Sexy Beast: Season 1

June 3, 2024 4:22 PM - Season 1, Episode 1

2024 8-episode prequel to 2000 movie, Sexy Beast.

Crime boss Teddy Bass hires Gal Dove and Don Logan to pull off a heist to help cement his place in the world, while Gal and Don have to balance familial relations and obligations with the opportunity to make a big score.

posted by 2N2222 (3 comments total)

Not great, but not all bad, either. Interesting to see the characters in an earlier incarnation. Don Logan is more a numbskull, beholden to his older sister, Cecilia (Tamsin Greig), who looked after him growing up. And now has him aiding their family gambling arcade business. Logan and Gal are buddies that seem to have a long history.

Teddy Bass is more plainly menacing here, whereas it's mostly hinted at in the movie. He rapes and murders without fear of consequence. But he's also extremely cunning, and exhibits the keen ability to read the characters we are familiar with.

Tamsin Greig as Don's sister is the most interesting character and most appealing performance. Sarah Greene's DeeDee is also interesting, to see her background filled out a bit. But there is clearly a whole lot that goes on with the characters between this prequel and the movie.
posted by 2N2222 at 4:42 PM on June 3

huh...I'll probably check it out but I'm gonna be going in skeptical. (just these 20+ years later revivals always put me off).

No way it will rival the original but when there is a fucking will...
posted by supermedusa at 9:43 AM on June 4

Like I said, it was just ok.

Don is generally a doofus. Almost child-like, given direction and structure by his sister. And appears to be a sort of Lennie to Gal's George. They appear to be pretty tight, with a long history.

The menacing character is Teddy Bass. The difference here is that his depraved viciousness is spelled out graphically several times. Unlike the movie where most of the violence and menace is hinted at. It's a contrast that works against the series' favor, IMO.
posted by 2N2222 at 4:03 PM on June 5