Game of Silence – Dark and Hopeless

A rising attorney finds his perfectly crafted life threatened when his long-lost childhood friends threaten to expose a dark secret from their past.

Game of Silence is a NBC mid-season release in the  Law and Order SVU time slot. This new dramatic suspense series comes from Writer / Producer David Hudgins. This is his second series, he is also known for Friday Night Lights and Parenthood. This is his first try at dramatic suspense.

Game of Silence stars, David Lyons as Jackson, a successful Houston Criminal Lawyer. Lyons, well known as Vincent Faraday aka The Cape from The Cape. Most recent from NBC’s Revolution, as the angst ridden Sebastian 'Bass' Monroe.

Also starring, Michael Raymond-James, as Gil, a temper driven construction worker, is recently known for his portrayal on Once Upon a Time as Neil Cassidy aka Rumplestiskin’s son Belfire. Also as the original Big Bad on True Blood, Rene Lenier

Larenz Tate, plays Shawn, best friend of Gil and a seemingly well-adjusted man with some commitment issues. Tate is known for his role as Malcolm Kaan on HBO’s House of Lies.

Last night I took the time to put Game of Silence to the three-episode test. 

**Spoiler Alert**

Jackson is a big time criminal lawyer in Houston, TX. Engaged to a beautiful lawyer, who happens to be his boss, and is up for partner at the law firm where they both work.  He’s worked hard to build his life. Jackson is focused on the future, not the past.

The past, however, always come back to haunt you. Specifically, Jackson’s past and one particular summer where he and his friends got themselves into some trouble. This trouble sent the four boys to a juvenile correctional facility call Quitman.

Now we meet Jackson’s childhood friends, present day. Then there is Boots, who is a blue collar worker, married with a baby on the way. Gil and Shawn, best friends and owners of a construction business that maybe a little shady. Shawn is well-adjusted with serious commitment issues while Gil is a hot-head with a very short fuse.

In the pilot, the story begins with Boots kissing his pregnant wife’s belly before leaving for work and bidding her good-bye until that evening. He is a mover and has a job in Houston for the day. When Boots arrives at the site, a man is standing outside smoking a cigarette and talking on the phone. Boots apparently recognizes him from flashbacks Quitman and snaps. Grabbing a golf club he beats the man to a pulp and is arrested.

Gil and Shawn arrive on Jackson’s law firm, pleading Boots case and asking for assistance. It is obvious none of them have seen each other in a while Jackson is hesitant, Gil convinces him by telling him the man Boots beat was Daryl, torturer from Quitman.

There the story rolls along pretty seamlessly. The men start to dig up old memories and experiences from Quitman. Jackson tries to play it off as the past, while Gil and Shawn are still both very raw. They want revenge for Quitman and Jackson wants no part of their plans.

Everything changes when Boots dies from being stabbed in prison, and Jackson discovers the warden who ran Quitman when they were young is running for Congress.

Jackson decides that yes, they should get justice the right way. They collect evidence, build a case and bring them offenders to justice. This plan quickly goes awry when Gil goes off the rails. It goes from bad to worse when Gil kills an ex-guard just after the group gets him to confess on video.

We also have the Warden/Congressman’s men thinking there is a group forging an attack against them.

As a reviewer, Games of Silence has all the elements of a hit. The formula is there. the show is well written, well cast and has several very lean subplots to keep things interesting.

As a viewer, I found Game of Silence to be very dark and heavy due to the content, and numerous violent flashbacks. As this can be a good thing in a television show, if there is nothing to offset the darkness it does become too much to handle. There is no lightness to the show, no hope. The characters, while well written and very complex, are not very likable. I want to root for them to succeed, however I don’t like any of them enough to care either way.

If Game of Silence were a two-hour movie I would say bravo, great, a riveting and thoughtful piece. But, it’s not a movie it is a serial drama, and I don’t believe anyone will be able to stomach the raw emotional turmoil the show projects for very long.

Nice try, NBC, but I can’t do it, sorry.

Disagree? Please let me know your thoughts on Game of Silence or any of my other posts. Love to hear from you!!

