After The Wire and its epic five-season run, anything David Simon does for HBO should be considered must-watch TV. (Your opinion might vary on his follow-up, Treme.)
That appears to be true for the writer-producer’s latest effort of the network, Show Me a Hero. A trailer for the six-part miniseries premiered on HBO Sunday night after True Detective. Oscar Isaac has become one of the finest working actors today, and this looks like it will be the latest showcase for his talents. Check it out.
https://youtu.be/uj5Nt-HoBhw
Show Me a Hero is based on a 1999 nonfiction book by Lisa Belkin, which told the story of Yonkers, N.Y. in 1988 being ordered by a federal judge to integrate its low-income housing. (You can read the first chapter here.)
The ruling set off a bitter dispute in the town between black residents who wanted to escape the projects and the white residents who didn’t want those citizens moving into their neighborhood and building new housing. The town’s 28-year-old mayor, Nick Wasicsko, supported the plan and tried to persuade his constituency to accept it, likely at the cost of his political career.
An all-star cast is led by Isaac, who plays Wasicsko. Catherine Keener, Alfred Molina, LaTanya Richardson-Jackson, Winona Ryder, Jon Bernthal, Bob Balaban and Jim Belushi co-star. All six episodes are directed by Paul Haggis (Crash).
Show Me a Hero premieres on HBO Sunday, Aug. 16, with parts one and two of the miniseries. Two more episodes will show during each of the subsequent two weeks, wrapping up on Aug. 30.
