There's something a bit unsettling about the new Apple TV+ drama series Smoke. Based on a real series of arsons, the show follows two investigators as they attempt to solve the mystery of two simultaneous serial arsonists.
At first, the uncomfortable nature of the show seems obvious: arson investigator Dave Gudsen and cop Michelle Calderone's newfound partnership is difficult to watch. Dave (Taron Egerton) is supremely unlikeable, and Detective Calderone (Jurnee Smollett) clearly has a few skeletons in her closet. What lies underneath, however, is much more interesting, and makes the show worthy of investment.
WARNING: Spoilers for Smoke episodes 1 and 2 ahead!
Is Smoke worth watching?
Smoke opens with an excruciatingly cliched couple of lines, as a disembodied voice tries to define fire. I immediately felt a sense of frustration with the show, only to find that the lines were followed up by the character interrupting himself to criticize his narrative choice.
This is emblematic of how the first two episodes of Smoke went down. For every cliche — the badass main characters, Dave's struggling marriage, Michelle's uncomfortable power dynamic with the older male police captain, and subsequent banter between the two investigators — Smoke found a way to subvert, even just a little bit, and it just about earned its way into my good graces.
Even if the show had not addressed its cliches, there was enough to keep me vaguely interested: The arsons themselves actually have interesting stories, and the culprit behind at least some of them (whom we are privy to before the characters of the show) is a sympathetic person. Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine (Heroes, The Lincoln Lawyer) does a fantastic job as Freddy, a fast-food worker in his mid 40s who sets fires due to the lack of hope and comfort in his life. It was Freddy and his crimes that kept me interested in the plot.
Egerton himself set me on edge as soon as I saw his character, and, for the greater part of the episodes, I was not clear why. Which leads me on to this: Smoke is worth watching, but more accurately, it is worth continuing on with after these two episodes.
Smoke reveals its hand only at the end of episode 2
If not for the latter half of the second episode, Smoke was in danger of receiving a review of "don't bother." But the final minutes show promise. This is your final spoiler warning.
The clues click into place slowly and then all at once. Dave demonstrates both misogyny and egomania when he thinks he is a fantastic writer, but receives horrible feedback on his draft. His wife appears withdrawn from him. He is missing at every department party. He appears to snap completely at his wife's child. He refuses to acknowledge that the second arsonist is faking his limp. Dave is, of course, the second arsonist.
Detective Michelle, too, has her own darkness. A rogue cop happy to break and enter, shoot a man's legs, and then frame her way out of culpability. Suddenly, the captain's apparent creepiness makes sense: He knows who she truly is and she relies on him to cover for her.
In hindsight, Dave's secret is a completely obvious plot twist. It still caught me entirely by surprise. Perhaps Egerton did enough to sell me his charming act, or perhaps it is his familiar face, but either way, I'm invested for whatever comes next. I'm sure a serial arsonist and a cop with dubious methods will make for an interesting rest of the show.
Smoke releases new episodes every Friday on Apple TV+.
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