Get Shorty

Now seen 2 eps, if you like series with dark humor, this is definitely recommended. John Travolta as Chilli Palmer in the movies was great and I was wondering if Chris O'Dowd as Miles Daly could reach that level and yes he can. Of course he was already laughable in The IT Crowd which is of course a very different kind of humor, but here too it is great. People who are fans of series like Fargo can certainly appreciate this one.

I didn't really know what to expect when I started watching Get Shorty. I vaguely recognized the title from that 90s movie, but otherwise, I went in with an open mind. After the first few episodes, I realized this wasn't your typical crime series. Yes, there's shooting, lying, and cheating, but beneath all that violence lies something surprisingly human and funny, in a dry, almost uncomfortable way.

The protagonist, Miles Daly, isn't a classic hero. He's someone accustomed to solving problems with violence, but who suddenly realizes he has a daughter who deserves better than that. His attempt to break into Hollywood, ostensibly to launder money, but secretly also to change his life, is both tragic and comical. It's as if he's entering a world even more corrupt than his own.

I absolutely loved Chris O'Dowd in this role. He has that charming presence that makes you want to root for him, even when he's completely lost his moral compass. And Ray Romano surprised me even more; I knew him mainly from comedy, but here he plays someone who's long since burned out and still tries to do something meaningful. Their collaboration is awkward, funny, and strangely touching.

What particularly appealed to me was how Get Shorty blurs the lines between crime and show business. The film world proves to be just as ruthless, full of people using and deceiving each other to achieve something. At times, it felt like watching a satire, at others a moral drama, and that mix works well.

The series has a leisurely pace, building without needing to explode every minute. This allows you to truly get to know the characters, with all their contradictions. You almost start to feel sympathy for people who are actually doing terrible things.