"Blunt Talk" Review: "I Seem to Be Running Out of Dreams for Myself"

Written by John Edward Betancourt

THIS IS THE EMERGENCY SPOILER ALERT SYSTEM...YOU ARE ADVISED TO READ AT YOUR OWN RISK...

The year was 1987 and I had tuned into KWGN Channel 2 in Denver on a Saturday night for one simple reason...they were airing the series premiere of Star Trek: The Next Generation. It was here that I was introduced to British actor Patrick Stewart and over the next seven years he would become my hero as he portrayed the iconic Captain Jean-Luc Picard. 

Needless to say I followed his career past that point, watching everything I could that he was in because he's a damn good actor and well, after all these years I'm still tuning in and I recently had the pleasure of watching Patrick in his new role as Walter Blunt for the Starz show, Blunt Talk. From the promos I knew this would be a different kind of role for him, after all it was a comedy about a troubled news anchor, and man...even that didn't prepare me for the grand departure that Walter would turn out to be for Mister Stewart. Fact of the matter is, this isn't your dad's Patrick Stewart, nor is it the Patrick Stewart from X-Men: Days of Future Past...this my friends, is an actor at his absolute finest. 

Tonight's series premiere, "I Seem to Be Running Out of Dreams for Myself", takes us inside Walter's crazy life. This is a man who drinks too much, loves his drugs, and his hookers and well...gets himself arrested for beating the hell out of a couple of L.A.P.D. cops and just so happens to have the whole ordeal caught on video. Being the face of the network, this doesn't go over well with the executive brass, giving Walter the idea that the only way out of this mess is to face the public for his actions and after giving his boss his beloved Jaguar to get one more episode to prove his worth, Walter decides it is high time to be interviewed by the only man who could properly handle this story...himself.

Needless to say, this show is so freaking funny that I not only had to pause the DVR to get all my laughs out, but I also had to go back and listen to several scenes once again to catch all the other jokes I missed. I was blown away watching Patrick in action as a comedian. Yes, we've all had a taste of him doing comedy on Family Guy and American Dad but this is unfiltered genius. The man knows comedy, and some of the stuff that comes out of his mouth, with his unique delivery is simply magical. In fact everything comedy wise in this show works. Doesn't matter how ludicrous the situation or how wild the idea, you buy in completely just to see what happens next.

But the show is not without heart. Walter is a deeply flawed character, and while the laughs are the big focus, there are those brief moments of reveal that are done in sublime and subtle fashion, right before Walter downs some whiskey or does a line of coke. Plus, I do need to take a moment to mention, keep your eyes peeled when you tune in for a couple of surprise cameos/guest stars that will leave Trek and comedy fans happy as can be. Either way, I'm hooked on this show and I'll be tuning in for the next ten weeks for what looks like one round of laughs after another and I strongly suggest all of you do the same. Until next time. 

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