Ray Donovan is a show produced by Showtime. The network is known for hits such as Dexter and Homeland. The story follows Ray Donovan, a Boston born family man with Irish descent living in LA. Ray works as a ‘Hollywood Fixer.’ In simpler terms, he gets rid of problems for the rich and famous. Say when a Hollywood star wakes up next to someone who’s not their wife, or in some cases, have murdered someone, they call Ray. He cleans the mess up, at a price of course. His dodgy line of work obviously presents problems, especially when he mixes up with the wrong people. Whether its street gangs or billionaires, Ray always gets out unscathed. This is a reoccurring problem with the show, Ray seems almost untouchable. Emotionally he struggles, however his family usually feel the backlash of his actions. This presents him as a character we’ve seen many times before.
Ray’s dysfunctional family also presents many issues. His wife, Abby, is also Boston Born. This means the chemistry there is perfect, but it’s a Skyler from Breaking Bad situation. Abby’s purpose in the series is usually as an obstacle, or stopping Ray from reaching his goals. His daughter, Bridget, is the cliché rebellious teenage girl. She constantly goes against her parents, and it’s almost as if the series is using Bridget to create plot lines. His son, Conor, is also rebellious. In the earlier seasons of the show, Conor looks up to his grandfather, instead of Ray. There is plenty of conflict between Ray and his two children. Ray has two brothers, and one stepbrother. His older brother, Terry, has parkinson’s in his left arm and is more or less the moral compass out of the siblings. The youngest brother, Bunchy, is perceived as child like. He regularly makes immature choices or mistakes that his older siblings have to clean up. One of the most interesting characters is Ray’s father. Mickey Donovan serves as a constant antagonist to Ray, his family and his colleagues. Back in Boston, Mickey was a horrible father. His daughter committed suicide in her late teens. The death of their sister twenty years prior to the setting of the show is a plague that forever haunts the brothers. Mickey’s storyline is always exciting, whether it involves a heist or getting involved with the Armenian Mafia. He serves as a constant reminder of the Donovan’s dodgy past, and how their past haunts them to this day. The tie between the family is one of the stronger parts of the series, and really does hold both the characters and the show together.
Although the show has many positives, it also has a number of negatives. Ray’s character first of all isn’t new to us. He’s a typical antihero, and the plot doesn’t do much to differentiate him from other characters in the same category, such as the previously mentioned Sopranos leading character, Tony Soprano. The show also doesn’t do much to help us like Ray. He has very few happy moments, which brings up the question; can a show be too dark? His character can be stale, emotionless and at times annoying. In the later seasons you do see Ray become more emotionally attached to the things you’d expected him to be attached to in the earlier seasons. Ray becoming more emotionally engaging also means we get to see his dramatic high and lows, and how he comes to terms with mistakes made in the past and dealing with his father.
Overall, Ray Donovan is a typical crime drama with a sprinkle of family drama added. Despite its efforts, the show brings nothing new to the table. The family aspect of the show however does help it out, as the complicated relationship between the Donovan’s are so intriguing and engaging. Ultimately the show is trying to be something it’s not, and has picked an unfortunate time to come about, as the crime family drama genre is becoming ever stale, as we’ve seen it so many times before.
Plot- 4
How it tells the story- 3
Characters- 5
Acting- 5
Overall- 17/20
Review by dogg724VIP 3BlockedParent2016-09-12T12:16:37Z— updated 2023-06-23T03:34:16Z
This is a show with undeniable character work. There are few examples of things that I would call "perfectly cast" and this dives into the heart of that sentiment. Each and every person has a palpable relationship to the next and they are allowed to sit in their flaws. The time given to side plots isn't wasted. The standouts are Mickey, Abby, and Terry.
The haunting power of family is what carries this show. I was a little let down with the "violent tough guy anti-hero" nature of Ray, but the series evolves past the idea that it's about him and his bad-assery. "Rotting' is the word that comes to mind. Like everyone is being eaten from the inside in the best kind of way.
I give it a 7 because it is a good show. It's amazingly cast, intimately told, good, show. It's not genre bending. It's not "smart." It's not much beyond its cast's ability to carry out plot lines and scenarios you'll probably see coming. I don't like to give extra credit because the writers aren't lazy as that should be a staple of respecting your creation and those portraying it. The closest analogue that comes to mind is The Sopranos, but there's a reason that show I find practically perfect, and this one "good."