The Irrational, Season Two, on NBC

Last season, Dr. Alec Mercer overcame his own personal biases and the “halo effect” to undercover a liberal politician’s involvement in the deadly bombing that left him physically scarred. Perhaps this season, he might heal in other ways as well. However, Dr. Mercer must first deal with the cliffhanger that ended the first season finale when creator Arika Lisanne Mittman’s Irrational returns tonight, on NBC.

One of the things that went right for Mercer last season was his increasingly romantic relationship with Dinshaw, so he would presumably be distressed to see her snatched off the street and bundled into a van. Of course, it rather follows that the kidnapping would be related to her previous work as a MI-6 agent. Fortunately for her, Mercer deduces her distress sooner rather than later. He also has a direct line into the FBI. In addition to his ex, Marisa Clark, who often calls in Mercer to consult, his formerly slacker sister Kylie also works at the Bureau as a contract cyber-crime specialist.

As a result, the season premiere, “Collateral Damage,” is less of a whodunit and more of ticking clock rescue operation. Lead Jesse L. Martin has solid chemistry with Keren David, which helps sell the drastic step Mercer takes to find Dinshaw. Meanwhile, his long-suffering teaching assistant Rizwan Asadi must endure several clinical experiments exploring the overwhelming desire for revenge.

Indeed, Mercer’s investigative methods are often the best elements of each episode. This is very definitely true of the next installment, “A Kick in the Teeth,” a crisply paced hunt for an apparent serial killer (nicely helmed by experienced horror genre director Ernest Dickerson), but the mystery is undercut by the episode’s limited cast of characters.

However, it announces an increased role for supporting character, Simon Wilton, the well-heeled replacement for Mercer’s other assistant, Phoebe Duncan, a Gen Z’er “stressed out” by Mercer’s crime-fighting productivity. Wilton both embarrasses and redeems himself. However, unlike other students of his generation, he takes responsibility in a smartly written scene, featuring Max Lloyd-Jones as Mercer’s new TA-gofer-sounding board.

Amar Akbar & Tony: Love and Life in Southall

It helps to know Amar Akbar Anthony was a smash hit 1970s Bollywood film about three brothers separated at birth, raised as a Hindu, Muslim, and Christian. These lads are brothers-from-a-different-mother, but if you swap Sikhism for Hinduism, you still have the same general deal. These three grown boyhood mates will be there for each other through thick and thin, whether they like it or not in Atul Makhotra’s Amar Akbar & Tony (trailer here), which releases today on DVD from Kino Lorber.

Initially, Amar had the best prospects (he would be the Sikh, so you should be able to figure out the other two by process of elimination). He had a job offer from a London law firm and a ring on the finger of his childhood sweetheart Richa, but it vanishes in a flash. To protect his mates, Amar stabs the unhinged brother of the cloistered beauty Tony had been trying to steal a conversation with.

At least Amar’s prison sentence goes by in a flash of on-screen time. Of course, the community isn’t so embracing of Amar now. It seems like the family mojo has shifted to Amar’s Uncle, judging from his beautiful but sad-eyed new wife Meera. Technically, she is now Amar’s aunt, but there is no denying their mutual attraction. However, Meera’s circumstances are far more complicated than Amar understands.

Although AAT is generally classified as a romantic comedy, the events that transpire are considerably more serious (and permanent) than standard rom-com fare. Yet, the inclusive friendship the film is constructed around is quite appealing.

As Amar, Rez Kempton broods like a champ and displays genuine leading man presence. He also develops some tragically romantic chemistry with both Karen David (probably the biggest star in the ensemble thanks to Gallivant and Once Upon a Time) and Amrita Acharia, as Meera and Richa, respectively. If things won’t work with one, viewers will definitely want to see him find happiness with the other. However, both Sam Vincenti and Martin Delaney really turn up the two extremes of shtick—smarmy ladies’ man confidence in the case of Akbar and klutzy sad sack loserdom for Tony.

