Ray Donovan Ends

Finale of Ray Donovon on Showtime was neat as finales are meant to be. Finales are supposed to tie up the loose ends and give the patient viewer a satisfying payoff and Ray Donovon did that. The twelve part series was a well planned module and the built up in the first two episodes was very well orchestrated and laid the character with great success and with nicely delineated lines leaving enough rough edges that left something to be liked in almost all characters. Their angers, regrets and in some cases their over reactions made enough sense in our hearts to make us care for them. 

Eponymous Ray (Liev Schreiber )   shouldered the key part with a restrained grace which entailed most of the talking by his gestures and body, always a sign of good actor. His brothers- the seasoned pair of Dash Mihok and, more so, British veteran Eddie Marsan were picture perfect with their issues and attitude towards loyalty and forgiveness. And, above all,  seventy five years old, Jon Voight who gives a master class in depicting well intentioned sleeze whose good intentions are so well hidden that it takes long time to like him. He has delivered a performance without any false note. He is a survivor and he has both charms and redeeming virtues to keep him afloat. He makes us root for him in later episodes without evoking condescending sympathy in our hearts. His nuanced portrayal of his vices is sufficient to explain away his ills. Only weak point is the Ray’s wife played by mercurial Paula Malcomsom. She has been given the unfortunate task of acting against the logic of the story of Ray. She does a fantastic job of making the life of her husband miserable who is famously uncommunicative in explain things to her while deeply valuing her approval. After sometime, her intensity starts bordering on unhinged melodrama and we start grudging her lack of understating and cooperation. 

Back to the finale, it tied up the series efficiently. The episode took the choices made by the various characters to the logical conclusion. It resolved the climax in a somewhat pat but logical manner. The final minutes were well utilized to show the depth of Ray’s hatred for his father. These last few minutes also further revealed Mick’s snake oil salesman charm and his ability to rise to the occasion.  The final episode played to its strength. Showdowns, between Ray and Mick, between Ray and brother played by Eddie Marsan were placed knowing full well the capabilities of these strong actors to raise the level of the programme. It paid well and the fade out with the entire family settling into cosiness felt soothing and appropriate.