Frank Agnew
The first season of "Low Winter Sun" ends tonight as AMC presents a two-hour finale by airing episodes 9 and 10, starting at 9 p.m. Sunday.
It's a final debut season chance to win over viewers on the fence and solidify the show's hold on loyal fans.
The show has played to mixed reviews. The big question after tongiht will be whether the show see daylight for a second season.
For the final time this year, Deadline Detroit's Jeff Wattrick, Darrell Dawsey and Allan Lengel blog live.
Jeff: Why is Agnew commuting into work on the Belle Isle Bridge?
Allan: Good question. How come the radio never really sounds like a radio?
Jeff: It doesn't, although I thought the host had a pretty cogent commentary on the bankruptcy ramifications.
Allan: True. True.
Allan: Great exchange with Frank Agnew and his boss.
Allan: Interesting. His lieutenant is on to Agnew that he killed McCann.
Jeff: Agreed. Great dynamic.
Allan: Frank comes clean to the ex-cop buddy that he killed McCann.
Allan: Frank Agnew's relationship with the ex-cop seems more meaningful than the one he had with the hooker.
Jeff: Yeah.
Jeff: This doesn't seem like a phone call you make at a diner. Especially Lucy and Ethel's.
Allan: Yes, Lucy and Ethel's.. You can see the transit station.
Allan: Finally, some fast paced action... and not just a minute or so.
Allan: Frank Agnew is on the warpath.
Jeff: I'm wondering how this ends for Agnew. He killed someone in cold-blood. He doesn't get time off for good deeds.
Ok, the bridge scene makes more sense now.
Jeff: Beautiful shots of the Boat Club.
Allan: Is Frank going to blow up everything and then split town?
Jeff: That'll make for an interesting potential second season.
Allan: Yes, the second season: The Fugitive.
Jeff: With Dani in the Tommy Lee Jones role. Or will this be like LA Confidential where he escapes punishment because the department doesn't want the controversy?
Allan: This is clearly one of the best episodes.
Jeff: Hey actual shots of Greektown!
Allan: Yes.. And what bank doesn't have $18,000 cash on hand?
Allan: Frank Agnew running wild. I love it
Jeff: Seems like the IAD guy would have been watching Agnew's bank account.
Allan: Possibly. You never know.
Jeff: So, where did Frank get all of that cash?
Allan; $18,000? From pension bonuses? Not sure IA could have frozen Frank's account.
Jeff: No, the cash from behind the picture frame.
Jeff: He's flying international from City Airport? Or maybe not.
Jeff:Ok, so the plane ticket is a ruse and he's going on the road.
Allan: Smart cop.
Jeff: Jeff: The heart attack ruse was good. I bought it.
Jeff: I love the Ann Arbor Public Radio pledge drive bit.
Allan: Frank has some strange relationships.
Allan; Frank Agnew's ex-wife.. interesting
Jeff: This makes a lot of the Agnew character make more sense.
Allan: Agree.
Allan: She is a very angry woman
Darrell : Me too. Would've made this scene more interesting.
Darrell: The obsession with the hooker clearly betrayed something much darker.
Darrell:I never once thought he'd kill himself. Why play the old business end of the revolver card?
Jeff: And, I'm just going to say this, threatening suicide in someone else's house is kind of a dick move.
Darrell: True, but a cry for help too. Just not one I feel much sympathy for.
Jeff: It's just such an awful thing to put on someone else.
Darrell: Especially an ex you clearly dragged through hell at some point.
Jeff: Think about how awesome this should would've been if it began with that scene and worked it's way back, noir-style.
Allan: Obviously Frank is a pretty self-involved dude.
Jeff: Should=would the series, not this episode
Darrell: I agree, Jeff. They wasted a season with a bullshit murder cover up that we all knew would fall apart like wet cardboard under even the slightest scrutiny.
Darrell: I agree, Jeff. They wasted a season with a bullshit murder cover up that we all knew would fall apart like wet cardboard under even the slightest scrutiny. I feel like the first season was largely a time waster.
Darrell: They go heavy on the brooding scenes with this show.
Darrell: Lol... Stay the hell out of Ann Arbor. Word?
Jeff: Weird continuity error. Dispatch says to drop him at 7302 Woodward, which is Central District up in New Center. But they deliver him to 1600. Someone went through trouble finding the right address for the wrong building. I love the other elevator being out. That's a nice, realistic touch.
Allan: Did the ex-cop confess to McCann murder?
Jeff: If it's the wino excop, i'm pissed Are you freaking...I don't even have the words...
Darrell : Lol...
STARTING the Second Half of the 2 Hour Episode
Allan: Geddes is a pretty low down dude.
Jeff: Wino ex-cop confessing also doesn't float with the Lt. admitting he knew Agnew did McCann.
Darrell :"Kill the video feed"...Nobody's clean.
Allan: Love when frank says you even know what a lie is anymore?
Jeff : IAD sure is quick turning around carjacking cases.
Allan: Crazy stuff. Damon has just killed the Greek Godfather and his bodyguard.
