Banshee Information

Banshee is an American drama television series created by Jonathan Tropper and David Schickler, who serve as executive producers along with Alan Ball, Greg Yaitanes and Peter Macdissi. The series is set in a small town in Pennsylvania Amish country and features an enigmatic ex-con posing as a murdered sheriff who imposes his own brand of justice while also cooking up plans that serve his own interests.

The series first aired on Cinemax on January 11, 2013, as part of the stations drive to develop original content. The series was renewed for a 10-episode second season in January 2013, which is set to premiere in 2014.

Premise

Banshee takes place in the fictional small town of Banshee, Pennsylvania. After serving 15 years in prison for stealing diamonds from Ukrainian gangster Mr. Rabbit, the unnamed protagonist travels to Banshee to find his heist accomplice and former lover, Anastasia. When he finds her, the protagonist learns that she is now a married mother of two living under the assumed identity of Carrie Hopewell. Later, when the incoming Sheriff is killed, the protagonist takes on his identity as Lucas Hood, becoming the town's new Sheriff. Banshee sees Hood struggle with adapting to his new identity while dealing with the machinations of local crime lord Kai Proctor, and remaining hidden from Rabbit.

Cast

• Antony Starr as Lucas Hood: An ex-con and master thief released from prison after 15 years. He assumes the identity of Banshee's incoming Sheriff Lucas Hood to be close to his former lover Anastasia and remain hidden from gangster Mr. Rabbit.
• Ivana Mili?evi"? as Anastasia / Carrie Hopewell: Hood's former criminal accomplice and lover. She lives in Banshee under an alias as a homemaker with her husband Gordon and children Deva and Max, who are unaware of her past. She is also in hiding from Mr. Rabbit, her father.
• Ulrich Thomsen as Kai Proctor: A crime kingpin and businessman in Banshee. Proctor was originally a member of Banshee's Amish community, but abandoned the faith for crime.
• Frankie Faison as Sugar Bates: A retired former boxer and ex-con, turned bar owner. He befriends Hood and is aware that he is a criminal.
• Hoon Lee as Job: A transvestite computer hacker and Hood's criminal accomplice. Also in hiding from Mr. Rabbit, he is forced to move to Banshee after his identity is uncovered.
• Rus Blackwell as Gordon Hopewell: Banshee's district attorney and Carrie's husband. He is a Gulf War hero and retired soldier.
• Matt Servitto as Brock Lotus: A Banshee deputy, and the longest-serving member of the force. Brock was intended to become the new Sheriff before the real Hood's appointment and is resentful of being passed over.
• Demetrius Grosse as Emmett Yawners: A Banshee deputy.
• Trieste Kelly Dunn as Siobhan Kelly: A Banshee deputy.
• Ryann Shane as Deva Hopewell: A rebellious teenager. Deva is Carrie and Lucas's daughter, but was raised with Gordon as her father. .
• Daniel Ross Owens as Dan Kendall: Banshee's mayor, an idealist and a young politician opposed to Proctor's criminal activities.
• Lili Simmons as Rebecca Bowman: A young Amish girl who lives a devout life with her father Elijah by day, but is a rebellious, sexually adventurous party girl by night. She is Proctor's niece, and the only member of the Amish community he has contact with.
• Ben Cross as Mr. Rabbit: A ruthless Ukrainian gangster seeking revenge on Hood for stealing from Rabbit, and turning his daughter Anastasia against him.

The series also features in recurring roles, Matthew Rauch as Proctor's right-hand-man Burton, Christos Vasilopoulos as Rabbit's right-hand-man Olek, Anthony Ruvivar as indian tribal chief Alex Longshadow, and Gabriel Suttle as Carrie's son Max.

Development

Banshee is part of Cinemax's attempt to expand its original programming content, and it will join Strike Back (co-produced with BSkyB) and Steve Kronish's Sandbox. Banshee premiered on January 11, 2013. On January 29, 2013 Cinemax renewed Banshee for a 10-episode second season scheduled to debut in 2014.

Reception

Critical reception of Banshee has been generally favorable. Banshee currently holds a 61/100 meta score on Metacritic.

Wall Street Journal critic Dorothy Rabinowitz wrote, "Its smartness comes shining through despite the claptrap (none worse than the parade of sex scenes, soft-porn variety, whose noisiness is exceeded only by their unconvincingness); its story, littered with intriguingly repellent characters, like Kai Proctor (Ulrich Thomsen), local evil tycoon, grows ever more enticing".

The San Francisco Chronicle said about Banshee, "It has a solid pedigree. It's also part of Cinemax's effort to expand its original programming. That effort pays off with Banshee".

Banshee has also had less favourable reviews. A Boston Herald critic described the series as: "A slow-pokey drama punctuated by shocking violence and sex".