TV Series Recommendation: Lights Out

I have a new fantasy man and his name is Patrick 'Lights' Leary :) The pilot episode for the new FX tv series drama aired on 1.11.11. I knew before the pilot ended that this was my new favorite show. FX has been promoting the hell out of it and I thought this show would not have any rating issues since it has a little bit of everything for different viewers--boxing and street fighting for the male viewers and adrenaline junkies, a hunky new male lead, (despite being middle aged) a little bit of romance, and family life for female viewers, etc. You can imagine my surprise when I did a little research and found out that the premiere ratings for Lights Out were low. So what exactly is the show about?

Holt McCallany plays Patrick 'Lights' Leary, an aging former heavy weight champion who gave up his boxing career 5 years earlier for his concerned wife who couldn't bear a moment more of watching her husband get beaten up and severely damaged. Retired life doesn't seem so bad at first--watching his daughters grow up and supporting his wife's dream of becoming a doctor just a couple of the perks. However, after 5 years out of the limelight and perhaps some bad management, his brother tells him that they are broke. He decides to hide their financial woes from his wife while trying to come up with a solution. But with a deteriorating health issue (which he also keeps a secret) and struggling to find his identity, returning back to the ring or getting involved in some shady illegal debt collecting seem like his best options.

What makes this show a cut above is the excellent acting. Holt McCallany is fairly unknown but that is in no way a weakness. He brings something fresh to the screen and to his character. He is so ruggedly male, intimidating in size and quiet ferocity and yet he can be so tender when it comes to his daughters, his family. Behind every strong man is an even stronger woman--Patrick 'Lights' Leary's wife Teresa is played by Catherine McCormack. If you are wondering why she looks so familiar (like I did) then you may remember her as Murron from the movie Braveheart. And let's not forget Stacy Keach (Prison Break), who plays Leary's father and old trainer.

The good news is, FX president John Landgraf has confirmed that the cable network will continue supporting Lights Out despite it's slow start, believing that given some time and word of mouth more people will tune in for future episodes. I figured it wouldn't hurt by doing my part in promoting the show since I definitely think it is worth devoting time to each week. So get caught up by going to On Demand to check out the last 2 episodes and please tune in Tuesdays at 10pm on FX. Trust me, it's worth it!

~~Mia~~