Darrell: And it really didn't take much... Why was Skelos so feared again?
Jeff: His local chain of New Orleans seafood restaurant.
Darrell: How was this not the answer in ep. 3?
Allan: Skelos was controlling too much, according to Damon. Plus, I think Damon feared the Godfather was going to kill him.
Darrell: Jeff, guess a mean shrimp po' boy carries you further in this town that I thought.
Jeff: Geddes and the Lt. are going to kill the wino ex-cop.
Darrell : In custody?
Jeff: Why not. Dead suspect with a confession can't recant.
Darrell: That might be pushing it. Plus, would it matter if he recants? Never stopped DPD from railroading a man before.
Jeff: Well, that's what I thought they were foreshadowing with the conversation about not wanting Dani there and giving him the dope. "We were walking him through the scene and he went nuts, all hopped up."
Jeff: Well, that's what I thought they were foreshadowing with the conversation about not wanting Dani there and giving him the dope. "We were walking him through the scene and he went nuts, all hopped up."
Darrell: Ah, OK. I feel you on that.Still would be pushing it to me, tho.
Jeff:How did he get out?
Darrell: Could be mcNulty's serial killer...but so soon?
Allan: Yes, that felt good shoving IA Simon Boyd
Jeff: Yeah.
Darrell: How'd Simon Boyd get to be so loathed? Who'd he drown or shoot? Lol
Jeff : Touche
Darrell: It's the pomaded hair. Got to be.
Jeff : This is why the real cops never hold press conferences.
Darrell: Because she WILL be there.
Jeff: And by real cops I mean not the PIO.
Allan: The wino never looked cleaner.
Darrell: 3 hots and a cot will do that for a man
Allan: Hiding out in Flint. We always forget about Flint down in Detroit
Jeff: They never look in Flint.
Allan: Word to Damon: Try the Halo Burger
Darrell: You even remember the last time you were a good cop?" Good line.
Allan: Yes, great line.
Allan: 30 minutes to go in the show.
Allan: I love the shot Agnew takes a shot at IA Simon Boyd.
Jeff: Didn't anyone else wonder why Dani was in this meeting?
Allan: Oh my gosh.. Dani Khalil admits to wearing a wire in front of Agnew.
Darrell: To echo Frank's lascivious ways
Jeff: Boyd is more like a fed than an IAD cop.
Allan: I agree Jeff.\
Jeff: One of Rev. Lowdown's crew that shot Damon?
Allan: MMm.. interesting.. Flint, not such a good hideout
Darrell: Damn. Guess Flint's not so safe after all. Who knew, though, right?
Darrell: Couldn't be the Greek's crew? The pomade is melting down.
Allan: Possible it was the Greeks....and Simon Boyd having a fit.. Time to crack open some fine wine Mr. Boyd.
Jeff: Seems implausible they'd dismiss Boyd so quickly. He's one phone call to a reporter away from bringing down the department and administration.
Allan: Yes, seems like Boyd won't give up so easily.
Darrell : Yeah but now his relentlessness will be cast as misplaced obsession. Frank is now officially his white whale.
Allan: I feel like this final episode is like watching the finale of the Detroit fireworks. Throwing all the fireworks into the final moments.
Jeff: Or one of those quintessential Metro Times stories that drags on for like 5000 words before getting to the point and, by the time you get there, even though the point is really good, you're kind of too worn out to appreciate it fully.
Allan: Frank needs to kick Geddes' ass.
Jeff: But I'm not totally sure why Geddes' sins were mortal and Agnew's venial.
Allan: Geddes is just rotten through and through
Darrell: You called it, Jeff. Lowdown.
Jeff: It just made sense. If someone kills off your rival, make sure they don't become your new rival.
Darrell: Indeed
Jeff : Also, a burgundy Brougham. That's not a car a Greek guy drives.
Darrell: Yeah. If it'd been that old Cadillac bucket, maybe then.
Allan: I think this final episode really rocked. The show should have had more of this zip through the season.
Jeff: Agreed, but allowing everyone to skate leaves me a little deflated.I thought there was supposed to be a theme of redemption, but you can't be redeemed without penance.
Allan: Agree there. But Geddes and Agnew are such stars in the show. Hard to knock them out if there's a second season.
Darrell: Darrell : You don't have to knock them out but I agree that there's little justice here. Something not filling about that. This show made me work too hard. And the payoff wasn't bad...but not worth the effort.
Allan: Have a feeling Simon Boyd isn't vanishing
Jeff: That's very true.
Darrell: Boyd will haunt Agnew for at least another season. I can see him getting knocked off at some point, a la Hank on Breaking Bad.
Allan: Now we'll see if they get a second season.
Allan: Agree Darrell that the show at times made you work a little too hard, but hopefully they can fix that if there's a second season.
Darrell: I'd like to see the city politicos play more of a role. I'd like this to be more of a tale about Detroit than just a tale taking place here.
Allan: Agree Darrell. That's where The Wire really did well.
