Anyway the synopsis:
Like all pilots, we are given an opportunity to learn more about Ray Drecker's (Thomas Jane) present and more importantly compare it with his glorious past. We get to see how he severely damages his already old and aging house to a fire which was thankfully confined to the living room, albeit still forcing him to live outside in a tent overlooking a lake.
The fire forces his kids to live with their uptight mom Jessica Haxon (a much different looking Anne Heche from last I saw her since.. I don't remember), whom in a flashback reveals how she was once a shallow 'home coming cheerleading, stupid ass beauty queen' as she breaks up with Ray to hook up with Ronnie Huxon (Eddie Jemison), a well - off Dermatologist.
Broke and out of luck, Ray joins a get rich seminar that promises to teach him how to become a millionaire, only to meet Tanya Skagle (Jane Adams), a previous one night stand that he never cared to call back. After agreeing to 'have some tea' after the class they end up in the sack again. Tanya is a screamer in bed and Ray remembers why he didn't call her back in the first place.
The seminar was not a waste of time as Ray attends enough of them to at least learn from the speaker Steve Hytner (Floyd Greber) to find 'the tool', the one thing that he has or can do that can be marketed and earned from. It's obvious to Ray his tool is his large penis, and he decides to market it by putting out an ad in the paper. There is a delicious scene where he tells the class about it, but it turns out to be just imagined. He actually instead tells them he was 'good with vintage cars', and 'wants to be a mechanic'. This prompts him to stop attending, as he is unable to share his idea with the class.
Ray's first attempt at prostitution goes astray as he is turned back at the hotel room door by a potential customer, sliding a note underneath with a $50 dollar bill 'for his trouble'. That night, Tanya visits him at his tent out of concern. Ray admits his attempt at selling himself for sex, showing her his ad. Tanya is revolted but gets over it and tries to explain 'Big Donnie' was not the proper way to market himself to women and volunteers to help. She agrees to become his pimp.
The show ends where Ray admits to feeling great after a long time as he gives his son Damon (Charlie Saxton) the $50 for a Goth concert. Ray couldn't give any money at first since he was broke at the time he asked.
Critique:
Thankfully Ray talks to himself a lot so as to fill us in with important details, and this was the most important of this episode as he approaches the door to his first man whore attempt:
That in a nutshell is the whole plot to this show, and even though that might not seem much it is one of the more successful formulas out there - the down out of his luck but good guy trying to survive / succeed in a harsh, modern, changing environment. The fact that he's going to do it with his large penis is that extra oomph to the story that makes us all take notice. Try telling anyone a story of a guy trying to do well and we get empathy. Add the fact he'll do it by using his dick for money and we get shock, then either disgust, laughter, then interest. Whatever it may be, we get a reaction. The writers and people who conceptualized this show are nothing short of brilliant.
Three notes:
It's hard to feel empathy for Jessica, Anne Heche's character and Ray's ex-wife after she completely dismisses Ray when he almost begs her for a loan after the fire. I can't imagine her character is completely one - dimensional (a stuck up, shallow bitch), and am expecting more from her otherwise they wouldn't have hired such a capable actress. Obviously it's much too early to make assumptions, but kicking a guy while he's down is extra, extra harsh. And it would be hard not to forget that once her change of heart happens (and it will I'm sure).
I'm surprised it didn't cross Ray's mind to try and make use of his athletic background and possible connections at all when he was thinking of what 'tool' he had. The premise however is that everyone's cutting back due to hard times so I guess we'll just accept that.
And finally, a quick note to say how perfect Jane Adams is for the role of Tanya, the emotional, feminine poet who's the perfect antithesis to Ray's macho, male jock (or post-jock if you will). She even looks perfect for it, in certain situations looking very beautiful and in others, ordinary and droll. The show can and will play a 'will they or won't they' off the two characters in the future for sure.
Can't wait for more of this. Excellent show.
No comments:
Post a Comment