The subject matter is the resistance by a white, middle-class neighbourhood in New York to a government mandated public housing development. How, exactly, do you turn that subject matter into a riveting, powerful, must-watch TV show? Well, if you're HBO, you hire David 'The Wire' Simon to write it with all of his typical societal anger, and then have one of the best actors in the world play the lead role. The result is Show Me A Hero, a mini-series from HBO that only ran for 6 episodes, but left a huge mark on the TV landscape of 2015. Oscar Isaac's Nick Wasicksko is at the very heart of this show, and the actor gives a subdued-yet-powerful, quietly heartbreaking performance as the Mayoral candidate. Here is a man who is trying his best to do the right thing, but is faced with constant pressure and political adversity that pushes him to the brink. This being a Simon show, though, he's really focused on telling the stories of all the characters involved. Thus we spend time with the politicians who are simply using the issue for point-scoring and getting ahead in the debates; the middle-class who don't want their neighbourhood to change; and the poorer families who have been besieged by low income and high drug use in the areas they live in. The story is set in the 1980s (and is taken from a true story of that time), but it still feels highly relevant today, and is an incredibly strong and moving piece of television, anchored by a great performance from Isaac, excellent writing, and a lot of Bruce Springsteen.
NCTJ-qualified journalist. Most definitely not a racing driver. Drink too much tea; eat too much peanut butter; watch too much TV. Sadly only the latter paying off so far.
A mix of wise-old man in a young man's body with a child-like wonder about him and a great otherworldly sensibility.
