Some Waldman's Blog – Finding Balance in the Flood of Information

TV Show Review: Crash (Season 1) March 21, 2011

Netflix Synopsis: Maverick record producer Ben (Dennis Hopper) searches for his last big hit in the melting pot of Los Angeles, where intertwining tales of the American dream collide in this gripping TV drama, based on Paul Haggis’s Oscar-winning film of the same name. Like its source, the series — which also stars Clare Carey, Ross McCall, Luis Chávez, Arlene Tur and D.B. Sweeney — explores themes of racial tension and tolerance.

I pull in descriptions from Netflix for a consistent way to describe something that may be difficult to describe. In this case, the above description is not nearly enough. If you saw the 2005 Best Picture-winning movie by the same name, you will recognize this as a show about stories and connections. The movie had an all star cast from Sandra Bullock to Ludacris. They are about how actions and decisions by one person quickly affect seemingly unrelated others. They are about the concept of six degrees of separation.

This show, which began in 2008 on Starz cable network, explores many boundaries and for that reason, I am hooked. I started watching it while it was available as Instant Streaming at Netflix. I got through about 5 episodes before it was only available on DVD again. I couldn’t wait to get ahold of the remainder of the first season.

Of course, Dennis Hopper is the known star of this show. But other the other characters are outstanding. It is powerful and real and passionate. It is moving and disturbing, all at the same time. I highly recommend. There is no word on when Season 2 (from 2009) will be released.