Power: Analysis & Review
Starz new street crime drama Power executive produced by Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson offers a very slick fusion of New York City club life and the seedy world of the high-end drug trade. Power is the brainchild of Courtney Kemp Agboe, Emmy nominated writer/ producer from popular shows such as The Good Wife and The Bernie Mac Show; and while it doesn’t offer much of anything new in terms of premise, it provides a decent level of intrigue while exploring the trappings of power in the highly visible world of New York City clubs.
Ghost
The story revolves around James “Ghost” St. Patrick played by Omari Hardwick, a hustler who has risen from the street to the top rungs of the NYC drug trade all while staying off the police radar. Ghost runs a tight organization with the help of longtime friend/ enforcer Tommy Egan played by the chameleon like Joseph Sekora, who is almost unrecognizable from his turn as drugged out biker Ginger on HBO’s True Detective. Ghost has evolved from running a front through various laundromats to laundering drug profits through a newly acquired nightclub ironically called Truth. Ghost seems to have it all together after securing the role as NYC’s main distributor of cocaine from Mexican Kingpin Felipe Lobos (Enrique Murciano); beating out a number of traditional gangs by convincing Lobos that his organization is a business, not a gang.
Everytime I Try To Get Out, They Pull Me Right Back In
Ghost envisions the clubs as a means to leave the life; he runs into opposition from Tommy who is married to the streets and sees the club as play thing to disguise their real business. Those tense moments between the lifelong friends over the direction of the business sets the stage for conflict down the road. Tommy isn’t the only person in Ghost’s world who isn’t keen on his leaving the life, his wife Tasha St. Patrick (Naturi Naughton) is also strung out on the lifestyle that the drug game provides. Tasha is not the unwitting, turn a blind eye Carmela Soprano of the business. Surprisingly, she is directly involved in nearly all decision-making aspects of the business; however, trust between the two may be eroding. The Bonnie and Clyde dynamic diverges from the traditional family structure of the drug world, a clear violation of Crack Commandment number 7 for all my Notorious B.I.G. fans. Ghost may find himself in serious shit.
A Traitor Amongst Us?
As if juggling a wife, children, “legit” business and drug business weren’t enough, Ghost finds himself in an even deeper conundrum concerning all aspects of his life due to the fact that either a rival gang or someone close to him is having his couriers robbed on consistent basis, which his making the cartel a bit skittish about their new-found partner. This particular enemy knows all of the inner workings and routines of Ghost’s organization and exploits them to make him appear weak and incompetent.
Sleeping With The Enemy
His family life is threatened when he run’s into his high school flame that got away Angela Valdez (Lela Loren). Ghost throws caution to the wind as he attempts to find out what life could have been with Angela. What he doesn’t know is that Angela is a lawyer on the police task force charged with bringing down his supplier, and her number one priority is tracking down the cartel’s NYC distributor. It looks as though love is in the air until they find out who the other is and the shit hits the fan, as it somehow always does.
Power
Power is a solid choice for any fan of the street crime drama with sex, violence and intrigue to spare, not to mention it airs on Saturday nights at 9pm. It’s a great show to start with if you’re staying in for the night or a grown and sexy warm up if you’re about to hit the streets yourself. Check it out.
