Banshee

I'm reviewing the series after only two seasons, which is about as much as I can take. Antony Starr is a great actor who did a fantastic job alternating between the Magnum look number one through five so professionally that I didn't even register the difference. If the sheriff he portrayed had some sort of venereal disease, the whole town probably had it. I don’t think I’ve ever seen so many unnecessary sex scenes and pointless fights. There was hardly any development in the story, and I was often bored. It was also full of various clichés and flashbacks. The only interesting character could have been Kai Proctor, if only the creators had given him more screen time. (2018.08.16)

The first season of Banshee was a huge disappointment. Instead of concentrating on the story, the filmmakers focused on boring soft porn scenes. I have nothing against female nudity, it's just that most of those scenes were irrelevant to the development of the plot. But hey, all the actresses had it in their contract, so... As the episodes went on, there was an increasing number of various clichés, the initially great action scenes lapsed into mere filler (such as the pointless fight between the sheriff and Proctor over Rebecca), and I gradually lost interest in the whole affair. (2018.08.14)

A pretty solid pilot. It had an intriguing setting and delivered a good dose of well-executed action. I was entertained throughout, and the ending gave it an extra kick, reminding me of The Far Pavilions after all these years. (2018.08.13)

I'm still satisfied. There was no chance of getting bored since there was always something happening. The setting of the small, out-of-the-way town is still captivating, and just like the previous episode, it delivered a solid dose of action. The ending with the Preacher was seriously entertaining. (2018.08.13)

Unlike most viewers, I wasn't too thrilled with this episode. It's hard for me to buy that Carrie, despite her intense training, could so easily handle her father's security team. The fight with Sanchez didn't impress me either. It reminded me of early 90s action movies (especially Van Damme films), where the hero gets pummeled for twenty minutes only to win unexpectedly in the final moments. That formula feels pretty outdated now. (2018.08.13)

The creators focused heavily on erotic scenes (or soft porn) in the fourth episode, and since I’ve seen it all before, I found it a bit dull. It's a shame because I actually enjoyed Proctor's arrest and the Moody revenge plot. The sheriff stealing a painting from a museum and then running around with his face exposed in front of a bunch of state cops was a bit much, though. (2018.08.13)

Were the creators serious with this one? Apparently, yes. A ten-member biker gang was supposed to be intimidating, but it just fell flat, setting the tone for the whole episode. I did laugh a few times, so I'll give it a second star for the unintentional humor, but overall, it was more laughable than thrilling. Also, is this the same Carrie who took down her dad's security in seconds? What a mess. (2018.08.13)

True, the sixth episode wasn't as stupid as the previous one, but it did have Wicks, who was incredibly annoying. The story didn't really progress; I just learned that the main character doesn't give blow jobs to just anyone and that this time it was Kat's turn to warm his bed while Rebecca took a break. (2018.08.13)

So, this episode wasn't a disaster, but it didn't exactly have me dancing with joy either. The creators didn't skimp on action scenes, but they couldn't avoid annoying clichés like last-minute rescues and putting the main character's loved ones in danger. (2018.08.14)

Every character ever played by the great Jean-Claude Van Damme would watch in awe, jaws dropped and drooling, at what Carrie can endure. I assume this episode was sponsored by a glass company because I can't think of any other reason for all the shattered windows in the scenes. (2018.08.14)

Carrie is like the Terminator—Oleg stabs her with a sharp fence post, and as soon as she wakes up in the hospital, she's back in action. I ended up laughing instead of crying. It's clear I got fooled by the high ratings, and now I'm nervously aware that I still have the second season to watch... (2018.08.14)

The final episode of the first season was a total letdown. It was one cliché after another: the sheriff defiantly handing over his badge (haven't we seen this before?), the classic last-minute rescue happening not once but twice, and the main villain miraculously escaping despite being riddled with bullets. And then the cherry on top: "I don't care what kind of gangsters they are. They picked the wrong fucking town." Seriously? (2018.08.14)

What annoyed me about Season 1 was still there in Season 2, plus the writing was getting worse with each new episode. The creators increasingly relied on "steamy" sex scenes and mostly unnecessary fights between the sheriff and the rest of the world. If the plot had revolved more around Kai Proctor, the rating might have been higher. I was mostly bored, largely due to the constant flashbacks. (2018.08.16)

Unfortunately, the second season kicked off with another weak episode. It started with two pretty pointless dialogues, then an incredibly unrealistic investigation into the events of the first season's finale. The armored truck heist was a letdown, too. I just hope dog owners in Banshee keep an eye on their pets because the sheriff seems to have a thing for anything that moves. If I were Job, I'd grab those diamonds and get out of town fast... (2018.08.14)

The plot is getting more ridiculous, and the sad part is that the creators seem to be serious about it. Maybe I'm just not the target age — I probably would've enjoyed that masturbation scene more fully if I was thirteen. If I understood correctly, poor Rebecca was kidnapped just to give the sheriff a reason to bust through the casino security. And Nola taking on three Marines? Straight out of a Marvel movie. (2018.08.15)

The Native American episode was definitely a step up from the previous ones. The confrontation with Jason Hood was pretty funny, but what really got me was the development of the Native American raid on the amenities. Oh, and let's not forget, the sheriff got a new notch on his... well, he's got a new notch. (2018.08.15)

The three minutes before the credits were filled with pure nonsense, and it didn't get much better after that. I don't get why Banshee is called a backwater town — it even has its own squat! The Amish teacher storyline would have been fine if it weren't for another ridiculous fight with the sheriff. Thankfully, Kai Proctor saved the day, but Rabbit's visit to the prison, and in a wheelchair no less, was like a scene out of a screenwriter's wild fantasy. And then there's Littlestone... (2018.08.15)

It's getting really tiresome that so much of each episode is filled with dreams, fantasies, and constant flashbacks. This episode was packed with events, but most of them ended up having no impact on the story, making them largely pointless. Just typical filler to stretch the plot. (2018.08.15)

Episode six was one of the more bearable ones. I'm surprised the creators didn't choose an Englishwoman instead of an Englishman — it could've led to an interesting interaction with the sheriff, maybe even a different kind of showdown. Quentin was hilarious though: "This is the last time I'm going to ask. Where's the fucking money?" (2018.08.15)

Not bad. I got a kick out of minced Jason, Proctor's way of handling the Native American issues, and the sheriff's clash with Kai. It's just a shame the creators stuck to the same old formula for the sheriff's confrontations with Gordon and the mechanics. Once again, we get the usual pointless fights. The script is pretty unimaginative, recycling the same scenes with different characters brawling with the sheriff. (2018.08.16)