Review: Boss – Season 1, Episode 7, “Stasis” – Between a Rock and a Hard Place

Review:  Boss – Season 1, Episode 7 – “Stasis”

Air date: Friday, December 2 at 10pm ET/PT on Starz

Rating: ★★★★★

A Bensenville trichloroethylene plaintiffs’ class action lawsuit deposition, negative public perception, and a government shutdown are some of the growing complications Mayor Tom Kane (Kelsey Grammer) faces.  As opportunists and enemies try to box him in, this has to be the most severe crisis Kane has experienced this season. It’s not a good sign when right hand man Ezra Stone (Martin Donovan) prompts him for a wild card to keep the public distracted and prevent a primary election blood bath.  Could the Mayor still have a trick under his sleeve and if he does, what could it be?

I would like to highlight first some key developments in Boss’ weaker story arcs that are relevant to the series’ big picture, which most likely will carry over to next season. Although I remain disinterested in Darius (Rotimi Akinosho) and Emma’s (Hanna Ware) intensifying relationship, the way the heart of gold drug dealer demonstrates his love entertains me. Doesn’t he know getting a tattoo bearing his lover’s name is a surefire way of dooming the relationship?  Well, at least the body art cleverly camouflages Emma’s name.

Then, Peter Baine (Craig Spidle) offers Sam Miller the Chicago Sentinel editor’s job. The fast promotion track has a catch: a Kane gag order until after the election; then, he is able to do whatever he wants as long as he sells papers. I’m happy to see a spin on this storyline as it was becoming stagnant and circular. Miller maintains a long-term perspective on things and I’m curious to see how he’ll use this new role as a canon to take aim at the system. More importantly, will ‘Rosebud’ resurface with news of Miller’s promotion?

Kitty O'Neil (Kathleen Robertson) is stuck between a rock and a hard place.

Things begin getting interesting when Kitty O’Neal’s (Kathleen Robertson) pregnancy becomes real but she doesn’t get the opportunity to break the news to her baby daddy, Governor candidate Ben Zajack (Jeff Hephner).  Maybe it’s because of the hormones stemming from her condition or because she has split loyalties, but she ends up betraying the Mayor’s confidence by revealing to Zajac that Kane is stepping down. Her revelation spreads faster than a California wildfire and triggers a fascinating sequence of events that dominate the rest of the episode.

Connie Nielsen continues with her stellar portrayal of Meredith Kane as she schemes against her husband.  Just like she did to get Kane elected, Meredith takes a hands-on approach in mentoring Zajac, particularly as she walks him through the three basic linchpins of American politics: “money, muscle and the neutralization of one’s enemies.” Not surprisingly, their interactions also hint at a certain level of intimacy between them.

It’s only a matter of time before Stone hears the resignation rumors and Kane offers his perspective on things – “Shake the tree, bad apples do fall.” From a twist standpoint, it’s exciting to see Kane setting up the trap to unveil the vulnerable leak within his team and once he figures it out, he comes back in full swing. After making an already emotional Kitty fear for both her present and future existence, Kane forces her to spill who is planning to take over his kingdom and how. She saves the most damaging individual for last, giving us a powerful scene thanks to the actors’ talents, particularly Grammer. Kane reacts as if he’s received an injury-causing blow to the guts. When he calls Emma and tells her he loves her, we can’t help but empathize with him in this emotion-filled scene. However, this is a short-lived experience as we’re forced into the next conflict resolution level and my jaw drops.  Kane’s heartbreaking conversation with Emma turns out to be the equivalent of Judas Iscariot’s kiss as his next step is to order a drug sting operation that targets Darius’ neighborhood and Emma’s community clinic but also neutralizes both Alderman Ross (James Vincent Meredith) and Zajac via some compromising images. The photos provide evidence that the six degrees of STD separation from Zajac has expanded to include Ross’ wife. To keep Kitty in line, Kane makes sure she sees the photos and sends them to Ross and Zajac’s wife, Maggie (Nicole Forester).

I have to retract my previous statement that Maggie was Meredith version 2.0. The supposedly delicate flower fooled me; she’s far wiser and experienced than what we’ve been led to believe, but she’s still a woman stuck in another political loveless marriage. Seeing the wanna-be shot caller and sex-addict Zajac berated by Maggie is an enjoyable experience for me and it is pleasant to see her being shrewd in ways her husband isn’t. She fully understands the message Kane sent them and the level of players they’re up against.

Ezra Stone (Martin Donovan) remains the most loyal and valuable member of Team Kane.

“Stasis” starts slow but it builds up to an exciting sequence of betrayal and intrigue. It leads to a master plan that only a man in survival mode with a lifetime of political experience can pull off because it requires fierce determination and total disregard for the collateral damage it inflicts. The acting in this series is solid but Donovan and Grammer are my personal favorites. They’re fantastic in the most dramatic scenes but I like the snarkiness both actors infuse in their roles—particularly when Stone toys with Eliot McGantry (Chris Agos) during the deposition hearing, and when the supposedly unavailable Kane gives McGantry the equivalent of flipping him the bird by smirking at him during a water fountain stop. I love seeing Kane act like his old self but Stone has become my favorite character due to his ability to keep his cool and deliver under pressure.

“Stasis” ends with Kane’s arrival at Meredith’s house. Given the quality of Boss’ production and writing, my head is already spinning in anticipation of all the scenarios involving their inevitable confrontation. In this one instance, Kane outsmarts Meredith in the political game. With both of their determined personalities, I anticipate their feud will only get uglier as neither one is the ‘going-down-quietly’ type.

How will Kane deal with Meredith’s betrayal?  Will Kitty and Zajac remain permanently on Kane’s shit list?  Will Ross seek revenge against Zajac?  With one day until the election and one more episode to go, it’s safe to say we can expect a drama-filled finale.

Tune in to Boss Fridays at 10pm ET/PT on Starz. For more on the show, visithttp://www.starz.com/originals/Boss.

Like Boss on Facebook at: http://www.facebook.com/boss.starz?ref=ts.

On Twitter, follow @Boss_Starz , @Mayor_Kane, @WLOZ4 and @WBSK3.

All photos © 2011 Starz Entertainment. All Rights Reserved.

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elleL

Soaker of life. I like to experience things and see the world. I consider myself a professional traveler. My love for movies and television goes way back but I'm a sucker for action-oriented films and shows. Oh, and I make excellent martinis! Follow me on twitter @LutzElle.

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