Hawthorne – The Complete First Season (2009/Sony DVD Set)

 

Picture: C+     Sound: C+     Extras: C+     Episodes: B-

 

 

Medical shows have become so bad that seeing another good one is a surprise, even if it not groundbreaking and innovative.  Hawthorne is competent and has three things most medical shows since St. Elsewhere have lacked: energy, a really good cast and a flow that makes you want to watch the show.  Jada Pinkett Smith plays the title character, a hard working nurse who knows her job and tries to make things run as smoothly at her struggling hospital as she can.

 

Add her personal life which includes the loss of her husband, her annoying mother in law (Joanna Cassidy of Blade Runner), her daughter (Hannah Hodson) who is very difficult to raise and other things that need sorted out and you’ve got a good show.  Among other plusses, the melodrama never gets sappy, the writing is solid, the cast has chemistry, there is authentic humor here and this is the kind of show that could, should and deserves to launch several acting careers, also including those of Suleka Mathew, David Julian Hirsh, Christina Moore and continue others.

 

Smith (who is underrated) carries the show very well and the series was created by its producer, John Masius, who worked on St. Elsewhere, The White Shadow, Providence, Dead Like Me, Brooklyn Bridge and L.A. Law, so he has an impressive track record that is more hit than miss.  This is his best work since Dead and that such a good show was picked up by TNT when one of the major networks missed it is a sad statement on TV today, but it is to TNT’s advantage.  If you like really good television, Hawthorne is as good as Glee, Southland or Big Bang Theory.  Hope it becomes a big hit.

 

 

The anamorphically enhanced 1.78 X 1 image is not bad throughout and may have originated on digital High Definition video.  This looks good, but is a little soft, though it would be interesting to compare to a future Blu-ray version.  The Dolby Digital 5.1 mix does not produce the best soundfield, but is well-recorded enough to enjoy, though it could be better.  Extras include seven parts of a look into the series that essentially add up to a behind the scenes featurette, best seen after watching the entire show.  Season Two has been issued on DVD only as well and is as good, as noted elsewhere on this site.

 

 

-   Nicholas Sheffo