Patriot - Season 1 Review
This review of Season 1 of Patriot is spoiler-free!
With streaming services, there usually is gap in content viewed by the general basis of subscribers. On Prime, if you're a subscriber you're most likely watching shows like The Man in the High Castle, Transparent, or The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. These shows are all great television and it definitely isn't a problem that people enjoy those, it just means many great shows are getting shoved under the floor boards. I'm here to bring attention to a lesser seen shown on Prime that while it does have a bit of a jumpy and sloppy story, still deserves to be seen: Patriot.
"You mean that movie with Mel Gibson, John?" No, that's not what I mean reader. Patriot is a show about a spy by the name of Jon Tavner (Michael Dorman) who battles between his inner dreams and his life that was chosen for him by his father. Tom Tavner (Terry O'Quinn) forces his agenda onto his son and helps to push this issue in his mind. Michael Dorman portrays these dueling sides of Jon very well. Often times throughout the series Jon experiences anxiety and stress that he doesn't really seem to acknowledge, and that makes these sequences all the better. Jon is a very interesting character that explores an almost anti-spy world involving a man who wants more from his life than what his father has forced on him and that's why viewers root for him.
Outside of Jon, the story of Patriot is rather sloppy. Throughout only the pilot there is too much going on, having Jon move between two or three different areas without explicitly stating and having the viewer get lost in the craziness. Jon starts off the series in a sad place, creating folk music about his past happenings and giving them to his wife Alice. He is forced into a job he does not enjoy, but has to do as it allows for him to follow through with his father's agenda. Simply put, it was confusing and not all that interesting. The larger points made sense, but when scenes were supposed to give light to the story it was tough to keep up because it was far too cluttered.
Although the story of Patriot sputters, it makes up for it with it's use of subtle and dry comedy. Throughout the pilot alone there are multiple laugh out loud moments from the actions of an unstable Jon that I couldn't keep count. The show I specifically mention though, is not a comedy. Their usage of comedy throughout the series helps to take away some of the confusion from the story and give the viewer a bit lighter view of what is going on. Specifically with a character Steven, who one could view as Jon's arch enemy at his secondary job, their relationship provides a lot of comedy. While I am not saying depression creates comedy as that is the emotional state Jon is in, I do believe that Jon as a character and his demeanor make his actions all the funnier and well done when comedy is available.
Patriot may have a confusing and muddled story, but the comedy and acting of Michael Dorman help to raise this show above it. As mentioned previously, it takes a generic spy story and turns it on its head with the idea of someone who is a spy who simply does not want to be. I found myself rooting for Jon and not what he was doing, which was an odd situation for me. The comedic undertones that run throughout the series help to highlight how dark a place he is in, but also alleviate some of the tension in scenes that do hit well with their dramatic effect. Prime has another good show in it's midst and I look forward to future seasons in this world.
