TV–Hot, Lukewarm and Cold

January, February and March have presented what seems like an endless stream of entertainment. That is, perhaps, an exaggeration because not all of it is binge-worthy. That being said, there are some offerings that will surprise you.

“A Thousand Blows” comes from the very astute pen of Steven Knight, creator of “Peaky Blinders.” Set in the late 19th century in the savage East End of London where death is sometimes a blessing, Hezekiah and best friend Alec have recently immigrated from Jamaica in search of their fortune, but the unfriendly streets of London are mired in mud not paved in gold. A lucky encounter with Mary Carr, a pretender to the throne of bandit queen, yields a place to stay. They take their chances on a boxing scheme at the local pub advertising cash prizes for anyone who can stay in the ring against the house favorites, Treacle Goodson and his brother, Sugar. Wagering their last coins, Alec goes up against Treacle and Hezekiah against Sugar. Both are cheated; both lose. Mary, liking the look of both Jamaicans, believes they can be of use to her in her audacious robbery plans.

But this is more than just a look at hardened and not-so-hardened criminals, nor is it entirely the haves vs. the have-nots. Sugar and Treacle represent the dying world of bare-knuckle boxing. A new form is emerging using specially made gloves, imported from America, the so-called sport of kings with the Marquess of Queensbury rules. “A Thousand Blows” isn’t just boxing; it’s revenge, racism, brutality, women looking forward, at least in a criminal sense; most of all, it tells a great, complicated, brutal story. The cast sets this show apart from others. Malachi Kirby plays Hezekiah with the right balance of ambition and disappointment. Erin Doherty is the ambitious criminal mastermind, Mary Carr. And then there is Stephen Graham, all fire and savage ferocity, a man being left behind whose inability to control his violent temper may be his undoing. And yet, Graham, as always, finds the humanity in this animal of a man. He has one of those, “Where have I seen him?” faces. Short, a bit squat with the face of a man who’s seen more than his share of fists to his kisser, his eyes always tell the story.  Graham infuses a touch of vulnerability into even his most evil characters allowing you a window into the complex motivation that drives the performance.

Now streaming on Hulu.

“Adolescence” was co-created and co-stars Stephen Graham in the role of a loving father drowning in circumstances beyond his control. This four-part limited series begins as police arrive at the home of the Millers. They are there to arrest 13-year-old Jamie for a crime that they refuse to specify. Terrified, Jamie is pulled away as his family, father Eddie, mother Manda and sister Lisa watch helplessly. At the police station, informed of his rights and stripped of his possessions, the interrogation begins when the court-appointed lawyer and his terrified and befuddled father, his appropriate adult, enter the room. Jamie has been accused of murdering a classmate, something he screamingly denies.

Each of the four episodes, all filmed in real time in one continuous shot, tells the story going forward, from his arrest and interrogation by the police; the effect his arrest has on his schoolmates; his interview by a psychologist; and finally, the effect on his family over almost a year’s period of time as Jamie remains in a juvenile facility. The continuous filming style lends a reality and tension to the story that is palpable. The performances are superb, led by Owen Cooper playing Jamie as he gradually reveals the complexity of his character, a complexity that was missed by all the adults around him. Erin Doherty is the sympathetic psychologist trying to learn enough about an uncooperative Jamie to mitigate what may be a harsh sentence if he is found guilty. Stephen Graham, as Jamie’s father, reveals all the colors of a man who has struggled to lift up his family, who is overwhelmed by routine circumstances, let alone the discovery that despite his efforts he may not have known or understood his son enough to help him through this difficult period. “Adolescence” is a must-see. Building slowly from the beginning, it earns your attention and the questions you will be forced to ask about who and what you may actually know about your own family. That director, Philip Barantini, successfully filmed each episode as a “one shot” added immensely to the personal rapport you feel with the characters.

Now streaming on Netflix.

