New Netflix original series Bloodline already has the benefit of a supreme cast, with the likes of Kyle Chandler, Sissy Spacek, and Ben Mendelsohn. All have proven their proficiency in high stake, dramatic roles, particularly Chandler, who is still remembered and adored for his lead role in sports drama Friday Night Lights. With a strong cast in the bag, all this new series needs to do is throw something interesting and fresh at us, and Bloodline, for the most part, succeeds in that.
The show is as dark as the gritty mangrove swamps of the Florida Keys, the island setting for this show, and one which surprisingly hasn’t been used much in popular culture. Bloodline makes up for all of that, using the beauty of Florida Keys to it’s benefit, weaving in and out of pristine waters and murky swamps, long winding coastal roads and tucked-away bars. Though the anchor setting is the family home/getaway hotel belonging to the Rayburns, the show’s central, dysfunctional family.
At the head of the Rayburns are parents Robert (Sam Shepard) and Sally (Spacek) who own and operate the luxurious getaway hotel, standing as pillars of their community and planning a celebration ahead of them having a local pier named after them. It’s a big moment for the family and their adult children, John (Chandler), Meg (Linda Cardellini), Kevin (Norbert Leo Butz), and outsider Danny (Mendelsohn), so a large community gathering is in order.
This is also reason to bring their whole family together, including Danny who they rarely see, and who has a habit of coming and spontaneously leaving, usually in his parents’ lives only so he can ask for money. Almost instantaneously, it’s easy to tell that there is tension and an abundance of difference between each family member, especially between them all and Danny. One look at Danny will tell you that he is the definition of a ‘black sheep’, epitomising it through everything from his tone, and style, to his movements. Mendelsohn is admirable as Danny, balancing sympathy with suspicion as he muddles up the bright, picturesque setting of a beachfront family reunion. Though it’s still Chandler who constantly steals the scenes with his weighty performance as the island’s sheriff and seemingly the most level-headed of the Rayburn siblings.
The turbulence behind Danny is given weight with flashbacks, show creators Glenn and Todd Kessler and Daniel Zelman framing episodes in a thoughtful, structured way. We’re treated to short, vague flashbacks which gradually piece together dark secrets between family members throughout each episode, while also focusing on one particular family member each subsequent episode after the first. Another technique, similar Glenn and Todd’s Damages is employed as well, cutting between various situations that are happening at the same time to add to the thick, tense atmosphere of the show. There’s a heavy amount of editing that goes on here, but it’s all handled smartly and sits against one of the most beautiful contemporary productions Netflix has seen to date.
There are varying degrees between each family member, playing with the different dynamics to refresh the show constantly and make for something consistently engaging. Even when things get a bit rocky and edge towards the stale, Bloodline manages to pull us deeper into the intricate family dynamic. It’s hard to turn away from a show that not only looks amazing, but keeps playing it’s cards at exactly the right moments.
Much of the story is narrated with a voice over from Chandler, and it’s from his perspective – at least for the first two episodes – from which we peer back into the childhood happenings between these family members which are used to help shed light on current situations. The ominous atmosphere that is spliced into the serene shots of Florida Keys foreshadows a very interesting, slow-burning family drama unfolding that fits in nicely with Netflix’s 2015 line up of original series, just begging to be binge-watched once all 13 episodes are released at once.
Review Score: FOUR STARS (OUT OF FIVE)
Chris was given access to the first two episodes of Bloodline ahead of it’s premiere. In true Netflix fashion, all 13 episodes will become available on Netflix when the service makes it’s Australian and New Zealand debut on March 24th, 2015
For everything you need to know about the AUS and NZ launch of Netflix on March 24th click HERE
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