He may be the best thing about Bloodline but hes far from alone. Chandler, Shepard, Spacek, Cardellinitheyre all perfectly cast, and relative newcomer Butz is effective as well. Theres not a false beat in the cast, although the show does start to feel a bit too focused on the family itself, often missing opportunities to let the Florida Keys and its inhabitants play a role in the narrative. Each of the first three episodes seems to focus on a different member of the cast with Chandler taking the first, Butz the second, and Cardellini the third. Its a smart structure, allowing different performers time in the spotlight and breaking up what seems to be a relatively straightforward story into an episodic structure.
Some will dismiss Bloodline as pulp fiction, the material of airport book store bestsellers. With its buried family secrets, exploding boats, and stormy nights, its kind of impossible to deny those charges. Some of the dialogue feels straight out of a mass market paperback, especially over-written narration like It wasnt just him I was trying to save, I was trying to save myself. However, crafting that kind of escapist thriller effectively is harder than intellectuals might have you believe. It takes a rhythm, pacing, and structure that keep you going despite knowing its all a little overheated and ridiculous. You dont necessarily have to buy it, but you want to keep moving, largely thanks to the actors selling a car that you might know is a lemon but they convince you to keep going, just to see whats around the next bend.
