Season One Episode Eleven Advance Review
“Rainmaker” Airing March 22, 2011
Watch LIGHTS OUT on Tuesday nights at 10 PM EST on FX
March 20, 2011
By Lena Lamoray
LIGHTS OUT FX OFFICIAL PRESS RELEASE: Lights Out, from Executive Producer/Showrunner Warren Leight (In Treatment, Law & Order Criminal Intent), stars Holt McCallany (CSI: Miami) as “Patrick “Lights‟ Leary,” an aging former heavyweight boxing champion who struggles to find his identity and support his wife and three daughters after retiring from the ring. The financial downturn coupled with a series of failed investments leave him at a perilous crossroads – battling the urge to return to boxing or reluctantly accepting a job as a brutal and intimidating debt collector. Catherine McCormack (Braveheart) co-stars as “Theresa Leary,” Lights‟ wife who is finishing her medical residency; Pablo Schreiber (The Wire) as “Johnny Leary,” Lights‟ brother and business manager; and Stacy Keach (Fat City) as “Robert “Pops‟ Leary,” Lights‟ father and former trainer who runs the boxing gym owned by Lights. Clark Johnson (The Shield, The Wire) and Norberto Barba (In Treatment, CSI: NY) directed the pilot episode. Series Creator Justin Zackham (The Bucket List), Phillip Noyce (Salt) and Ross Fineman are also Executive Producers. Lights Out is produced by Fox Television Studios and FX Productions. FX has ordered 13 episodes of Lights Out, which was filmed in New York.
LIGHTS OUT “Rainmaker” Season One Episode 11 Review, Airing 3/22/2011
LIGHTS OUT only has a few episodes remaining before its first season wraps up and I can assure you that you don’t want to miss a single one. This week’s episode, “Rainmaker” features one of my favorite guest stars of the season, David Morse. David plays “Jerry ‘The Rainmaker’ Raines”, a retired boxing champion that “Patrick ‘Lights’ Leary” “unintentionally” runs into at an outside marketplace with his sister “Margaret Leary”. “Rainmaker” – Lights tries to help a penniless and punk drunk former champ, even while his own future is threatened by a talkative witness. Written by Robin Veith and directed by Norberto Barba.
Patrick (Holt McCallany) and his family host a July 4th barbeque and pool party at their house and it is nice to see everyone getting along. I love the underwater filming in this episode so be sure to keep an eye out for it. Patrick, thanks to Pops (Stacy Keach), gets to spend this holiday in true “Un-American” fashion. Ava (Meredith Hagner) is home from England and discusses the “culture” that she left behind. We really get to see Johnny (Pablo Schreiber) happy in this episode which is certainly a change.
Patrick checks in with Jerry and he has a front row seat on what could be in his future. Jerry describes the fireworks that he sees year round. David Morse does such an incredible job bringing Jerry to life. Normally, he plays a character that you love to hate but Jerry is different. You can’t help but feel sorry for him. When I think about David Morse, the character that I remember hating the most was “Michael Tritter” from “House M.D.”. If you are a “House” fan you most certainly remember all of the trouble he brought down on “Dr. House” (Hugh Laurie).
Patrick and Johnny talk about a situation that may blow up in their face but Johnny’s insight is that he “hasn’t had a problem, yet that money couldn’t solve”. That is an interesting way to look at the world and unfortunately or fortunately, depending on the parties involved, it pretty much holds true.
Councilman Hess (Patrick Collins) stops by Patrick’s house to talk about his “bad break over the weekend”. Patrick doesn’t dig the line of questioning and knows something is up. He realizes that Hess is hiding something.
Patrick, later on, comes home to his house in shambles. The cops have a search warrant and they are taking and searching everything. Theresa (Catherine McCormack) wants to know the truth from Patrick.
Patrick has a conversation with Hal Brennan (Bill Irwin) and he discovers that Brennan worries about everything. Brennan issues a statement that Patrick knows is true but it is down a path that he is not comfortable with. What will Patrick do? I’m not going to tell you, so you will have to find out for yourself on Tuesday night.
An FBI agent (Paul Fitzgerald) wants to talk to Patrick about Councilman Hess and he makes certain that Patrick knows that “in twenty four hours the circus is going to be here”. Patrick is conflicted but he gets some advice from a reliable source.
Patrick is later on arrested and that is when this episode gets uniquely suspenseful. They really keep you on the edge of your seat and I think that is what makes LIGHTS OUT such a compelling drama. Do not even think about missing LIGHTS OUT this week. David Morse and the rest of the cast, brilliantly bestow upon you the best hour of Tuesday night television. Watch LIGHTS OUT, Tuesday night at 10 PM EST only on FX.
