Going in I truly had no idea what the show was about. It sounded cool, though. Who doesn't want to see a hero?
Based on Simon's previous work I knew the show would be grounded in gritty realism and would pull no punches.
I'd also seen a cool press photo of star Oscar Isaac lit dramatically and peering heroically out of the black; pistol in hand, moustache on face. He looked like a serious Magnum P.I. I was on board.
I was off base. While Isaac does eventually get strapped with a gat the show's action mainly takes place in council meetings and courtrooms.
Now, I don't know for sure but I'm going out on a limb to predict Isaac does not end up brandishing his weapon, chasing down criminals in a Hawaiian shirt and flashy Ferrari. Just call it a hunch.
The show is set in 1987 in New York's fourth most populous city, the fantastically named Yonkers, and follows the public outcry, backlash and defiance that occurred when this affluent white area was ordered by a federal judge to build 200 public houses within its borders.
In a classic display of Nimbyism, the people rose up against the order. His decree divided the council, half accepting the decision and half vowing to fight it, despite the threat of bankrupting the city with fines and personally being held in contempt and thrown in the slammer.
Among this political poison and turmoil a young opportunist councilman named Nick Wasicsko (Isaac) took a run for mayor and, to the surprise of everyone, won.
All of which happens in the first episode. Where The Wire was a slow burn, proceeding at a novel's pace slowly and deliberately building its world while gradually introducing its characters, arcs, and themes, Show Me a Hero simply flies by.
Showing mastery of the form, Simon introduces distinct groups with opposing motivations in record time. Though the blitzing speed doesn't really allow any - bar our hero Wasicsko - to get particularly fleshed out.
Instead, Simon paints in broad strokes; the smarmy opposition councilmen, the poor black drug dealing, heart-of-gold teens, the struggling single mom and her family, the concerned, angry citizens of Yonkers. He's working quickly, and it shows. But it does work, with just enough detail given to build on in future episodes.
With all the racial tension bubbling away in America right now the themes at work in Show Me a Hero remain relevant and show that even for all its progress on important civil rights issues, things haven't really come all that far in the almost 30 years since these events.
But is this stuff relevant here? In Auckland, at least, you don't have to look too far to see this sort of desegregation at work. A high-profile example would be the opulent wealth of Paritai Drive brushing up beside the provided housing of next-door Kupe St. But I can think of a number of other suburbs that have a similar housing mix. Of course, there's always room for improvement in this area.
Questions of relevance aside, more pressing is the question of the show's entertainment value. Well, I didn't switch it off or, more tellingly, fall asleep, so it's doing something right.
Its brisk pace, masterful presentation and strong performances by the likes of Catherine Keener, Winona Ryder and Bob Balaban keep you engaged and ensure your attention doesn't wander. Even as the camera settles in on what, by rights, should be another in a long string of boring council meetings.
