Samuel L. Jackson's The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey Mini-Series Review

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[00:00:12] I got a lot of need in my memory to do it. I'm old and I seem like I can't remember nothing no more. I try to say what day it is, I ain't got a clue.

[00:00:39] So you want me to take you to that special doctor? Want him I can help you remember things? Are Reggie coming later? No, it's just you and me. But Reggie do want you to go see this doctor, so... We developed a treatment. Mr. Grey will remember everything that he has ever known. But the treatment will only work once.

[00:01:03] Is that what you want? I got a lot of things to do. And I need my memory to do it. Mr. Grey! How you feeling? No better. That's bad. I can see it all. So clear now.

[00:01:27] My mind's whole lifetime spinning around in there. My octagon dog stole some treasure. I'm gonna find it. Papa Grey, I'm worried about you. The rate of the decline is accelerating. Meaning my mind's gonna be worse than it was before. But I got to finish this.

[00:01:59] You got to let the river take its course. And the river know right where it's going. Sometimes we get so deep into conversation that we have separate segments worthy of their own place in the sun.

[00:02:30] Here is a reshuffled mini episode. Alright gang, once again, we're getting into just more passionate discussions about one of everyone's favorite actors, Samuel L. Jackson. You know, I've already taken new chats and pre-existing chats and divided up four other episodes for you on his various material,

[00:02:57] what appeals about him, and it was fun dividing it up by different tones. Like here are the buddy comedies he did. Here are the other cop movies, serious films he did. Here's mysteries and crime fillers. Here's some other just mayhem that he's in. You know, some revenge movies. It's for fun. But I was overdue to talk about one of his many TV shows. Yes, he did his Nick Fury show. I didn't see that. Didn't hear it was any good either. I'm not a superhero guy. But I respect Sam.

[00:03:27] Sam is a legend. He's 77 years old. Still looks in great condition. It's just unpredictable. I never know where he's going to go. It's really a lot of fun seeing how he's embraced TV and gone so many directions. Again, the dudes in every Tarantino or Spike Lee movie. He's, you know, he was in Goodfellas, Jurassic Park, and Minister Society. He's in Die Hard Free, the best of the sequels. You know, it's like, come on, man. Dude's a legend.

[00:03:56] We had fun even tackling his war movies, and I decided to put that during the Star Wars themed month because it's like, why not? He's a delight. You recognize his voice instantly whenever it's in a PBS or Netflix documentary or in a Capital One. He's basically the mascot. And when he is in a movie that's not worthy of him, it's okay. It's like, hey, I'll take it. He's freaking Sam Jackson. You know?

[00:04:24] And when it's garbage, hey, he's not the worst part about it. He's awesome. And it's been awesome seeing him work with Martin Campbell lately as well. And as well as Denzel Washington's Kids on the Piano Lesson for, which is based off a screenplay by, yeah, that's an August Wilson adaptation.

[00:04:50] So, in this case, this was a Walter Mosley adaptation that he was in. And, man, it was so good. So, so good. The last days of Ptolemy Gray. And, yeah, Walter Mosley, he's an interesting dude. He's a guy with Russian ancestry. He's Louisiana African-American heritage.

[00:05:18] And he's, yeah, he's served in the military. Well, actually, no, that was his father. My bad. And he was, Mosley himself was an only child. And. And. He's just, he's really sappy, but he's really delightful and passionate.

[00:05:45] And he's kind of like a poet in a way. He just tells it like it is without. And he's, he's probably best known for one of his books, A Devil in a Blue Dress, which is the first of many. Easy Rollins mysteries got adapted into that hit Denzel Washington movie. He's done so many other trilogies that I need to check out. He's done some graphic novels, even for Marvel. So there you go. But.

[00:06:14] He's also done some nonfiction as well. Including this year where you write your, this novel. And he's adapted screenplays for anthology show, Fearless. He wrote that HBO, Laurence Fishburne, Crime Thriller, always outnumbered, which was good. And. As a consulting producer on FX's Snowfall. I wasn't crazy about that, but he was also a producer on Justify, which makes sense. There's some Louisiana locations. So.

[00:06:45] I haven't seen the lowdown yet, but I hear nothing but great stuff. And. Yeah. It's Ptolemy Gray, man. I'm just like. Wow. Where did that come from? Like that is. Again, he just is able to get into all these just grounded. And just tough to talk about subjects, you know, in this case, Samuel Jackson, who should have totally won an Emmy for this, but he didn't. Unfortunately, I'm like, what the hell, Apple? Why don't you promote this?

