What to Expect From "War"?

The first episode of War is fun. It makes the whole process of building a narrative angle for court almost as interesting as the story itself.

We get to see the meetings where they construct the narrative. They aren't necessarily trying to establish what actually happened. They are trying to figure out which version of what happened they can present.

And that makes the lawyers particularly entertaining.

Everyone Thinks They're Smarter Than Everyone Else

A certain confidence runs through War that quickly becomes one of its most enjoyable elements.

Everyone seems convinced they are one step ahead.

The two sides are constantly trying to anticipate what the other will do, find an advantage, and get there first. Nobody is willing to lose, no matter what.

Of course, when everyone believes they are the smartest person in the room, things usually don't go exactly as planned. And that may be where War could become particularly funny.

The Truth vs. The Story

The first episode doesn't seem overly concerned with what truly happened to get where they are. It is much more interested in the machinery surrounding what will be a bombastic divorce.

What should be said? What should be left out? How can something be presented most convincingly?

That gives the show a slightly playful quality despite the subject matter. Watching the different sides work out their strategies is sometimes more entertaining than watching the actual conflict.

A Promising Start

As a first episode, War does what it needs to do.

It introduces a conflict, establishes that both sides will play a game of their own, and gives us characters who seem perfectly capable of making things considerably more complicated.

It is also fun, which helps. It doesn't pretend to be too serious; instead, it shows how ridiculous things can get sometimes.

It was a good starting point.

With Dominic West and Sienna Miller, War is definitely a series to keep an eye on. It promises clever games, competing narratives, and people who may be far less in control than they think.

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