KING ME: I've now seen the first two episodes of NBC's new gangster drama "Kingpin"- it's good. Not "Sopranos"-good, yet still very, very good. The cinematic style is just right, the performances are strong all around, and it has that large-cast-of-great-characters vibe that is necessary for a show like this to work. And it's great to see Laura Palmer herself (Sheryl Lee) in the role of protagonist Miguel's wife.
My only complaint is the way NBC is handling the show- supposedly there are only six episodes this season, and the network will air two episodes per week (on Sundays and Tuesdays) against stiff February sweeps competition. That can't help if they want the show to find an audience quickly, which is necessary these days. And also, Sunday's premiere aired merely two hours after a re-run on HBO of the "Sopranos"' first episode- making the comparison even more difficult.
Shameful reality programming like "Joe Millionaire" tends to get all the attention, but it's easy to forget that we really are in a golden age of television dramas. Just in the past two or three years we've seen the debuts of such standout shows as "Six Feet Under," "24," "The Shield," "Alias," "Boston Public," and now "Kingpin," on top of the still-going-strong "Sopranos," "Oz," "Law & Order," and "Buffy," and the resurgent "ER." Almost enough to forget that the once great "West Wing" and "The Practice" have deteriorated to the point of being unwatchable.
Besides, whatever you think of "Kingpin," you must admit it's significantly better than the Bill Murray/Woody Harrelson/Farrelly Brothers bowling movie of the same name.