TV Show Review

TV Review: MAGIC CITY: Season 1, Episode 1: The Year of the Fin

Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Danny Huston, Steven Strait, Christian Cooke, Magic City

Magic City Season 1 Episode 1 The Year of the Fin Review. Magic City: Season 1, Episode 1: The Year of the Fin showcases two worlds in the hotel world shown to a small degree in Martin Scorsese‘s Casino: the business of running a hotel/ living that business and the underworld that helps finance it and wants “in” on the profits they reap.

The drama in this episode had three points:

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The real world of 1958-1959 is brought into the lobby of the Miramar Hotel, which creates most of the drama in this episode. This and the escalating drama in Cuba set up that reality will be a part of series, how big of a part is yet to be seen.

The second dramatic point was the meeting between Ike Evans (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) and Ben Diamond (Danny Huston) at Diamond’s spacious and luxurious home. Verbal combat ensued, each alpha jockeying for the upper hand in their conversation/negotiation. This was probably one of the most interesting interactions in the episode because it exposed some of the personality of each character. Diamond is the most intimidating of the two, without having to say a word.

This scene also involved a character that is involved in the third dramatic point in the episode whose gluteus maximus muscle exit from the scene was second-to-none.

The third dramatic point in the episode were the miniature adventures of Ike Evans’s son Stevie Evans (Steven Strait). All of the sexual energy in the episode revolves around him and his actions, whether he initiates it or someone else initiates it for him (not that he ever complains).

The fatal love affair or attraction that has begun between Stevie Evans and Lily Diamond (Jessica Marais) will evolve and become dark. When he talked to his father about love at first sight, the depths of Stevie’s attraction to Lily was shown to the viewer. Being in love with a mobster’s wife and his father’s criminal friend may get him killed and his father ruined.

For more Magic City reviews, photos, videos, and information, visit our Magic City Page.

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Rollo Tomasi

Rollo Tomasi is a Connecticut-based film critic, TV show critic, news, and editorial writer. He will have a MFA in Creative Writing from Columbia University in 2025. Rollo has written over 700 film, TV show, short film, Blu-ray, and 4K-Ultra reviews. His reviews are published in IMDb's External Reviews and in Google News. Previously you could find his work at Empire Movies, Blogcritics, and AltFilmGuide. Now you can find his work at FilmBook.
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