Aquarius

Starring: David Duchovny (26 episodes), Grey Damon (26 episodes), Gethin Anthony (26 episodes), Emma Dumont (24 episodes), Claire Holt (24 episodes), Chance Kelly (23 episodes), Brian F. O'Byrne (22 episodes), Ambyr Childers (21 episodes), Michaela McManus (21 episodes), Whitney Rose Pynn (18 episodes), Milauna Jackson (16 episodes), David Meunier (16 episodes), Jodi Harris (13 episodes), Spencer Garrett (11 episodes), Chris Sheffield (11 episodes), Madisen Beaty (10 episodes), Cameron Deane Stewart (10 episodes), Tara Lynne Barr (10 episodes), Jason Ralph (10 episodes), Amanda Brooks (9 episodes), Alison Rood (9 episodes), Clare Carey (8 episodes), Mark Famiglietti (8 episodes), Gaius Charles (7 episodes), Andy Favreau (7 episodes), Graham Beckel (6 episodes), Abby Miller (6 episodes), Tim Griffin (6 episodes), Lobo Sebastian (6 episodes), Brian Goodman (6 episodes), Leah Bateman (6 episodes), Doug Simpson (6 episodes), Olivia Taylor Dudley (5 episodes), Omar J. Dorsey (5 episodes), Carlos Lacamara (5 episodes), Johnny Kostrey (5 episodes), Dan Warner (5 episodes), Alixzandra Dove (5 episodes)
Directed by: Jonas Pate (8 episodes), Michael Zinberg (2 episodes), Jon Amiel (2 episodes), Nelson McCormick (2 episodes), Timothy Busfield (2 episodes), John Dahl (1 episode), David Duchovny (1 episode)
Rating: TV-14
Genre: Crime, Drama, Thriller
2015-2016

Seasons Seen:
Tim: 1 - 2

Summary: In the 1960s, LAPD Detective Sam Hodiak (David Duchovny) investigates Charles Manson.

Review:
Tim: Honestly, the only reason I committed to watch "Aquarius" is because David Duchovny is my favorite television actor of all time. "The X-Files" and "Californication" are two of my favorite television series. At this point, I'd be interested in anything Duchovny does. That being said, this series was never really set up for success. It was released in the summer and really seemed like a junior varsity effort all around. The idea of a cop drama set in the 1960s was interesting, especially as it also featured the emergence of Charles Manson. Unfortunately, the series itself was never especially effective.

"Aquarius" is the kind of show I wouldn't feel about watching while distracted. That's usually a grave sin for me, but I never really cared all that much about it. There were interesting moments along the way, but as a whole, this was a fairly lackluster show. Even paying less than 100% attention, I never felt like I missed very much. The show was kind of slow, kind of dull. It was okay, a lightweight summer series, but there was never a moment in this show that really made me care.

I did have fun watching Duchovny play Sam Hodiak. It's no surprise that he was the best part of the show and that the show was really built around him. While this will never be one of his better characters, he brought his trademark intelligence, wit, and mischievousness to the role. It was fun seeing him on screen. I was very excited to see Gethin Anthony as Charles Manson, since I enjoyed him on "Game of Thrones". Unfortunately, his portrayal wasn't all that exciting. In fact, it was oftentimes dull. Manson has become such a cultural icon for all that's crazy and insane about criminals. This version was watered down, lifeless. Anthony was never able to tap into that pure insanity that the role needed. The show's big bad was never very interesting. That's a huge problem, because the series dedicated a lot of time to Manson and his family. Those scenes were never especially interesting.

The cops were always more entertaining, helped by surprisingly strong performances by Grey Damon (who I loved as Shafe) and Claire Holt. They worked well with each other and with Duchovny. Their trio was really the bright spot of the entire series. I liked the differences between their characters and how they interacted. Emma Dumont was fine- she had some strong moments here and there. Brian F. O'Byrne did some strong supporting work. David Meunier was also a standout in a supporting role. This series definitely had some strong performances, but they were mostly lost in the by-the-numbers storytelling.

I watched both seasons of "Aquarius" and I'm mostly glad I watched it- I haven't seen a lot of period cop dramas. Unfortunately, the show itself never stood out, it never won me over. This always felt like a substandard show. I was actively excited when the series was canceled after the second season- I always want Duchovny to do well, but he can do better than this series. He deserves better than this.

Rating 1-10
Tim's Rating: N/A



If You Enjoyed This Series, We Recommend: The X-Files, Californication, Dexter