(Courtesy of WGN America)
WGN America will hold the highly anticipated U.S. premiere of the must-see Canadian drama, Bellevue, starring the always amazing and charismatic Anna Paquin (X-Men). Audiences will absolutely be on the edge-of-their-seats watching each thrilling episode of the eight-part arc.
As we previously mentioned, Bellevue takes place in a small town with really big secrets. About 20 years ago, the murder of a young woman traumatized the community. Has the killer returned? Now that a high school hockey star goes missing, all signs directly point to foul play.
Here are 5 (spoiler-free) reasons why you should watch Bellevue on WGN:
5) Do I Need To Remind You She’s Freaking Anna Paquin!?!
A major reason to watch, Paquin displays her dynamic range as the flawed and hardened detective Annie Ryder, who is investigating the disappearance of a high school hockey star. As Ryder, Paquin succeeds in a challenging role that demands her to be strong, emotionally wrecked, and vulnerable. Every detective in these shows has these “A-Ha” moments, where they put the clues together. I love watching how she delivers these pensive and reflective expressions to viewers to demonstrate how her brain works out these A-Ha moments in the criminal investigation.
4) Best Of Both Genres!
Creators/showrunners Jane Maggs and Adrienne Mitchell have brilliantly put together the elements of a character drama and a gritty police procedural. Not only is Annie Ryder so detailed in personality, her relationships to the other characters — such as her Eddie (Allen Leech) and her boss on the police force, Chief Peter Welland (Shawn Doyle) — are well-defined as well. Just as she did with True Blood, Paquin leads the charge again and everyone else matches to her level; not a single performance is wasted.
3) The Town Is Alive!
The town itself, Bellevue, feels believable and grounded because of its own quirky set of characters, wardrobe, and design. Ryder’s investigation dives into the economic, social, and political aspects of Bellevue. Not only that, the photography does a great job setting up a road map for viewers, making each location visually distinguishable.
2) The Best Kind Of Mystery!
I personally enjoy watching these crime thrillers where the case has impact on the investigator; like it’s supposed to mean something to them. The emotional impact strikes ten-fold because the crime takes place inside a small town, where everyone knows each other and shares a connection. So if you’re like me, you’re definitely going to get a kick out of watching Bellevue unfold.
1) Must See TV!
Performance and story-wise, Bellevue broods and fascinates with its potential on every single level. Anna Paquin is downright compelling in the role of Annie Ryder and delivers a must-see performance that audiences will instantly savor.
RATING:
Three emojis out of four
Bellevue premieres Tuesday January 23, 2018 at 10:00 p.m. ET / 9:00 p.m. CT on WGN America.
– By Jorge Solis