‘Longmire’ an antidote to all those TV antiheroes

  • By Luaine Lee McClatchy-Tribune News Service
  • Monday, June 10, 2013 3:47pm
  • LifeGo-See-Do

Ever since Tony Soprano had Ralphie Cifaretto whacked in that New Jersey parking lot, television has been entranced with antiheroes.

We have Dexter, the Robin Hood of serial killers; Nucky Thompson, the rum-running kingpin of “Boardwalk Empire”; Francis Underwood, the Machiavellian majority whip of “House of Cards”; the caustic Dr. Gregory House; and Nancy Botwin, the pot-pushing housewife of “Weeds.”

The television landscape is littered with them and their victims. Cynicism has replaced the noble deed as fodder for television scripts, and wink-nudge-nudge, aren’t we clever outwitting and cheating our fellow man?

Well, those who despair of ever finding a hero again, there is hope. One is riding the range on the A&E Network. “Longmire” has just returned for its second season at 10 p.m. Mondays, and its protagonist proves a throwback to the days when moral rectitude was an asset.

Walt Longmire prowls the plains like his horse-riding predecessors, but he’s astride a Ford Bronco. And his domain is the wind-swept plains of Wyoming.

Based on the Walt Longmire mystery novels by Craig Johnson, Longmire’s duty is complicated by the fact that he shares jurisdiction with the officials of the nearby American Indian reservation.

“Magic City,” the Miami-based “Godfather,” will return to Starz at 9 p.m. Friday for its second season. While the show boasts a hierarchy of fascinating characters, it’s the production design, art direction, costuming etc. that keeps it true to its era.

Mitch Glazer, executive producer of the show, admits he’s a perfectionist when it comes to all those elements.

True life: Like we haven’t heard enough about convicted murderer Jodi Arias, now Lifetime is presenting a movie on the subject called “Jodi Arias: Dirty Little Secret,” premiering June 22.

Lifetime usually does a marvelous job with these true-life crime stories. Tania Raymonde plays the knife-wielding Arias and Tony Plana portrays prosecutor Juan Martinez.

Plana, who’s costarred in such shows as “Desperate Housewives,” “Ugly Betty” and “24”, said he learned early a valuable precept.

“One of the biggest lessons has been adaptability and learning to accept how people perceive you, to a certain degree, not try to be something you’re not,” he said.

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