Animal Kingdom is an exciting show, but never really adds anything new to the formula. While almost going too far into “Sons of Anarchy” territory, Animal Kingdom does offer some more of what already works. Just don’t go in expecting to be swept off your feet.
Part “Sons of Anarchy”, part “Point Break”, Animal Kingdom’s first season was compelling, thrilling and entertaining throughout; it just unfortunately left me wanting more. Yes, all of the key ingredients for a successful TV drama are here, but so much of the show is well-treaded ground, I find it hard to believe the showrunners could not find something new to add to the formula. While I loved the dark and gritty world of the Cody’s smacked on the front of a sunny Southern California beach backdrop, I really could not help myself but directly compare so many of the characters and plot-lines to that of the aforementioned “Sons of Anarchy”.
Animal Kingdom (on TNT) follows the story of 17 year old Josh Cody as he must join his estranged family after his mother overdoses. The family, as you may have guessed, is a small criminal organization who take on small and medium sized heists. Headed up by “Smurf”, the grandmother played by Ellen Barkin, season 1 follows the family and Josh (otherwise known as “J”) as he slowly becomes more involved with the crime family. While there are no particular standout performances from the show, I will admit I was consistently drawn into the show any time Smurf (Ellen Barkin) or Baz (Scott Speedman) were on the screen. Both characters were consistently dramatic and twisted enough to keep the show going, and to keep my attention throughout.
Unfortunately I never really felt as though the show did anything spectacular with the heists this family pulls off. Yes, Episode 8’s heist was exciting, but never really felt like it got the payoff it deserved. Another key aspect of Animal Kingdom is it’s Southern California backdrop, an element I thought would play a role throughout this first season. In some ways it did, as the typical “let’s go surfing after a heist” was used pretty heavily throughout, as were the partying and romantic twists. Animal Kingdom features the stereotypical detective character who feel they have control or “an in” with one of the family members. It also features many of the stereotypical plot points of, “there was a problem with the heist” or “Can you really trust the members of your criminal organization”. If the cinematography and two standout performances were not present, Animal Kingdom would feel like a less-than-passable TV show.
But let’s look at what the Season 1 Blu-Ray features:
Extras
- Digital Copy (always nice)
- 6 featurettes which offer behind-the-scenes looks at the making of the show, the stunts, the characters and the actors who play them.
- Deleted Scenes
The features section of this Blu-Ray are pretty minimal, but the featurettes were a nice addition. Each offer a cool look into the design of all of the characters and set pieces. I do wish there were some sort of director or actor commentary over the episodes, but for a pilot season of a show this may be too much to ask for.
