The Positively Positive

Anyone who’s read my reviews knows that I’m a sucker for some good angst, especially when it comes from a strong male character. The great part about Memphis Beat is that not only does it give that us, but it comes in some unique ways. Detective Dwight Hendricks (played by the always wonderful Jason Lee) is a cop, and like all cops, he’s got to deal with the not-always-so-nice things in life. But instead of going off and getting drunk in his off hours or building a boat in his basement (*cough*Gibbs on NCIS *cough*), he goes out to a bar and sings away the blues. When I first heard that Lee’s character was going to sing on this show, I was afraid it would come off as campy. I was wrong. When he sings his heart out at the end, I found myself extremely moved.

The pilot episode has Dwight and the rest of the precinct tracking down who is responsible for the mistreatment of an old woman who was once the voice of Memphis on a popular radio show. They track down a junkie who was her nurse but when the girl is killed, they have to search further. Finally they discover that the man acting as the old lady’s son is in fact the man who murdered the son in order to get his hands on Dotti’s money.

My favorite bits….

Starting out the show with Heartbreak Hotel. Give me some Elvis anytime and I’m a happy girl.

The way they set the mood for the series – going from the seriousness of the opening song, straight to a bit of comedy as Hendricks dealt with the rather inept uniform officer, Sutton, who messed up the crime scene, then flipping right over to the intensity of everyone holding their guns on the murderer hiding in the cabinet….and back to comedy again as the crook put his hands up and dropped his drawers. LOL.

Dwight mistaking his mother’s gentleman caller for a burglar and putting him in a strangle hold. Oops, that’s not the way you want to introduce yourself.

Dwight’s car – a gorgeous sky blue ’64 Pontiac GTO. Hot guy, great music AND a hot car? Oh boy, I am sooo in trouble now.

That ridiculous lamp making me giggle and hoping that doesn’t make me a bad feminist.

Alfre Woodard as the new Lieutenant who isn’t afraid to stand up to all the men in her command.

The way Dwight treated the old lady. I just love a man with that kind of southern charm, who calls every woman “ma’am” but never makes it sound like an insult.

The way Dwight reacted when he saw how Dottie had been treated, not only the marks on her back but the evidence in her home. I could see the way it tore him up and I could tell he really cared.

The canvassing montage showing all the cops looking for info on Dottie.

Sutton asking a blind man what the nurse looked like. LOL!

Dwight telling his story to Dottie about the first time he heard Elvis Presley. Made me think of my dad and how we always listened to Elvis together when I was a little girl. Dang, didn’t expect to get choked up from the pilot episode but that moment managed to do it.

After being told to take the weekend off, Dwight goes right back to work and his partner keeps on helping him out with the case.

Dwight taking Dotti’s son to the roof and threatening to kill him if he ever neglected his mama again.

Dwight playing dolls with the little girl to get the info that he wanted. Now there’s a bit of police work I didn’t expect to see.

Everyone in the precinct standing behind Dwight as he got one of “his feelings” about the case. Love seeing how all these guys act as a team and protect each other.

Being ordered off the case, again, Dwight goes right back to working on it, again. This time from a treehouse. His methods may be off, but they work.

The way they let the music take over during some scenes – like where Dwight discovers the body of Dotti’s son, chasing down the imposter and the whole final sequence where Dwight takes Dotti to a new home, discovers that his mother’s new beau is not who he says he is and making his mama mad.

The Lieutenant Rice admitting that she was wrong and Dwight was right.

The last scene with Dwight singing out the stress from the case and all of his friends there to watch, including the new Lieutenant. Wow, what a great way to end it.

Overall I’m really impressed with Memphis Beat and looking forward to seeing what else it has to offer. If it’s anything like the pilot episode, then I think we’re gonna be seeing lots of great things from this new show.

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More TV episode reviews…
Lie To Me, season 2, episode 13 “The Whole Truth”
Burn Notice, season 4, episode 3 “Made Man”
Royal Pains, season 2, episode 2 “Lovesick”

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