- Title: Briarpatch – First Time in Saint Disgrace
- IMDb: link
We’ve seen this story before about a successful protagonist forced to return home to investigate something tragic in the hometown they abandoned years before. Andy Greenwald‘s Briarpatch casts Rosario Dawson in the role of Senate Investigator Allegra Dill who returns to the Texas town of San Bonifacio after a car bombing takes the life of her sister Police Detective Felicity Dill in the series’ opening scene. Complicating Allegra’s return is a Senate investigation and a need to interview an old friend (Jay R. Ferguson) about questionable dealings involving his time working for the U.S. Government.
There are some interesting touches here to give the town its own unique flavor, such as the recent vandalism of the local zoo which has left wild animals roaming all over town. There’s also the curiosity of a town who in 2020 apparently hasn’t discovered air conditioning and rather large hotel with no guests or staff to speak of. Despite the side-story of the investigation, and Allegra’s personal involvement with the Senator, the main question remains who killed Felicity (and why don’t the various pieces of her life add up)? Dawson’s involvement buys the show some extra leeway here, and I’ll admit to being intrigued enough to stick around longer than usual to find out what she saw in either the script or the character to sign-on for the series. There’s also the question of the kindly local lawyer (Edi Gathegi) who helps Allegra avoid a second car bombing. Just what did he know? And, just as important, how did he know it?