A Disappointing Continuation

A lot of perfectly good film show their cards early, establish a unique premise and let the audience explore a topic at a leisurely pace, without much in terms of surprise. this film is not one of those films.

This is a gorgeous movie made by a gorgeous spirit.

The movie's neither hopeful in contrived ways, nor hopeless in different contrived ways. Somehow it manages to be wonderful

As a boxing and MMA fan this show initially caught my attention. If you know Mixed Martial Arts, please read the paragraph below. Otherwise skip to the last paragraph.Patrick Leary's fight against Bas "El Guapo" Rutten in a disgusting Mixed Martial Arts fight. It's exactly what a 70-year-old man would imagine mixed martial arts to be; a cage in an abandon building, the canvas covered in a thin layer of dirt with the complements of blood stains that were never cleaned up. Rutten takes Leary down after landing a spinning back kick that lands clean to the head. Rutten "A World Class MMA Fighter" quickly applies what appears to be an armbar. However Bas Rutten's left leg is isn't in the correct position and yet he continues to hold the submission attempt. Leary powers out of the incorrect submission and eventually ends up back on his feet. Rutten gets Leary in a standing guillotine choke which is fully locked in. Leary miraculously manages to throw Rutten off of him. After exchanging some more unblocked punches by both fighters Rutten applies a rear naked choke; once again the submission is not applied correctly but somehow it drops Leary to the ground and Rutten lets go of the choke despite Leary was close to being put to sleep. Rutten is holding his own head as if somehow choking Leary hurt him. By this point both fighters' backs are covered in dirt, Leary is bleeding, neither fighter is sweating. Leary baits Rutten over to him by holding his throat in agony. He follows quickly lands a right uppercut to the throat followed by a left hook to the back of Rutten's head. The Boxer with no MMA skills emerges victorious!Aside from my sad description of the MMA scene, the final boxing scene isn't any better. The last two minutes of the show left me feeling as if nothing was resolved aside from Leary avenging a loss. No characters were followed up on, not even Leary. There is no way this show will have a second season.

I like fx. I like the premise of 'Lights Out'. I like the cast. So why has fx failed to make an entertaining show? With such a long history of acclaimed TV entertainment, I guess not all offerings can be a hit, but one about boxing should be. I cannot explain it as anything but boring so far( 4 episodes into the season). Does anyone agree? It is a rich and nuanced story, but the pace is slow and dull. I suppose underlying all my ennui and angst about 'Lights Out' is that fx's most entertaining new show in my opinion, 'Terriers', was not picked up for a second season due to low viewership. That show was far more exciting and wrought with potential. I digress, but feel 'Lights Out' should look for a knockout soon or throw in the towel.

I am all for giving new shows a chance. With all the reality programming on TV, I welcome a network that is putting out hour long dramas like FX.I had been waiting to see the show since I saw the great trailer FX put together. I am a boxing buff and thought it was nice a show would bring some attention back to the sport I love. It looked like it was a quality drama with action. So when I watched the pilot it was a let down to all the buzz.The pilot was slow and predictable and not compelling at all. The characters, especially Holt McCallany were very unlikeable and seemed to overly whiny about being broke and a middle aged has been. When McCallany wasn't whining he was boring to watch. The wife and kids were not interesting either, the writer through them in there to make his character more likable I guess but it doesn't hold your interest.Everything sets up the comeback of the character to the ring.Sure this sounds familiar, its because this story has already been told. Its called Rocky or The Fighter or The Wrestler. I don't know why this show was made. It should have been a 2 hour movie on Lifetime. There's nothing about the show or actors that makes it worth tuning into regularly.I was bored by it and wonder why the network thought this would work.

I have to say that of late of all the new TV series to come along this one just out on FX titled "Lights Out" is a clear winner and knockout! It's a tense and compelling drama that shows life is tough and dirty and that sometimes just to get by you have to break the rules. And the series has plenty of realism as it stays true to form to the boxing life of shady promoters, political payoffs and cranial damage and the most rewarding a journey towards a comeback. The stories and acting is top notch for a cable series.Set in the Garden state of New Jersey it follows the tale of an ex heavyweight champion named Patrick "Lights" Leary(Holt McCallany I remember him from 1987's "Creepshow 2") and after his boxing life is now over Lights tries to stay afloat and travel thru life as if he were in the boxing ring. It's tough in the suburbs living like a middle class guy, yet he has the support of his tough and caring loving wife(played just fine by Catherine McCormack)and his three daughters are the love of his life too.On the downside his now primary source of income is his personal appearances based on his former fame plus Lights runs a training gym for up and coming boxers and he co owns this with his arrogant and shady brother(Pablo Schreiber)still Lights is a beast and his mind keeps pulling him back into the fighting ring.As you watch each episode you see that Lights is a good family man, yet to get by just like many in today's pressure economy and work life this man succumbs to temptation. It doesn't matter if it's taking political bribes or doing dirty work involving promoters and agents Lights and his brother will do it to survive. As his ultimate goal is a rematch with the fighter who beat him. A good supporting and wild card role is when you see Light's father and gym trainer(played by the wonderful Stacy Keach)as dad is tough and by the book as he tries to keep both of his sons on the straight and narrow road even though he most of the time fails with that it's still compelling to watch.Really this series has it all especially the realism of boxing such as challenges, comebacks, brain damage, crooked politicians and greedy promoters all tied into organized crime. Those themes tie in well with the life and family drama for a show of slow boiling tension. I think "Lights Out" is one of the best new series around the drama and tension mixed with life and bending the rules to get by is compelling and uplifting. Plus it's nice to see someone like Holt McCallany get a break and have a fighting chance at acting stardom. "Lights Out" will knock you out both inside and outside of the ring!