Crafting television is a daunting task. Relieved of the temporal constraints of feature film, there is seemingly limitless opportunity. Most series squander this potential, giving in to the convenience of narrative insanity. The viewer is bludgeoned by one absurd plot-twist after the other. No one else makes television the way David Simon does.
Vaccinated against the sensationalism that has infected his contemporaries, Simon brings seriousness to a medium that sorely needs it. Simon doesn’t have time to toddle around with Daenerys’ dragons in la-la land. He has a brilliant eye for the compelling stories of the world surrounding us.
Simon understands that television is a place for consequential conversation. That is the reason for the intense passion for The Wire, that series everyone keeps bugging you about, which solidified his reputation. That show emphasized the details of how institutions operate and showcased how their dysfunctions affected every aspect of their community.
With Show Me A Hero, Simon buys that commitment to reality wholesale. These are not fictional representations but the factual story of Yonkers, New York’s political struggle to desegregate the city’s housing. As proven by the finale’s awkward closing intertitles, all of the characters, from politicians to minority residents, are actual people.
This genuineness makes the story compelling and emotional. We are not comforted by escapist fantasy, but confronted by the knowledge that the lives of the people involved are at stake. It is a wonderful opportunity to empathize with the struggles of people that feel so distant and be able to remind us that they are not.
Simon and co-writer William F. Forzi do wonders pacing the story across the miniseries’ six-part run. Each episode feels so full and rich, making a strong case for miniseries being the most effective form of visual storytelling. The story has room to breath, but without the obligation of an exhausting multi-season arc.
The cast has significant depth, supported by a few surprising yet rewarding choices, and the anchoring of Oscar Isaac. Isaac is quickly becoming one of the strongest actors working, and gives an excellent performance here as Nick Wasicsko, the mayor fighting to keep Yonkers afloat in the midst of social and financial chaos. His disastrous story shows us how politics can addict and eventually destroy its most eager servants.
Despite avoiding the flash that makes up most television, Show Me A Hero manages to be one of the most interesting and entertaining works on the tube. After creating what may well be the greatest series ever, David Simon has crafted another social masterpiece. Either that or just another excuse for white liberals to feel good about themselves.
