The tagline for the AMC TV series The Son is, "My fortune is forged in blood," which turns out to be an apt description. This bleak but sometimes fascinating drama based on Philipp Meyer's 2013 Pulitzer Prize-finalist novel follows 150 years and three generations of the McCullough family as they navigate life in south Texas from the end of the 1800s up into the beginning of the 20th century. Pierce Brosnan stars as Eli McCullough, who was kidnapped as a child by Comanches after seeing them rape and kill his family. The narrative jumps back and forth in time to detail Eli's youth spent amongst the Comanche and his later years as the hard, uncompromising, and often brutal patriarch of a burgeoning oil empire who doesn't hesitate to resort to extreme measures to protect his fortune and brood. The Son is wonderfully acted and visually nails the historic details, unflinchingly depicting many of the stark—often violent—realities of life in the American West. Unfortunately, it also suffers from a languid pace, and the dual narratives of Eli's life that comprise the show's core often distract from the more-compelling side dramas involving the rest of the McCullough family. Presenting all 10 episodes from the 2017 debut season, extras include deleted scenes. A strong optional purchase. (P. Morehart)
The Son: The Complete First Season
Anchor Bay, 3 discs, 433 min., not rated, DVD: $29.99 Volume 33, Issue 2
The Son: The Complete First Season
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