Ep 1. Part 1
- TV-MA
- August 16, 2015
- 55 min
-
8.0 (542)
In the first episode of Show Me a Hero, titled "Part 1," we are introduced to the city of Yonkers, New York in the late 1980s. The city is facing a court order to build low-income housing units in middle-class neighborhoods, which has caused a great deal of controversy and political upheaval.
We meet Nick Wasicsko, a young and ambitious politician who is a rising star in the city's government. He sees the housing issue as an opportunity to prove himself and advance his career, but he soon realizes how deeply entrenched the opposition to the plan is.
The episode also introduces us to a number of other characters who will play important roles in the story, including Mary Dorman, a lifelong Yonkers resident and fierce opponent of the housing plan; Oscar Newman, an architect and urban planner who believes in the benefits of integrated housing; and Norma O'Neal, a black woman who is one of the future residents of the new housing units.
As the episode progresses, tensions rise and the political maneuvering becomes increasingly vicious. Nick finds himself caught between competing interests and increasingly hostile factions, while Mary and her allies use every means at their disposal to stop the housing plan.
At the heart of the conflict is the issue of race and class, and the episode does an excellent job of exploring the complex and often contradictory ways in which these factors intersect. The show also does a great job of humanizing the various characters involved in the story, making it clear that there are no easy answers or clear-cut heroes or villains in this situation.
Overall, "Part 1" sets up the central conflict of the series in a compelling and nuanced way, and leaves the viewer eager to see how it will all play out. The performances are outstanding across the board, with Oscar Isaac in particular giving a standout performance as Nick Wasicsko. If the rest of Show Me a Hero lives up to the promise of this first episode, it is sure to be a must-see for fans of thoughtful and socially engaged drama.
