As we peek ahead to the third – and, alas, final – season of “Reservation Dogs” (shown here), thoughts emerge:
1) This may be as close as TV gets to a golden age for American Indian shows. There are only two of them, but they’re terrific. “Dark Winds” starts its season at 9 p.m. Sunday (July 30) on AMC (reaching AMC+ on Thursday, July 27); “Reservation Dogs” starts it 10-episode season Aug. 2 on Hulu.
2) Good shows leave too soon – voluntarily, no less. Bland ones seem to be forever.
3) Emmy voters are crazy.
4) The FX people keep giving us great moments. From the current “Justified” mini-series and “What We Do in the Shadows” to the upcoming “Breeders” and “Reservation Dogs”; the quality is extraordinary. But let’s go back:
NATIVE TALES
Two shows don’t add up to a trend … but these are two extraordinary shows.
In some ways, they are opposites – a heavily plotted mystery and a lightly plotted comedy-drama. But each has vivid characters; each has passion, honesty and (at times) Zahn McClarnon.
He stars in “Dark Winds” as Joe Leaphorn, a Navajo cop with a furrowed face and soul. His son died in an explosion; alongside a young deputy and an ex-deputy, he tries to right massive wrongs.
McClarnon also shows up occasionally in “Reservation Dogs,” but just in support. This show is about teens, drifting toward adulthood. In the first episode, they stole a truck full of snack bags; in the final episode of last season, they drove to California with their friend’s ashes, then were stranded there.
As with several FX shows (“Atlanta,” “Louie,” “Better Things”), sometimes things happen and sometimes they don’t. We’re happy just to spend time with these lives.
GONE TOO SOON
“Alice” had 202 episodes; “Ozzie and Harriet” had 436. Now consider two shows that voluntarily decided it was time to end:
“The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel” had 43 episodes; the marvelous “Reservation Dogs” will end with 28. Life is not fair.
EMMY-BLINDNESS
For its first two seasons, “Reservation Dogs” has exactly one Emmy nomination –for sound editing.
Others realize just how good the show is. The American Film Institute, for instance, lists 10 shows as “program of the year”; so far, “Dogs” has made the list for both seasons.
It also won a Peabody award one year and a nomination the next. It’s been nominated as best comedy by the Golden Globes, the Critics Choice Awards and the Television Critics Association. Maybe Emmy voters will notice this final season.
FX SPLENDOR
At first, John Landgraf was simply overseeing the FX network, making sure it had top quality.
Then he expanded. There’s FX and FXX, both with shows going to Hulu the next day. And there are shows that skip the others and go straight to Hulu.
Just concluded are two shows: “It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia” (on FXX) had a fairly good season. “Mayans M.C.” (FX) wrapped a superb (albeit messy and violent) five-season run.
Recently started were two shows, each at 10 p.m. on FX. “What We Do in the Shadows” (Thursdays) is often hilarious; “Justified: City Primeval” (Tuesdays) is brilliantly written and crafted.
Now come two more: The comedy “Breeders” starts its season at 10 p.m. July 31 on FX; two days later, the final “Reservation Dogs” season starts on Hulu.