[00:07:16] And even though it has a 90% of Rotten Tomatoes, I guarantee you most people have not seen this. It's won some Black Rill Awards and Critics' Choice and NAACP. I'm like, no, it should have been at the Golden Globes and Emmys, too. Fuck. Fuck. So it's a six parter. I finished it all in one day. And. And you want to talk atypical actors. You got choreographer Debbie Allen, dance choreographer, Tony winner, Debbie Allen.

[00:07:46] Raymond Barani, who's done all kinds of different movies. Chop Shop, The White Tiger. He's done some international productions. And yeah, he's an ironic American. But yeah, I mean, great cast. Damon Gupton, who was on that Wesley Snipes show, is the player and has also played the deputy chief on Black Lightning.

[00:08:14] One of the special agents in charge on Criminal Minds for a season. He's been in other movies as well, like Whiplash and La La Land. So pretty accomplished. And I got so annoyed how after a while I'd see him on every other New Yorker. Atlanta shot show. I'm like, he's solid. He's been working for years. He should be a bigger name, though.

[00:08:40] He's guest starred in everything from Third Watch to Rake to Suits to Empire. With Taraji P. Henson as recurring cast member. He's in Bates Motel as the doctor. So I was like, yeah, he's he's a neat guy. And he plays his tough love dad. At first you think, oh, it's going to be a tell about abuse. And it's like, no, no, he didn't abuse Sam Jackson's son's character.

[00:09:07] No, he actually got lynched and burned alive. And that and Sam Jackson's, you know, Ptolemy Gray character, you know, when he unlocks, unlocks all these tragic memories, they connect to a whole bigger sphere. And it's just so emotionally enlightening as well as rewarding. And, you know, in the first episode, we've all had someone, best friend or relative who had a dementia ridden.

[00:09:35] You know, relative who's seeing people for who they're not. And he's like, he's imagining stuff. And it's like, yeah, you remember he's going, but they keep giving him confidence. And then we enter into Walton Goggins, who many will know from, you know, he's the king of FX dramas. He's already been getting more attention for those various ads and of many kinds, as well as Fallout, White Lotus.

[00:10:05] But many are now recognizing him for the Shield and Justify, as well as the Danny McBride comedy show. So, again, just endlessly giving as an actor. And it's great to see him stretch himself. He's much like William Dafoe. He can either be handsome or he can be ugly, depending on the role you give him, or handsome, ugly, ugly, I guess. And sorry, I had to go there.

[00:10:29] And he gets to play a very nice doctor who is like, we got some this new neurology study we're doing. And 187 patients we've had have reacted to it different ways, but there's more positive than negative to gain. And it'll unlock your other withdrawal symptoms in your mind. And it's like, you know, that's cool. And they show bits of it. But the filmmakers are so fast-paced. They get to the goods. They're just like, OK, so time has passed. Here's what Jackson's now seeing.

[00:10:59] Showing us. They're not telling us. And it also becomes a bit of a psychological crime thriller in the last three episodes, too. Because, you know, it all starts with Jackson. You know, he's the only person he literally gets along with when he's losing his mind. It's just his devoted grandnephew, Reggie, you know, played by Omar Benson Miller, who's been everything. Miracle at St. Anna.

[00:11:29] St. I said that. CSI Miami and every other show. And, yeah, he's the catalyst that propels him to seek an experimental treatment to unlock his failing memory. But, yeah, it's like it's a blink and a miss. I'm like, oh, shit, that's right. He did just die because I'm so distracted by all the other mayhem that's going on. Jackson hitting on some women who are like, who are you, old man? You're mistaking us for your wife who died very young earlier in your life.

[00:11:57] And they do a good job of de-aging Sam Jackson from when earlier, when he's in his when he's a young adult. And he's like, they actually make him handsome. That's pretty wild to do. It's it's just not who you think of right away. You know, you just think of a cool guy, not handsome guy. But they did a good job with that. And I just met all the other actors.

[00:12:18] So his so Ptolemy Gray becomes very close to his caretaker, Robin, played by Dominique Fishback, who's been in a lot of David Simon shows. I had no idea. Show me a hero in The Deuce. Many will know her for some supporting roles in Judas and the Black Messiah, which she did get a bunch of BAFTA and Critics Choice Awards. And rightfully so. So she was in the Amazon psychological horror series Swarm, which I haven't seen yet, but here is great.