We can see how Malhotra and his cast were trying to pull off a Southall Four Weddings and a Funeral. This film is nowhere near as droll, but the food looks way better. In fact, you have to give AAT credit for its unexpected depth. Recommended for those who enjoy a diverse relationship dramedy with Bollywood seasoning, Amar Akbar & Tony releases today on DVD and Netflix, from Kino Lorber.

Blackest Ops: Strike Back

As far as Section 20 is concerned, the only good terrorist is a terrorist getting renditioned to within an inch of their lives. Well, God bless them for that. As a result, disgraced former U.S. Delta Force soldier Damien Scott finds he fits in rather well in the double-secret British counter-terrorism unit in Strike Back (promo here), which has its series debut on Cinemax this Friday.

Like 24 in its Surnow heyday, viewers should not get too attached to reoccurring characters, including John Porter (a lead protagonist from Strike Back’s pre-Cinemax first season on British Sky TV). Captured while investigating a large scale operation code-named Project Dawn, Porter has been captured by terrorists loyal to the Islamist mastermind, “Latif.” Aside from Porter, only his former American counterpart from the early days of Iraq can identify the mysterious Latif. That of course would be Scott, whom Section 20’s Sgt. Stonebridge finds drinking, whoring, and pit-fighting his way through a Southeast Asia redlight district.

Naturally, there is major friction between the Yank and the Brit, but they are all business when the bullets start flying. If the first four installments are representative of the entire season, Strike Back’s wider overarching storyline will be advanced by a succession of two episode mini-arcs. On the micro-level, the show is a breath of fresh air, featuring terrorists who are not simply misguided, but horrifically evil. For instance, Scott spends the balance of episode two protecting an innocent young girl from Islamic terrorists (who are explicitly identified as such), only taking occasional breaks to bed the beautiful women of the hotel taken hostage by the terrorist thugs. Seriously, that’s an apt description.

However, on the macro level, Strike Back’s shadowy meta-conspiracy threatens to be a real buzz kill. Supposedly, Scott was unceremoniously mustered out of service because he caught wind of a plan to plant the WMD stockpiles that would “justify” Operation Iraqi Freedom. Those infamous weapons are now at loose ends, doggedly pursued by Latif for his nefarious purposes. This sort of potential demonization of the American military and intelligence services is exactly what we do not need any more of on television.

It would be a shame if Strike Back’s macro themes continue in this direction, because they could spoil some genuinely rip-rousing television entertainment. As Scott, Sullivan Stapleton is an undeniably likable and engaging hard-nosed bad-attitude protagonist. Though the relatively by-the-book Stonebridge is probably not as fun to play, Philip Winchester displays plenty of square jawed action cred. There are also plenty of James Bond worthy women, like the gorgeous Karen David (sort of geek-famous for Scorpion King 2) as the barmaid Scott protects when the terrorists break up their hook-up. Likewise, the villains are truly villainous, such as the workaholic Liam Cunningham, chewing the scenery with relish as IRA enforcer turned mercenary Daniel Connolly.

At least in episodes one through four, the Indian and South African settings are quite cinematic, while the stunt work and effects are all first class. Scott and Stonebridge deliver quite a bit of vicarious satisfaction, administering on the spot justice to Islamist fanatics and their craven accomplices that should be well worth returning for throughout the show’s run. Yet, if it loses sight of who the real bad guys are, sliding into the sort of moral equivalency frequently peddled by Hollywood, it will alienate its core viewership, while those sharing such a hostile view of American and British military and intelligence personnel will be put off by the Jack Bauer tactics gleefully indulged in throughout each episode.

Strike Back could be flat-out awesome, so let’s hope it minimizes the clichéd conspiracy themes and plays to its strengths. This week, the totally entertaining first episode is definitely recommended when it debuts this Friday (8/12) on Cinemax.