Sneaky Pete - Complete series

Sneaky Pete is about Marius Josipovic, a released prisoner who assumes the identity of his cellmate Pete Murphy to escape his past. After all those princes on white horses and sugary-sweet love stories, I felt it was high time for something different. No more glitz and glamour; I wanted something a little rawer. When I saw the title "Sneaky Pete," my interest was immediately piqued. What was this about? I had no idea, and I wanted to keep it that way. No trailers, no reviews. Just watch. And honestly? I'm glad I did. If I'd known what to expect beforehand, my expectations probably would have been too high.

Not everyone will agree with me, but I found the story reasonably good. Not brilliant, but entertaining. Marius Josipovic (Giovanni Ribisi) is released after a stint in prison. He doesn't get a warm welcome, because Vince Lonigan (Bryan Cranston), a man he's swindled, has put a price on his head. Time to run. But Marius wouldn't be Marius if he hadn't come up with a clever plan to escape. He takes on the identity of his cellmate, Pete Murphy. Murphy had a whole story about his family: a warm home, plenty of money, and, crucially, he hasn't had any contact with them for twenty years. Perfect. Marius, or from now on "Pete," seeks out the family and is welcomed with open arms.

Not as raw as hoped

Pete's family consists of Grandpa Otto (Peter Gerety), Grandma Audrey (Margo Martindale), and four grandchildren: Julia (Marin Ireland), Taylor (Shane McRae), and Carly (Libe Barer). Otto and Audrey's children are no longer in their lives. Julia, Taylor, and Carly's mother died in a car accident, and Pete's mother has not been in touch with her parents for years due to a past event. Otto and Audrey run a bail bonds business, where Julia also works. Taylor is a police officer, and Carly is still in college. Pete's mother, Maggie (Jane Adams), returns from season 2 onward. These are also the characters who play a role or are mentioned in all seasons. And then the complete story in a nutshell: season 1 revolves around Marius's own past catching up with him. In season 2, he has to deal with the consequences of Pete's past. And in season 3, someone from Marius's past resurfaces, drawing the Murphy family into the story once again, this time through the story of Pete's mother, Maggie. That's roughly the central theme. If you decide to watch the series, watch it from beginning to end; it's helpful for the storylines.



The series was created by Bryan Cranston and David Shore. David Shore is also known as the creator of House M.D., a series I initially enjoyed, but which eventually became a bit too predictable, just like Sneaky Pete. We know Bryan Cranston from Breaking Bad, a series I absolutely devoured. I thought the story, the developments, and the actors were incredibly strong. I missed that feeling in Sneaky Pete. While there are certainly some powerful and raw scenes, I missed the hard-hitting rawness I'm familiar with from Breaking Bad or Fargo (both the film and the series).



As for the cast: Margo Martindale gives a convincing performance as Audrey, and Peter Gerety is also strong as Otto. Giovanni Ribisi and Marin Ireland didn't always captivate me, but together they did have a good dynamic. Libe Barer and Shane McRae don't really stand out, but they do what they have to do.
The first episode piqued my interest. The concept worked, and with Cranston's name attached, I definitely kept watching. But somewhere around the middle of the season, it started to falter. It became a bit more predictable. Marius always had a plan, but of course, things always went awry, and he had to save the day at the last minute. After a few episodes, that trick becomes a bit obvious. And this was exactly what I experienced with House M.D.

That said, the plot twist in season 1 was really well-done. It made me want to watch seasons 2 and 3. But I admit: I skipped quite a few scenes. Some storylines dragged on and felt redundant.

More House than Breaking Bad

My final rating is a 6.5, because Sneaky Pete is a clever series with an interesting premise. It's entertaining, and at times exciting. But don't expect Breaking Bad. It's a bit lighter, less intense, and sometimes a bit predictable. Fine for binge-watching, but it's not the kind of series that will still keep you entertained months later.