‘Lone Star’
It makes total sense that two women have fallen in love with Texas con
man Robert Allen — actor James Wolk is irresistibly charming and
infinitely watchable as a talented swindler struggling to break free
from his dad’s crooked shadow and make a go at a (relatively) honest
life with both women.
“I’ve been in love and know what that feeling is like, so for the character, I kind of multiplied that by two,” Wolk says.
Despite anemic ratings in its debut — we suggest watching the pilot at
www.fox.com to make up for that — this critical darling airs its second
episode Monday at 9 p.m. on Fox.
‘Boardwalk Empire’
In one word: gorgeous. Creator Terence Winter and his crew — including Martin Scorsese, who directed the pilot — have paid attention to sumptuous detail in this historic drama recreating Prohibition-era Atlantic City.
“Alcohol was perfectly acceptable until Jan. 15, 1920, and the next day it’s illegal; so not everybody got on board. It’s as if tomorrow orange juice is outlawed — now I’m bad because I drink orange juice? The difference between good and bad was blurred,” explains Winter, who knows a thing or two about people living on the opposite side of the law — he was a writer on “The Sopranos.” “Just because you’re wearing a badge or you’re a politician doesn’t mean you’re necessarily good, either,” he adds. After strong ratings for its premiere — and a quick pickup for a second season — “Boardwalk Empire” continues to stroll Sundays at 9 p.m. on HBO.
‘Terriers’
“Here is the really elegant, initial idea — what if the movie ‘Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid’ and the movie ‘Harper’ f—ed and had a child? That’s what this show was intended to be at first,” says Ted Griffin, who, along with Shawn Ryan (“The Shield”), created “Terriers.”
The series has that kind of bite — its main characters, played by Donal Logue and Michael Raymond-James, are scruffy, unlicensed private eyes in the hard-boiled tradition — but doesn’t hide its fine pedigree. Catch up at www.fxnetworks.com and on Wednesdays at 10 p.m. on FX.
‘The Event’
Is the event a military coverup? Who are those scientists? And why is the adorable Jason Ritter holding a gun? Though the pilot of this conspiracy thriller was tedious in its time-jumping structure, the final scene payoff was worth it — even if it posed another head-scratcher. Those who followed through will be rewarded handsomely in Episode 2, promises executive producer Evan Katz.
“We’re very cognizant of the audience’s patience, of rewarding the audience,” he says. “The show’s really designed to answer questions, to satisfy people, to keep them hooked, frankly, but yet keep posing questions. We’re keeping mysteries open, but we’re solving them. And more specifically, in the second episode we are very clearly answering the two largest open questions in the pilot. Watch that first episode at www.nbc.com and find out what happens next Monday at 9 p.m. on NBC.
‘Raising Hope’
Newcomer Lucas Neff is all wide-eyed innocence as a slacker who finds out he fathered a kid with a convicted killer and is determined to do right by his baby. “You don’t want to poke them or insult them or anger them,” Neff offers of the parenting motto on set. “Just make sure they eat regularly and don’t sit in their own foods for too long.” Courtesy of the “My Name is Earl” creator, it’s a kooky premise that gets more absurd when you meet the extended blue-collar family. Watch at www.fox.com and on Tuesdays at 9 p.m. on Fox.
