BBC Comes To America With This Impressively Styled Crime Drama Set In 1860's New York
One of the most ambitious new shows to be produced by the BBC is actually set on American soil. What's up with that? And "Copper" arrives with one of the season's most impressive pedigrees! Oscar winner Barry Levinson (6 total nominations with "Rain Man" earning him a Best Director prize) and Tom Fontana (3 Emmy wins for writing on "St. Elsewhere" and "Homicide: Life on the Streets") are the creative forces behind the series set in New York's immigrant neighborhood of Five Points. Set shortly after the Civil War, "Copper" showcases the unruly lawlessness that runs rampant in a city struggling to define itself. The streets are filled with murder, illicit sex, and unchecked racism. At the same time, the wealthy are embroiled in political scandal, dubious business dealings, and an equal proportion of unqualified racism. Straddling these two worlds is Kevin Corcoran (Tom Weston-Jones in a star making role), a good cop who's not above coloring outside of the lines to pursue the truth or...
A Period Piece with Stylized Grit!
NO SPOILERS:
As K. Harris did the heavy lifting. I can provide a more granular viewpoint re: what I like about Copper.
While some "poetic license" has to be allowed, as a student of history, BBC America nailed it! The time period has been covered before in the big budget "Gangs of New York" who took somewhat more of a "poetic license" than BBC America.
The Irish as a growing minority, the winding down of the Civil War, Tammany Hall, The integration of Blacks, the role of woman, the gap between rich and poor (& the fostering of well-known industrial titans) and general cleanliness (it might be a small thing, though look at the dirt caked nails of some of the main characters) are all topics prevalent to the time period.
Copper is both well-acted and well scripted. Franka Potente stands out with her best performance since "Run Lola Run."
The storyline itself might only merit a *4 rating, though historical accuracy bumps Copper up...
Copper - It's pure gold!
Set in the gritty Five Points area of New York during the Civil War, Copper follows Det.Kevin Corcoran, an Irish American 'copper', as he solves crimes with nothing more than guts, brains and the clumsy tools of the day. Set against the backdrop of his own missing wife and murdered daughter, it's a dark and foreboding angst-fest for all. Corcoran's urge to champion every underdog continually undermines his career, and he has as many enemies on the police force as he does friends in the filthy underground he polices. Some people may be surprised or offended at some things depicted in this show - including a child prostitute 'married' at the age of ten against her will, and later imprisoned in a brothel to serve a 'certain kind of gentleman'. Child actress Kiara Glasco plays Annie Reilly, the child prostitute, and her performance is simultaneously electrifying and disturbing. Even seeing a child her age uttering the lines she's given in the show is enough to sometimes turn the...
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