Drug kingpins are a dime a dozen in our culture. We’ve seen the rise to power, the fall from grace and every storyline. Therefore, if you are a show like Power, premiering on Starz today, you had better find some interesting elements and new ways to tread old stories. Luckily for the powers that be at the company, Power has enough engaging elements, namely a game cast and an interesting plot point near the end, to keep viewers coming back for more.
Power is about James St. Patrick (Omari Hardwick), who we first meet as him and his wife (Naturi Naughton) are preparing to head to his nightclub to enjoy a night out. Much like every perfect couple though, there’s something beneath the surface as we see James dealing with his thugs who are beating up someone who was hired to hit their drug trade. As the episode moves along we see James dealing with the seedy side of his life as well as his home life, and the struggle that presents for someone trying to go legit. However, a chance meeting with a former flame is certain to stir up trouble when it turns out she’s a DEA agent hellbent on taking down the cartel leader through James.
I think one of the biggest strengths of the pilot is that Power knows that it is a show treading on familiar ground and therefore doesn’t dilly dally. This is a running start pilot, letting us meet the characters in their habitats and getting to know them through situations. Power is such an atmospheric show and the pilot, while full of many big moments, never lets them take away from the proceedings. I loved how they played the reveals of the various characters and with the government coming for James, I think it’ll be interesting to see how that character grows.
The other reason I think the pilot works is because of the cast. Omari Hardwick has often found himself playing less than ideal men and his physique is certainly something to behold, but I loved how he channeled his character’s inner conflict and expressed it in unique ways. I mean he gets more emotional nuance out of a sex scene than one would think. His partner in said scene is Naturi Naughton who seems to be game for anything. Whether its helping her man dispose of evidence or trying to seduce her poor driver (Sinqua Walls whose reaction shots are worth watching alone), she presents an interesting energy and presence for the show. The scene stealer of the episode is Joseph Sikora as Tommy, whose resemblance to Macklemore initially there me, but whose acting is aces. Playing sort of the evil version of Jimminy Cricket, he tries to both advise James and remain an enforcer. You can see that his counsel is tinted by the rush he seems to get being involved in something illegal and could prove troublesome in the future.
Power premieres tonight on Starz at 9pm but you can watch it online right now.