Small town full of secrets

THE Native American and Amish communities are at each other’s throats following a grisly murder.

Violent criminal turned family woman Carrie Hopewell is in jail for her part in a bloody shoot-out which exposes her secret life.

Carrie’s father ‘Rabbit’, a Ukrainian gangster, might still be alive after being shot by his daughter. And supposed sheriff Lucas Hood’s world could be about to fall apart now that his assumed identity has been rumbled.

It could only happen in Banshee, Sky Atlantic’s crime thriller.

After a slow start, the programme has come back strong for its second season.

The gung-ho series could be described as the big budget and high production values answer to a B-movie.

So if there is a new gang in town you know Hood (Antony Starr) and his police officers will end up in some kind of clash with them – regardless of their jurisdiction.

If a new villain is introduced, Hood is bound to have a brilliantly choreographed brawl.

And if there is a new woman? You guessed it – he seduces them. Well, more accurately, they seduce him.

But Jonathan Tropper and David Schickler’s show somehow works.

Perhaps having Six Feet Under and True Blood’s Alan Ball in the producer’s chair has been a good luck charm.

It is also thanks to the show’s actors who bring these surreal characters to life. Credit goes to lead actor Antony Starr for playing it straight when all these crazy things are happening around him.

But a favourite has to be Kai Proctor, a former member of the Amish community turned ruthless crime boss.

In fact most people in Banshee have forfeited one life for another in this small town full of big secrets... and that is half of the fun.