REVIEW - Vegas S1E09

This week Lamb and his posse track down the killer of a young showgirl. The case resonates with Katherine on a personal level, allowing her much more screen time than usual. And boy does she shine – especially in her scenes with Lamb. The sheriff wants to keep her safe (which has thus far meant keeping her off our screens!) but he doesn’t get his way this week as the feisty (yet constantly elegant and poised) lady does some investigating of her own.

Wouldn’t it be great if the writers allow the Katherine-Lamb relationship to blossom? We think it would add a missing dimension to their characters and help centre the storyline.

At the moment, Vegas is all over the place. It’s like watching two movies at the same time. In one corner we have Lamb playing detective and in the other we have Savino playing games with a high roller he needs to pull other high-stakes players into the casino. The two barely even cross paths this week.

So we put it to you, Vegas watchers, what did you think of Episode 9 ‘Masquerade’?

Review by Catherine Jones

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REVIEW - Vegas S1E08

This week, Sheriff Lamb and the military police unite when Vegas’s weekly game of Cluedo leads to an AirForce base.

Rizzo creates issues when he unwittingly hires Savino’s ex-mistress to sing at the Savoy – the sexy songbird is a volatile mix of miffed and smitten.

In a world where the bad guys aren’t always so bad and the good guys don’t play by the rules, Lamb and Savino’s relationship status still falls under ‘complicated’.  Who saved who is up for contention as the two engage in the witty banter and wise cracks we’ve come to expect.

Carrie Anne Moss gets some screen time, but frustratingly her talents are yet to be put to good use. Perhaps the creators are hiding that card up their sleeves. Time to play the hand, we think.

Savino’s wife shows her solidarity to her husband and his associates, before doing an about face regarding the cronies.

This episode also allows us a better glimpse into what could have happened to Lamb’s wife. Legal documentation states her death was an accidental car crash, but it’s clear the Sheriff thinks otherwise.

Overall, Exposure is a solid episode.

Review by Catherine Jones

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REVIEW - Vegas S01E06-07

C’mon Vegas, throw us something we can really sink our teeth into! Thus far, Vegas seems to have been resting on its laurels – exceptional styling, spot-on sets and A-list veterans. For those of us still hanging on, ignoring the inconsistent direction and lazy characterisation, you’ll be happy to know these two episodes have some promise to their premise.

In Episode 6, ‘ The Real Thing’, Lamb and Savino call an apprehensive truce as they hunt for those behind the fraudulent-chip caper and subsequent murder.

Mayor Bennett is still making things difficult for the casinos, so Savino readys a ‘better’ candidate with the help of his wife.

One to watch in terms of storyline, Savino’s wife is befriended by Katherine in an attempt to get another angle of goings on. We’re not sure how long this friendship will last.

As mentioned previously, Quaid and Chiklis really shine when onscreen together; in Episode 8, ‘Bad Seeds’, they share the spotlight. The Milwaukee mob sends creepy hit-man Jones to take out Savino in retaliation for the murder of two of their men, so Lamb takes him to his ranch for protection. Things don’t go quite as planned.

In this episode, Savino is taken out to the desert to die; Angelo and Rizzo need to make amends for the two Milwaukee deaths. Despite Lamb’s best efforts, is this already the end for Savino?

Oh, and what’s up with that little something-something going on between Jack and Mia? We don’t know where it came from but it could add some intrigue to the show, aside from the requisite CIA-style ‘murder of the week’.

There’s a change coming. (Now isn’t that the kind of thing Lamb would rasp say?)

Review by Catherine Jones

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Review - Vegas S01E05

The chemistry between Quaid and Chiklis, and the men they portray, is no doubt the driving force behind Vegas. For both of them, folding is not on the cards.

Vegas. A world of greed, girls and guns. The show depicts Sin City in the early sixties, when it was just on the cusp of turning into what it is today. Filled with spectacularly styled sets, period-accurate costumes and riveting narrative, Vegas keeps getting better and better. The period-matched yet subtle soundtrack works well to create atmosphere in key scenes.

In ‘Solid Citizens’ Dennis Quaid’s Sheriff Ralph Lamb and his entourage investigate the kidnapping of a local boy. Of course, Lamb suspects Vincent Savino (portrayed by Michael Chiklis) is involved, or knows someone who is.

This week we start to see main characters evolve as their storylines allow them more dimension. Family dynamics play out among the Lamb family, and we’re introduced to Savino’s wife. We also get a glimpse of new characters that promise to influence future storylines.

At times the dialogue is cheesy but it’s delivered in a way that somehow just works. In this episode’s final scene, Savino tells Lamb, “We all end up in the ground some day.” “But how we get there counts for something. [Pause for effect.] Chew on that,” drawls the sheriff.

The chemistry between Quaid and Chiklis, and the men they portray, is no doubt the driving force behind Vegas. For both of them, folding is not on the cards.

The great thing about Chiklis’s character is that he’s complex, not a straight-out villain. Quaid’s depiction of a raspy, lovable rogue of a lawman is modeled closely on the real Ralph Lamb (right down to his swagger), a man unafraid to use unorthodox methods (read ‘his fists’) to keep things clean, and the mob at bay.

Carrie Anne Moss’s cool and classy Katherine O’Connell holds her own in a man’s world. We’re yet to see her given a substantial chunk of the action but we’re betting there’s plenty in store for her.

‘Solid Citizens’ is a solid spectacle. We’re looking forward to upcoming storylines showcasing more of its A-list ensemble.


Review by Catherine Jones

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