"Achilles" is a pretty good episode. For one thing, it deals with something more appropriate to a modern-day police drama than a Western. J. D. Accidentally kills a woman while thwarting a bank robbery. It's all very one-and-done: by the end of the episode, J. D. has overcome his crisis of conscience so that he can be back on the team for next episode. Still, writer Mark Haskell Smith doesn't sugarcoat the death, or J. D.'s reaction.
J. D.'s reaction (and Kavovit's acting) also brings out the best in some of the other actors. Dale Midkiff as Buck gets to do more than his usual doofus portrayal. Although there are still some "Buck" moments, like taking Ezra and Nathan's breakfasts when they lose their appetites.
Perlman as Josiah also gets to do some religious counselling. Again, this is more than Perlman got to do in the first season, and clearly the production staff had learned that Perlman was up to the challenge. I like Josiah's burgeoning role as a father-figure to the others, and it's never more apparent than here with J. D.
Even Rick Worthy as Nathan gets a little bit of characterization, as he laments his lack of skill and training when he fails to save the dying girl that J. D. shot.
I don't remember Eric close as being that great an actor. But I do like him as Vin, and here he really hits the Harlequin-ish Old West cowboy. That he's secretly a poet (reciting Dale Midkiff's and Chad Everett's works). The bit with Vin's inability to read-and-write seems a bit stretched: how does he read all of those wanted posters on the people he's hunting? "Umm, I'm sure this is the guy, even though I can't read his name. And you owe me some money that's mentioned on the poster, but I don't know how much." Doesn't being a bounty hunter require some literacy? But Close sells it.
Glynn Turman as the demented Achilles is one of the show's more interesting villains, and with his wild-eyed stare, wigged-out hair, cavalry uniform, backstory as an ex-slave turned marauder, belief in his personal invulnerability, and his mixed feelings of vengeance and admiration toward J. D. after J. D. killed killing his (also played by Turman) twin brother Hector, makes for an interesting character. More so than the usual evil cattle baron or gunman.
Anthony Starke as Ezra does his usual competent job, as he can't figure out how another gambler (Jack McGee) is apparently cheating him. Their competition ends up in a nude poker game (it makes sense in context), and actor McGee does a good job as playing the innocent when his character is actually guilty of sin. I like the shared laugh the two gamblers have at the ending.
There's also John Hawkes as the weird Morris, who spends most of his time in a jail cell complaining to Chris about his butt wound. Yes, it makes sense in context. It's a minor part, but like they say, there are no minor parts, just minor actors. Hawkes hams it up for all its worth. And Michael Biehn doing what is basically an extend long-burn toward Morris both gives Biehn something to do as Chris, and helps fills in a few narrative gaps.
Overall, "Achilles" is just a good episode. It gives decent screen time to each of the Seven, and the few plot holes (it would have helped if we had seen Annie before this episode: Casey says that she was a friend. Since when?) are easily overlooked.
But that's just my opinion, I could be wrong. What do you think?
J. D.'s reaction (and Kavovit's acting) also brings out the best in some of the other actors. Dale Midkiff as Buck gets to do more than his usual doofus portrayal. Although there are still some "Buck" moments, like taking Ezra and Nathan's breakfasts when they lose their appetites.
Perlman as Josiah also gets to do some religious counselling. Again, this is more than Perlman got to do in the first season, and clearly the production staff had learned that Perlman was up to the challenge. I like Josiah's burgeoning role as a father-figure to the others, and it's never more apparent than here with J. D.
Even Rick Worthy as Nathan gets a little bit of characterization, as he laments his lack of skill and training when he fails to save the dying girl that J. D. shot.
I don't remember Eric close as being that great an actor. But I do like him as Vin, and here he really hits the Harlequin-ish Old West cowboy. That he's secretly a poet (reciting Dale Midkiff's and Chad Everett's works). The bit with Vin's inability to read-and-write seems a bit stretched: how does he read all of those wanted posters on the people he's hunting? "Umm, I'm sure this is the guy, even though I can't read his name. And you owe me some money that's mentioned on the poster, but I don't know how much." Doesn't being a bounty hunter require some literacy? But Close sells it.
Glynn Turman as the demented Achilles is one of the show's more interesting villains, and with his wild-eyed stare, wigged-out hair, cavalry uniform, backstory as an ex-slave turned marauder, belief in his personal invulnerability, and his mixed feelings of vengeance and admiration toward J. D. after J. D. killed killing his (also played by Turman) twin brother Hector, makes for an interesting character. More so than the usual evil cattle baron or gunman.
Anthony Starke as Ezra does his usual competent job, as he can't figure out how another gambler (Jack McGee) is apparently cheating him. Their competition ends up in a nude poker game (it makes sense in context), and actor McGee does a good job as playing the innocent when his character is actually guilty of sin. I like the shared laugh the two gamblers have at the ending.
There's also John Hawkes as the weird Morris, who spends most of his time in a jail cell complaining to Chris about his butt wound. Yes, it makes sense in context. It's a minor part, but like they say, there are no minor parts, just minor actors. Hawkes hams it up for all its worth. And Michael Biehn doing what is basically an extend long-burn toward Morris both gives Biehn something to do as Chris, and helps fills in a few narrative gaps.
Overall, "Achilles" is just a good episode. It gives decent screen time to each of the Seven, and the few plot holes (it would have helped if we had seen Annie before this episode: Casey says that she was a friend. Since when?) are easily overlooked.
But that's just my opinion, I could be wrong. What do you think?
