Banshee

I've been trying to find a show to compare to Banshee before I started writing this text, but I just cannot. I was never good with comparisons, I guess I lack that particular talent to see similarities between two movies, tv shows, books or whatever. All I could think of when seeing Banshee's main character (Sheriff Lucas Hood) is yet another Italian comic that I love: Mister No. I wish he was as famous as Batman or Spider-man and more people knew about him, it would be a lot easier to present this anti-hero.

Our hero, an ex-con whose real name was never said in the show (!!!), arrives to Banshee, Pennsylvania in search for his lover Anastasia. They got separated 15 years ago when he was arrested for diamond theft (they stole them from her father, a Ukrainian crime boss), sacrificing himself so she could escape. Anyway, on his way to town he enters a bar and meets a guy who happens to be the new Sheriff of Banshee - Lucas Hood. Sheriff Hood has just arrived, same as our ex-con hero, and is on his way to meet his deputies. While they were chatting, two goons enter and start a fight with the bar's owner. Sheriff interferes and kills them both, but dies himself! Guess what: the unnamed hero takes good Sheriff's identity, buries the bodies (with the bar owner's help) and starts a brand new life as a protector of the law! Don't be fooled, he's not after redemption - he just wants to find his former girlfriend and/or the diamonds she has and get the hell out of there. But things get complicated...


We may not know his name but everybody refers to him as to Sheriff Lucas Hood, so that's what I will call him. Hood gets to meet his former love (her new name is Carrie), learns about her new identity and family and refuses to accept her new life. He decides to stay around, do his job as a sheriff and keep an eye on Carrie and her family. After all, he is not the only one who's after those diamonds - Ukrainian mafia has been looking for Carrie for 15 years as well. While doing all that, Hood does his job as a Sheriff, but his methods are a bit... unorthodox. And you just have to love him! Although he's a thief, he is a good guy. He will not stand aside while someone's harassing a woman or a child, he acts on impulse and often gets in trouble because he will not bend down. He has a special love/hate relationship with Kai Proctor, a local gangster and ex-Amish. Speaking of that, Banshee neighbors a small Amish settlement as well as an Indian reservation along with a few casinos. A beautiful mix made for trouble, a perfect place for someone like Lucas Hood. 

The show is currently in between seasons. So far two seasons and twenty episodes have been published and I really enjoyed watching them. Banshee looks and feels like a b-movie, a comic book with a lot of action and sex. Oh I forgot to mention that - Lucas is a big charmer and Banshee is filled with hot women. The cast features Antony Starr as Lucas Hood, Ivana Miličević as Carrie (she's a Bosnian too btw! But I doubt she's a nerd :), Frankie Faison as Sugar, the bar owner etc etc.

Season 3 is coming in January 2015. I will make sure to remind you on time!