcome of which is both unexpected and brutal.
The performances, especially from Kelsey Grammar, Martin Donovan, and Jeff Hephner are award worthy (in Kelsey's case, award winning), and I can't wait to see more. The most exciting part is that this episode is mid-season, leaving the promise of an amazing second half of season 2 fresh in the mind of all the Kaniacs out there. Highly recommend.
9.6 out of 10