4 out of 5

Created by: Matt Nix

A would-be Breaking Bad?  I imagine that came up somewhere in the pitch for ‘Complications,’ in which well-regarded Dr. John (Jason O’Mara) makes a decision which ends up entangling him in local gang business, finding it tricky to maintain a balance between doing what seems right and doing that which may just be nurturing a veiled lust for power.  While Breaking Bad was later lauded for its subtlety, the opening episode had to lay things out just as any opening episode does, so though Complication’s sudden dropping of John into gang hussle and tussle may have seemed sensational – pegging the show as a knock-off; based around an idea and not a story – it fulfilled its pilot requirements of establishing characters and kicking everything into motion.

The comparisons stop there.  Complications ends up being a much different show, fulfilling the promise of its title by maintaining an insane continual escalation of events that’s truly nail-biting, all the moreso given the respectable dialogue and plotting and believable characterizations by O’Mara and his reluctant accomplice, Nurse Gretchen (Jessica Szohr).  The writers push things to a breaking point and hold it there, not quite going over, keeping us from rolling our eyes by having the majority of the problems be external issues – our subplots, which remain interesting because they do have direct impact on the main story – and not something caused exclusively by John’s actions or words.

But: the breakneck pacing does limit the potential ‘intelligence’ of the show.  It explores Ellison’s motivations and has some of the usual insights to offer regarding the never-ending cycle of gang violence, but the focus is definitely on keeping things moving versus digging too deep emotionally, and thus, while it is smartly – in that it remains believable – written, the scope sort of relegates it to popcorn viewing.  Above average popcorn viewing, though.

The final episode closes out the season appreciably, giving us a nice speech and coda as the show wasn’t renewed for a second season.  Probably for the best, as the last minute hint at where things might’ve gone would probably have started to beat the horse dead.  It galloped at full stride for one glorious season, though, and if you can set aside that Breaking Bad pitch, you’ll find ten episodes of prime entertainment.