My Favorite Episodes.
Boomtown was a massive case of being too clever for the average audience (something to be applauded and to never be afraid of, because sometimes, you click with them). The premise was that we saw a crime, one point-of-view at a time. Over the course of the hour, these POV's (jumping back and forth in the chronology) added up to the complete story. Usually with some kind of twist coming in the last one which would pull it all together. It was a challenging show that expected you to pay attention and use your 3 pounds of head meat for 42 minutes out of an hour. Then the show got simplified, but still remained interesting through the remainder of a shorter-than-usual season. The second season just didn't work at all and was cancelled before the some of the six produced episodes hit the air.
One of the best parts of this show was Neal McDonough's Los Angeles Assistant District Attorney, David McNorris. Here was a broken man. Through the year, we watched his alcoholism grow. And it wasn't a typical TV alcoholism that destroyed his life. He didn't have affairs because of his alcoholism. He wasn't a dick because of his alcoholism. Jack Daniels just kind of piled on to this guy and, as expected, "The David McNorris Show" (by Laurie Arent) shone a spotlight on him.In short, McNorris is called upon by a Hollywood producer to handle a dicey situation for him in which his son is accused of murder. The producer is unconcerned with whether or not junior did it, as long as he gets away with it. Yeah, Dad is a slimeball. More literally than you think.
McNorris's father, we learn was questionable as well. He was a "fixer." He made ugly problems go away...know what I mean? And here McNorris, a hard-edged and justice-minded D.A. was now being called upon to do the same thing and in doing so, his political career would be aided.
Does our hero make the right choice?
Fuck, no. That's why this one stands out to me. To quote a guy quoting another guy, "As if it matters how a man falls down? When the fall is all that's left, it matters a great deal."
Some mention should also be made of "Blackout" (by Fred Golan) in David's alcoholism comes to a head and he tries to cover up a drunk driving incident that resulted in a...fatality.
Boomtown on DVD.