I thoroughly enjoyed season 1 and was happy to have found this little gem of a show hiding within Hulu. It follows the struggles of a "psychic" con man, Charles Haverford (played by Jeffrey Donovan), and his family, who are caught between and beholden to rival Roma mob families. Donovan does an excellent, believable job in the role of an eternally optimistic, slightly slick snake oil salesman who begins to believe in his own supernatural abilities after he suffers a blow to the head. Isabella Rosellini is a joy to behold in the role of the Marks crime family matriarch, Rita Marks. Angus Sampson is also good as Fonso Marks, her son and the titular head of the Marks family, but his character is a bit over-the-top at times in a way that strains credulity. Who knows if this is due to his (over)acting, or the uneven directing and uneven scriptwriting? Despite these minor flaws, season 1 is an interesting, fun, and entertaining watch. Sadly, the whole show loses its way and falls apart in Season 2. The plot begins to meander. The writing goes flat. Charlie's "psychic powers," which we were led to expect would culminate in some sort of revelation, or at least resolution, lead nowhere. I kept watching, hoping the show would regain its original snap and crackle, but it didn't.
Review of Shut Eye
