5 out of 5

Director: Maybe people who haven’t boxed

While it perhaps never fulfills the full juxtaposition of violence and family presented in its amazing first episode, ‘Lights Out’ nonetheless is excellently scripted drama, moving past its minor slip-ups and plot diversions to stay focused on a core feeling to which we can all relate: trying to get by. Patrick ‘Lights’ Leary is a once-was – a local hero, seemingly living comfortably off his earnings as a retired boxing champ, supporting his wife and three daughters with a confident smile. In fact, Lights is deep in debt and floundering. When an old supporter of Lights’ – and potential mobster – offers to help out with some money in exchange for some ‘favors’, Patrick gets swept up in a string of dastardly deeds that threaten his status, his family, and his eventual decision – during the course of the season – to return to the ring. Add into this that Patrick is suffering from pugilistic dementia, and thus may die in the ring, and we have plenty of fodder to circle around for 13 episodes. And indeed we do. The writers set up a lovingly small world of close-knit family and friends and enemies to bounce Patrick around, and avoid cheesy outs by never really resolving things, just band-aiding them continually so we can make it to the next day (or next episode). Lead actor Holt – while maybe lacking the size needed to pull off the role – has the perfect general build and mentality for the shambling Patrick, and every aspect of his family – wife and children – is acted to a ‘T’. I was amazed at the maturity of the young actresses’ throughout the show. That it was canceled after this one season was unfortunate, but it allowed the series to, perhaps, end in a proper spot, leaving us in the same unresolved place – though also far from – where we started.