Guerrilla

Guerrilla, created, written and partially directed by John Ridley (12 Years a Slave, American Crime), is already one of the best things appearing on TV in 2017 and could be an Emmy powerhouse.

Anyone who was around as the bombast of the 1960s turned into the bombs of the 1970s will not be able to feel a sad nostalgia and a tragic sense of inevitability at this mesmerizing spectacle of naivete, idealism, kiddie bravado and ultimately the sheer stupidity of kids playing with fire. If you can remember the 1960s, goes the cliche, you weren't there. But in Guerrilla, the memories of the 1970s linger, and burn.

The series builds to that climax in an almost casual way, fleshing out some characters and plotlines but leaving others thin. That can be frustrating at times, but it’s all a sort of misdirection that makes the final episode all the more jolting.

At its best the series can be focused where every scene feels like it matters and is pushing the story at a great speed just through dialogue; in a few too many low-points, Guerrilla displays a narrative gluttony using characters who are ultimately secondary to the revolution.

The series is graced by extraordinary performances, especially from Elba, Ceesay, Pinto and Kinnear. The concept of the series, as well as the dialogue, forms a solid foundation for the kind of great character development we expect from a Ridley product. There are few improbable moments in the first two episodes when you feel Ridley trying just a little too hard to make his points--almost, but not quite, at the expense of character credibility.

While Guerrilla has all the great writing and production design of a wonderful drama, it also suffers from some blatantly absurd creative choices that manage to undermine much of the show’s clout, otherwise.

The result is a production that’s often as messy, confusing and chaotic as the revolution it televises.