Banshee: Season 1 (Blu-ray + Digital Copy) (Cinemax)

I came into this show with fairly low expectations. But I figured, "What the heck." I will start off by saying that the show appeared on my recommended list as a result of the many Showtime subscription shows that I had watched and, not paying attention to the fact that it was a Cinemax (not Showtime) show, I assumed that I had the paid ability to watch all four seasons. Nope. Showtime (through Amazon) subscription does not cover this Cinemax series. And now I am hooked. So I will stew and complain and commit to not paying "the man" more of my hard earned cash for a TV series that I should have already had access to because I paid for Prime and I paid additional monthly fees to subscribe to Showtime on Amazon and its unfair that I should pay more and ... And then after a week I'll purchase season three and season four, because the show is just that good.So I've established that I enjoy watching the how. For many, many reasons, but let me establish one particularly pertinent reason for those people who have a certain predilection and only read the first few paragraphs of a review. There is nudity. Good nudity. Attractive young women frequently displaying their naked bodies. In the pervert vernacular, T & A, and a few instances of B. This is a Cinemax (not Showtime / Grrrr!) show and it keeps up the old Skinemax tradition. I happen to be a fan of attractive female nudity so I can't comment, in an unbiased fashion, on whether the nudity is gratuitous. I lean towards no (but it probably is). Anyway. There's that for those who want to know.Which is also to say that the writing is brilliant. The dialogue sparkling. The acting stupendous. And at that last statement, I suspect that TV critics will bristle. But hear me out. Refer to the previous paragraph. Frequent attractive young women displaying (occasionally) full frontal nudity. And yet as opposed to being bubble-headed pop tarts, these actresses have chops. Emoting, showing range, physically possessing their characters (Strasberg). In a word - acting. So rarely do "serious" actresses "do nudity", that when you encounter actresses that see the full human range of experience, including those moments when a character is unclothed, as material for inclusion in a dramatic setting, it is striking.The actresses and actors are all extremely talented. The writing is brisk. The action sequences engaging. Too many fistfights for my liking. They are too frequent, several an episode, and all so extraordinarily unrealistic. I mean. C'mon now. You get hit that many times with a lead pipe and you would be dead. You get hit that many times with a lead pipe EVERY EPISODE and your entire bloodline would be dead.The writing and the drama (and the nudity) keep you engaged. Like I said I will, eventually, purchase the next two seasons. So this is a big thumbs up. I would recommend the series for any, (adults) that appreciate good writing, solid action, engaging plotlines, superior acting ... and attractive female nudity.

Gratuitous violence, sex, nudity, blood, humor and implausible premises make Banshee the absolute BEST series of its kind you have ever watched by a landslide! Banshee is also the most fun you have ever had watching television.This show is SO incredible its hard to explain it in words, but I will try.In a nutshell, the main character gets locked up in prison for 15 years for stealing diamonds. After 15 years, he gets out and becomes the Sheriff of the town. Plausible premise? No, but from the get go, it's a whole lot of fun. There's much more to it than that but I don't want to spoil it,Just know that for four seasons, you gets tons of the aformentioned blood, violence, sex, nudity, etc to last a lifetime and it is incredible to watch. Aside from the almost non-stop action from the very first scene, the character development and the group dynamic of the main characters is so fun and mesmerizing to watch. The entire series leaves you on the edge of your seat and makes it difficult to stop at any one episode.In summary, words do not do justice for this show. You just have to watch it as there is so much that goes on.My only complaint, if you want to call it that, is the fourth season. Don't get me wrong, it was till a great final season, but it just doesn't stand up to the firs three seasons which were just over the top fun! But the final episode itself was fantastic and ended the way it should be ended and the writers are to be applauded for masterful writing.Oh, and Matt Servitto is an absolute scene stealer. He is amazing in the role of Deputy Brock Lotus. Love this guy.Enjoy!

I thought this would not be interesting, because everyone who recommended it dwelled upon the violence and sex. There sure is a lot of both, but the violence is choreographed so well, it's almost like watching a brutal ballet. There's a ton of plot, both an over-arching one and multiple subplots, some of which are resolved within each episode and others which take several episodes to conclude. In that respect, it reminds me of the old TV series Hill Street Blues. This series makes for great binge watching. "Lucas Hood" is not the real name of the protagonist, but we never learn the real identity of the ex-con who rolls into a small Pennsylvania town and finds himself taking over the identity of a newly arrived - and murdered - sheriff. For a small town in a bucolic countryside, surrounded by Amish farmers and an Indian reservation, there's an amazing amount of crime. The local crime lord, Kai Proctor, is a former Amishman. He has a sinister henchman who looks exactly like a psychopath in a neat suit, bowtie and glasses. Any time you see him removing his glasses, you know body parts are about to be dismembered. The overall plot involves Carrie, Hood's former girlfriend. The minute he gets out of prison, he tracks her down, only to find her living a peaceful life with an ex-Marine husband, a rebellious Goth daughter, and a son afflicted with terrible asthma. She has dreadful secrets, which is why she's been in hiding for fifteen years, and Hood's appearance brings them up. In the meantime, Proctor's in cahoots with the Indian chief, who is building a casino, the tiny police department is housed in a former used car dealership, and the new "sheriff" has his hands full...and generally uses his fists, a gun, and any other object handy to deal out justice, if not law. Season one is so riveting, I could hardly wait for season two!