If You Love ‘Poker Face,’ Check Out This Underrated FX Crime Comedy Series

Poker Face has proven to be one of the biggest originals in the history of the Peacock streaming service, as audiences clearly have been seeking an old-fashioned mystery series that provides “case-of-the-week” style scenarios. While this type of structure is often utilized in procedural network shows that tend to become derivative, Poker Face has all the high production values of a “prestige” project, in no small part due to the creative involvement of Rian Johnson. Before he began his career as a successful film director, Johnson worked on several episodes of the FX mystery series Terriers. Despite being canceled after its first season, Terriers was a fun mix of suspense, comedy, and intrigue that benefited from its colorful cast of characters.

It’s not entirely surprising to see why Terriers was canceled in its prime; the series lacked star power and didn’t immediately announce itself as something radically different in the same way that other FX crime shows like Justified and Sons of Anarchy did. However, the depth of emotion and relatability in the characters of Terriers suggested that it had the potential to grow even better in subsequent seasons. While the time may have passed in which there was ever any realistic expectation that the series could be renewed for another installment, Terriers’ availability on streaming means that it should be a “must-see” for any TV crime buffs.

What Is ‘Terriers’ About?

Terriers focuses on two best friends who decide to start an independent detective agency in San Diego, California, despite having their personal lives complicated by failing relationships. Hank Dolworth (Donal Logue) was once a respected police officer, but his growing issues with alcoholism and irreconcilable anger left him without a job; although Hank had first met his eventual partner, Britt Pollock (Michael Raymond-James), in the midst of an investigation, their friendship developed when they both came to recognize the flaws within the system. Hank was frustrated by the police department’s ability to cover for those with privilege, which made it challenging for him to pursue criminals that had wealth and resources. At the same time, Britt had initially been a thief involved with a series of robberies. He ultimately discovered that he would eventually be drawn to doing the right thing, despite the personal cost it might entail.

Terriers began its story in just the right place, as the show started once Hank and Britt had already been friends for a while, but had yet to find their calling. Although they are both in need of some extra cash due to their economic constraints and respective criminal records, their first investigation is to find the daughter of a close friend, who has been involved with a powerful real estate developer. Although there is an ambiguity to the morality of both characters, it was a smart decision to show that Hank and Britt are originally involved in their investigation business due to a sense of nobility. The series offers a positive message about redemption; even for those that feel that they have transgressed beyond the capacity for forgiveness, it is never too late to start doing the right thing.

The series was able to explore the personal and professional lives of its characters in a way that didn’t feel detrimental to the narrative. Hank’s dynamic with his ex-wife, Gretchen (Kimberly Quinn), is handled with complexity; while Hank accepts the fact that he made himself too erratic for Gretchen to ever deal with, he still feels a sense of protectiveness over her, as he fears she may be involved in a toxic relationship. Similarly, Britt’s relationship with his girlfriend Katie (Laura Allen) combusts when her infidelities are revealed; although it would have been easy to turn this into a scandalous moment, Terriers was able to reflect on how this affected Britt’s mental health, and offered a rare portrayal of masculine sensitivity within crime fiction.

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‘Terriers’ Deserved a Second Season

Terriers had a creative structure that merged classical and modern television techniques, as it incorporated individual cases into a serialized story. Although there is an ongoing narrative about Hank being framed for a criminal conspiracy enacted to disregard his good name, each week introduced other cases that helped him and Britt pay the rent as they decided what direction they needed to take their business next. The varying degrees of gravity within these episodic adventures helped Terriers create a diversity of tone; while the episode “Dog and Pony” offered a comedic escapade in which the partners have to apprehend an eccentric fugitive, the flashback episode “Sins of the Past” examined the dramatic circumstances that resulted in Hank losing his job.

Terriers offered a surprisingly realistic interpretation of what running a detective agency looked like, as it certainly didn’t glamorize what could be a very challenging profession. Hank and Britt often have to deal with clients who hold back critical information and are asked to provoke people in power who have the ability to demean them. Despite claiming to be acting for the betterment of others, Britt and Hank are often forced to use manipulative techniques in order to ensure their mutual economic survival. The complexity of this issue is best displayed in the episode “Pimp Daddy,” in which Britt comes to realize that doing the right thing is more beneficial than the temporary reward he would earn.

While the thirteen episodes that aired on FX are all excellent pieces of television, it’s most disappointing that Terriers was not given the chance to grow and evolve, as there was clearly the possibility to enhance the world with more characters, additional subplots, and other flashbacks to the past. While shows like Breaking Bad or Star Trek: The Next Generation are largely agreed upon to be among the best of all time, they didn’t find their footing until well past their first season; it’s easy to see how Terriers could have evolved in the same manner. Detective stories are common on television, but the heart, humanity, and humor of Terriers offered a slice of life that felt completely unique.

Terriers is available to stream on Hulu in the U.S.

Terriers

Release Date

2010 – 2009

Directors

Ted Griffin, Adam Arkin, Clark Johnson, Guy Ferland, John Dahl, Michael Zinberg, Rian Johnson