“Deli Boys” is an off-the-wall, very funny take on the kind of crime family you might least expect. Always on the radar of the FBI, Pakistani magnate, Baba, has suddenly died, leaving no heir to his Philadelphia conglomerate of spicy foods and golf courses. Baba was quite a diversifier and well-connected enough that the Feds were forced to look the other way during his lifetime. With his death, they swoop in and gather up everything with even a remote connection to his kingdom. Spoiled sons Raj and Mir, totally clueless, arrive at the company board meeting to plead their case to be the new CEOs, oblivious to the raid going on all around them,

It turns out that Baba was a drug distribution kingpin and money launderer, hiding the product in jars of orange hot sauce, a recipe he brought with him from Pakistan. But the rest of his board, as hamstrung as they are at the moment, have no intention of turning over the drug business to the idiot sons until … it becomes convenient to do so. There are gangsters, rival gangs out for revenge, daughters of gangsters who want a shot at the big time or a date with Raj, the two board members, Lucky and Ahmad, who are still vying for control of the operation and the less than adept agents trying to find the drugs. Swiftly paced, each episode has more jokes that land than not and it’s a fun, absurd take on characters you rarely see on screen.

Now streaming on Hulu.

“Running Point,” borrowing heavily from the Buss family playbook, is a broad-stroke look at the Waves, a team not unlike the Lakers, and the family that runs it, the Gordons. Daddy was a sexist, racist jerk who put eldest son Cameron in charge when he died. Sons Ness and Sandy have significant roles in management, and although Ness’ skills are still being debated, Sandy is a more than competent financial exec. Left out of the mix was daughter Isla whose intimate knowledge of the sport and team was always ignored. But Cameron was paying attention, and when he is arrested and sent to rehab after crashing his car into a restaurant while swallowing pills and shooting meth, he appoints Isla to run the team, much to the surprise and consternation of Ness and Sandy.

The team is flailing; they’ve lost their sponsor, and one of their stars, Travis, is causing all sorts of mayhem and refuses to listen to a woman. Yes, Isla has her hands full. Her brothers are constantly undermining her and a new problem has entered the arena, an unknown Latino half-brother from Boyle Heights. What, they ask, is he legitimately entitled to if he’s illegitimate? Isla takes him under her wing, for better or worse (and it’s both).

A comic soap opera, whose jokes and characterizations usually descend to the lowest common denominator, it has the bones of a good comedy if it can increase the likeability of some of the characters and ground it a bit better in reality. Trying too hard to be funny, it is at its best when situations find the bullseye in the quieter moments.

Kate Hudson, as Isla, shines with her physical comedy, but it remains to be seen how close to the bone the writers will take it given that Jeannie Buss is one of the producers. It is hoped that pointed humor will be allowed to transcend the need to appease.

Now streaming on Netflix.

“Zero Day,” Robert De Niro’s first foray into series television should have been something to celebrate. There is a conspiracy theory crisis operating at the highest level of government. A cyberattack has occurred and temporarily knocked out key functions. But this is just the start, and the president must get to the bottom of this threat. Former president George Mullen is called in to lead the investigation, and the deeper he digs, the dirtier things get. People at the highest level of government may be involved and he becomes trapped in his own investigation. The next promised cyberattack will kill thousands if Mullen can’t find the perpetrators. He has the go-ahead from the president to use whatever draconian means necessary.

The plot was potentially good, but the series falls flat. There is no tension in something that should have had tension in its DNA. This is extremely surprising given the star power on display, most of whom were unable to infuse their roles with urgency. De Niro stars as former president Mullen and also starring are Joan Allen as Mullen’s wife, Matthew Modine as a congressman, Angela Bassett, as the president and Bill Camp as the CIA director. None, however, found any depth or urgency to their characters. The sole exception is Jesse Plemmons, who plays Roger Carlson, Mullen’s assistant in the investigation. Plemmons is good enough in this role to momentarily take the focus off how flat and insignificant the solution is.

Now streaming on Netflix.