[00:12:46] And she's cute. I have seen her in other small stuff, but I didn't know she was in like The Hate U Give and that Netflix flop Project Power. But she's been in some other guest spots. The Affair, Royal Pains, Random Acts of Flyness. Yes, that's a recurring web series. But yeah, no, I like her a lot. This is probably one of my favorite roles.

[00:13:12] And near the end, this also becomes a custody thing because then they decide since Ptolemy's going to be dying soon, who's going to get his earnings? You know, is it his unattentive family or is it going to be, you know, their nanny who they hired, but who they don't think deserves a dime? It's like, well, that's wrong. He got so attached to her and changed her as a person. She doesn't think she's like, oh, what have I signed up for? And then after a while, she's like, you know what? I want to help you. I really do. Because.

[00:13:43] The way they draw you in is like, yeah, he's as he's getting more crystal clear, he's really good with words, just like he was when he was his charming younger self. And. Again, those six episodes flew by fast. I was going through them. I'm like, oh, my God, am I already on episode three? My word. So many other good actors. Marcia Stephanie Blake, who many will know from Orange is the New Black.

[00:14:12] I wasn't crazy about that show, but she's a great Broadway actress and she's guest starred on every CBS NBC show. But I've seen her on the latest iteration of Law and Order as one of the defense lawyers a few years back. And but she got acclaim for playing Linda in the Netflix miniseries when they see us, which was about the Central Park five rate miniseries. If you have not, please seek it out. But man. Just.

[00:14:41] Delicate, delicate portrayal of the subject matter of surviving dementia. And it's really neat to when. Ptolemy Gray finds out the killer. I mean, it's someone close to home who's actually. Basically getting in with Reggie's. Girlfriend and. Yeah, man. And.

[00:15:06] Ptolemy Gray also uses money to get what he wants, because he keeps having people who are hitting on him. Some are gold diggers. Some are people who just are neighbors who kind of just want to split their social security check with him. And then he finds out the hard way some of his relatives are actually stealing from him. He's like, how would you feel if I stole from you? And it's like, it's OK. Like, no, no, brother. It ain't cool if you steal from me. It gets even more and more twisted. And again, those six episodes go by so fast.

[00:15:35] But it's like, Jesus, this is a. Psycho. Psychology drama. This is a therapeutic drama. This is a crime thriller at the end. This is a bit of a legal drama at the last two episodes. And. It's murder mystery. It's a. Overcoming tragedy.

[00:15:55] Good casting by Cynthia McWilliams as Sensaya, his Ptolemy Gray's love, who he keeps getting over and has to realize she's been long gone, but he lost her so young. And. She's a delightful actress. She's been on a few podcasts. She unfortunately keeps getting distracted as, oh, yeah, you're friends with Kevin Hart. Oh, you've been on the real husbands of Hollywood comedy show. And it's like, no, no, no, no. Come on. She's a legit actress.

[00:16:22] His editor in roles on Bosch, Nashville, Prison Break. It's just even some other stars and PBS shows like, yeah, she's pretty talented. She's. She is attractive, but she's also very surprising where it's like, I never know if she's going to. Play it seductively or play it very. Just charismatic or. But man, what in fact, a smile is just like, I completely believe what you're about to say.

[00:16:53] Yeah, the other cast members were very neat. And again, everybody challenged themselves so much. It's. Should be seen by all Jackson completists. It should be seen by all people wanting a good TV show that hasn't been overhyped. And I'm just like, this came out in 2022 post pandemic and barely any attention, despite all these great reviews. What's wrong here? Everybody seek this out now, please. Five. I should give it a five out of five. I'm just thinking four out of five.

[00:17:22] Like, no, I'm going to give it a full blown five because. Because. It is pretty flawless. Like first, you're like, this is going to be well acted. I don't know if I'll stick with it. And then next thing you know, oh, shit. Which just went down and got to keep watching. Got to keep watching. I will rewatch this and introduce this to other people. It's going to be a delight. It really is.

[00:17:39] So if you want to see all your favorite actors and character actors stretching themselves, if you want another atypical show that's not about being edgy and just about being just its own original piece of work. Just seek this out. Borrow someone else's Apple account if you need to watch it, please. But enjoy the rest of the Sam Jackson week, guys. You'll return after these messages.

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