Book Trailer - You Never Could Be

First Look- You Never Could Be

A passion-fueled encounter in the corridor of a hotel convention room reveals two anguished hearts struggling to reconnect despite life’s difficulties. Will Carlisle, the eye candy of the office, is every woman’s dream, tall, handsome, and dashingly charming. Sara Rozek never guessed he has secretly wanted her for months now. When a bad day falls upon them and Will breaks the reins of his own restraint, she sees the burning passion in his eyes, and there is no denying the mutual attraction. Will and Sara’s start quickly runs awry, and Sara becomes convinced she was played for a fool. Will begs her to listen to him, but she turns away in fear. Can Will mend her broken heart, or will the passion they shared vanish forever?

Excerpt

They walked out of the meeting with a definite maybe. It was the best answer for now. Will complimented their hard work and said he was proud of the presentation they’d put forward.

They separated from Rick. Will’s flight departed in just under two hours. Sara pulled out of the parking lot in silence, letting the radio fill the void. Her eyes focused outside the truck. The abrupt shift in his demeanor was uncomfortable and Sara was in agony. She couldn’t stand the tension but didn’t know what to do.

The car jumped, and Sara pulled at the wheel to remain in control.

“Shit!”

She pulled off to the side of the road. Her temper flared, the culmination of the tension in the car and the disappointing results from the meeting.

She thrust the door open and walked alongside the truck, where she saw her shredded back tire.

Will came around the corner, meeting her at the back of the truck, and he immediately reached for the hatch. Lifting it, he removed his jacket while Sara removed the carpet. She pulled out the jack and the crow bar. He took them from her, putting the jack beneath the truck. He met her gaze, a raging testosterone fury firing in his eyes, and she stepped back. He raised the truck and removed the hubcap. She took it from him, watching as he began to loosen the lug nuts. He’d gotten three of five, but the last two weren’t cooperating. She watched him struggle with them, doing her best to remain silent, resisting the need to comment.

He continued to try and then bent over in frustration.

“I can call roadside assistance if you—" she began, and was met with a glare that stirred annoyance in her chest. “You’re going to miss your flight. At least let me call Rick to come and get you.”

He glanced over, his eyes squinting. Brow furrowed.

“What?” She asked.

“How much do you weigh?”

“Excuse me?” He laughed and she bristled “What’s so funny?”

“Nothing, I just…I need your help.”

“Um, okay what do you need me to do?”

“Come here.” His eyes brightened, and she moved. He took the hubcap from her hand and set it in the back of the truck. “The lug nuts are stuck.”

“I noticed.”

He gave her a sideways smirk before pushing his hand though his hair and loosening his tie.

“What’s your plan?”

“We are going to jump.”

“Jump?”

“Ah, yeah,” his shoulders fell before he positioned the lug wrench onto the stuck lug. He scratched at the back of his neck. His eyes focused on the meddlesome tire. “If we put enough weight on the lug, we should be able to pop it.”

“By jumping?”

“Yep.”

“Okay.”

“Put your hands out.” She complied and he grasped her elbows, locking the embrace. “Okay, now put your right foot on top of the crowbar, then your left.”

She followed his directions, using his arms to steady her balance on top of the piece of metal. She got her bearings and met his gaze.

“Now what?”

“I am going to jump onto it as well, and with any luck, the force will pop the nut.”

“You’re serious?”

“Absolutely.” His gaze held hers in a steady reassurance. “Ready?”

“No, but okay.”

He grinned, and she braced herself for the jolt. Will placed his left foot on the metal just between her ankles.

“Okay, one, two…” with a silent three, he lifted himself onto the bar and bounced. The lug didn’t move. He stepped down and tried again. After the third attempt, she began to giggle, which in turn made him laugh. They found themselves perched on top of the metal, holding onto each other for dear life. She felt herself drop, and his arms clutched her as they fell. She landed hard and realized she was on top of him.

“Oh my god, are you all right? I’m so sorry!” She shifted, getting off him. He sat up, his arms still around her. She found herself propped against him, looking down into his eyes.

“You guys need some help?”  

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