All Forms of Art

  Episode 4 of War wasn't particularly interesting. After three episodes (check them here: Episode One , Two , and Three ) driven by legal battles and the people involved, this one shifts focus to the lawyers themselves. The clients almost become secondary, while personal struggles, doubts, and even bullying take center stage. Nick's Story Gets More Interesting Nick's ( James McArdle ) storyline was one of the episode's more interesting parts. Imagine having a job that depends on being an excellent speaker when you struggle with stuttering. Public speaking is already terrifying for many people, but when your professional reputation depends on it, the pressure must be enormous. His personal life is also becoming more compelling. With a baby on the way, his wife's (Phoebe Fox) doubts about their future add another layer to his story. Suddenly, there's more at stake than just his career. Lawyers Have Problems Too The episode also explores the less appealing si...

  When War premiered , it felt like it was promising something deliciously nasty. A divorce turns into a battle, two people go to extreme lengths to win, and the pettiness makes you wonder just how low someone can go. After the first episode, I was curious to see how far this war would escalate. But the second episode already felt like a step down. And now, after episode three, I'm starting to wonder if War is losing the very thing that made it so interesting in the first place. To be fair, this episode is a little better. There's more emotional weight to what's happening, and the conflict takes a particularly ugly turn when the son becomes involved. Using your own child as a weapon against your ex is about as low as you can go in a divorce. Whatever the reasons, dragging a child into it feels like crossing a line that should never have been crossed. And perhaps that's where the show is finally heading: toward a nastier, more personal kind of war, where the damag...

  Episode 2 of War is out, and things are escalating quickly. On their lawyers' advice, Carla (Sienna Miller) and Morgan ( Dominic West ) pretend to be willing to resolve their dispute amicably through mediation. The truth, however, is a little different. They see it as a chance to peek at the other side and find new ways to gain the upper hand. It's All a Play Nothing said during these sessions is heartfelt. Every word is part of a carefully prepared script, and mediation becomes a performance in which everyone has a role to play. Every sentence, every word, and every facial expression can be scrutinized for something useful to turn against the other party. Even the smallest slip can become a weapon. Yet the mediator is a smart woman with plenty of experience. She knows exactly what they're doing and seems perfectly aware that the people sitting around the table aren't necessarily there to find a solution. To me, they're wasting everyone's time. But that...

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...