‘Snowfall’ on FX revisits the dawn of crack
Television’s love affair with the Reagan era continues with “Snowfall” (10 p.m., FX, TV-MA). Set in Los Angeles in 1983, it offers overlapping stories of desperate and cunning characters present at the dawn of the crack cocaine epidemic.
As such, it also presents a drug origin story, a narrative device popular in gangster-movie mythmaking since the scene in “The Godfather” where a commission of family bosses discussed how, when and where they would engage in the dirty business of narcotics.
“Snowfall” opens with a rather bucolic view of a black neighborhood. It’s not “The Brady Bunch,” but kids ride on bikes, play ball and carouse. It’s clearly the view of street life precrack cocaine.
Young go-getter Franklin (Damson Idris) prefers entrepreneurial spirit to education and doesn’t mind working long hours if he’s learning how to run a business. A chance encounter with an Israeli cocaine dealer (Alon Moni Aboutboul) changes his life and surprises his Uncle Jerome (Amin Joseph), a low-level, unambitious pot dealer who sees the white powder as more trouble than it’s worth.
A subplot involves a CIA operative (Carter Hudson) who sees cocaine sales as means to fund Nicaraguan Contra rebels. Another sprawling story features Franklin’s mother and aunt, several Mexican drug dealers and a washed-up masked Mexican wrestler who makes surprising career moves.
“Snowfall” is awash in metaphors about government conspiracies and drug dealing as the ultimate in free-market amorality. It’s also pulsing with lavish color, period music and boundary-pushing sex and violence. The stakes are high, the performances credible and the camera work exciting. But “Snowfall” requires that you follow, and perhaps sympathize, with drug dealers. And even after “Breaking Bad” that remains a tall order for some.
BACK TO THE ‘80S
“Snowfall” joins series from “The Goldbergs” to “The Americans” and “Halt and Catch Fire” that are set in the 1980s. Tonight’s sixth season finale of “Little Women: L.A.” (9 p.m., Lifetime) culminates in an ’80s-themed prom.
Viewers can go right to the source and rewatch “Ghostbusters” (8 p.m., AMC). That 1984 comedy very much captured the spirit of its time, updating the anti-establishment rebels of comedies like “Animal House” and “Caddyshack” and turning them into entrepreneurs who thrived in a highly unregulated environment. In “Ghostbusters,” the heroes are seen foisting untested chemicals and technology on the most crowded city in America. The villain is an environmentalist bureaucrat.
OTHER HIGHLIGHTS
› “Little Big Shots: Forever Young” (8 p.m., NBC, TV-PG) showcases a venerable gymnast.
› Shellfish sets the agenda on “MasterChef” (8 p.m., Fox, repeat, TV-14).
› Family secrets emerge on social media on “The Carmichael Show” (9 p.m., NBC, TV-PG).
› Celebrities demand satisfaction on “The F Word With Gordon Ramsay” (9 p.m., Fox, repeat, TV-14).
› An Atlanta family believes that life on the road will bring them closer on the fifth season premiere of “Going RV” (9 p.m., GAC).
› A chill descends on Rebecca and Jack on “This Is Us” (10 p.m., NBC, repeat, TV-14).
› A rescue mission to an asylum on “Blood Drive” (10 p.m., Syfy, TV-MA).
› Trish comes under scrutiny on “Broadchurch” (10 p.m., BBC America).
› Housemates vie for the veto on “Big Brother” (8 p.m., CBS, TV-14).
› Antics on the court on “The Goldbergs” (8 p.m., ABC, repeat, TV-PG).
› Prometheus unbound on “Arrow” (8 p.m., CW, repeat, TV-14).
› Flaming embers on “Speechless” (8:30 p.m., ABC, repeat, TV-PG).
› On two helpings of “Criminal Minds” (CBS, repeat, TV-14), dying like an Egyptian (9 p.m.), male insecurity (10 p.m.).
› Charity basketball on “Modern Family” (9 p.m., ABC, repeat, TV-PG).
› Back in the saddle on “DC’s Legends of Tomorrow” (9 p.m., CW, repeat, TV-14).
› Rising rents on “The Carmichael Show” (9:30 p.m., NBC, repeat, TV-PG).
› Grinch-ish on “American Housewife” (9:30 p.m., ABC, repeat, TV-PG).
› Celebrities play “To Tell the Truth” (10 p.m., ABC, TV-PG).
Contact Kevin McDonough at kevin.tvguy@gmail.com.