Hap And Leonard (canceled too soon) - Adapted from Joe R. Lansdale's novels

 

In wanting to understand the versatility of James Purefoy's work as a lead up to his appearance as the character Phillipe de Clermont in the second season of "A Discovery of Witches," I've been watching some of the films and TV shows in which he stars or has some role. One of the films was Churchill (2017) as King George VI, a figure who was previously played by more than a dozen other performers. He doesn't have a significant amount of screentime, but his portrayal was so that one could easily believe he's been King George VI since he was born. He was portrayed with a vulnerability, yet nuanced with the kind of gentle authority to help us understand Churchill and him had experienced a mutual admiration.

James Purefoy as Philipe de Clermont in "A Discovery of Witches"

Currently, I am nearing the end of the three brief seasons of "Hap and Leonard" (based on the novels by Joe R. Lansdale) -- streaming on Netflix. A-list directors and writers adapted the gritty action-filled drama preserving Lansdale's brutally honest, verbal tongue-in-cheek humor for the small screen, but almost every episode has a cinematic quality. They also try to make a difference while facing many obstacles over the course of three seasons. No sugarcoating and being able to tell it like it is may be what makes the show so different than the average formulaic drama.

It's also important to call attention to the excellent stunt performances. I once heard actor Nathan Fillion call stunts such as these the "Harrison Ford" style of fighting. They're actually really good at making it appear as if they feel every punch or kick. The choreography and expert editing obviously helped "Hap and Leonard" be the #1 rated drama on Sundance TV up until it was canceled after three seasons. 

Pairing James Purefoy (Hap) and Michael Kenneth Williams (Leonard) is brilliant because they are opposites on the surface, yet even if their banter tends to get argumentative, they're really working with each other to get through various life dilemmas. I'm enjoying this show for its quality writing and a deeper appreciation of the performances with only four remaining episodes of the 3rd season in my queue. 

Lansdale's novels reflect his own progressive values and his experience of living in one of the poorest areas of Texas. Life in those parts is about scheming for quick money and the struggle to stay out of trouble. In the series, Hap and Leonard have a scene in which Hap uses coupons and asks Leonard for 2 bucks. Lansdale sets up for us in CH. 1 how a money scheme develops starting with Trudy, Hap's wife (Christina Hendricks), who Leonard views as trouble as soon as she shows up. "Here comes trouble"... "Don't come crying over to my place if she does it to you again." Something went down in the 1960s that hurt Hap, which we soon find out. But Trudy is a character who wins our hearts and tries our patience so we, too, feel affected by every critical, heart-stopping moment just like Hap and Leonard.

The Vietnam War is a significant topic in CH. 2 of Lansdale's book Savage Season for which S1 is based, consisting of six episodes. While I could analyze several dozen well-executed scenes, I'm a little partial to one key moment in S1, when we are offered some insight into who Hap Collins is as a person and that he objected to the Vietnam War. We also learn that Leonard is a veteran having served in Vietnam, he's a Reaganite, and throughout S1, we learn about his homosexuality. We're shown the boundaries of this lifelong friendship while hearing the infamous song, "San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair)," spontaneously coming through on a car radio. We watch Hap as he looks back on his experience with showing up at the U.S. Army's office, answering to being called to serve in the Vietnam War. He's holding the hand of wife Trudy. He chooses to be a conscientious objector and serves his time in jail. 

It wouldn't be a good drama without any villains. In S1 Jimmi Simpson plays Soldier, whose twisted humor is both gutsy and understated. He has varying levels of psychosis-with-a-smile; without hesitation will maim and kill to get what he wants. His partner in crime is Angel (Pollyanna McIntosh), described in the book as having "the constitution of a horse and a head like an iron skillet." Not wanting to spoil it further, there are more well-developed characters we meet such as Leonard's Uncle Chester, who does not accept Leonard's life choices, and we meet MeMaw, who lives across the street and is a significant figure in an unsolved mystery in S2. More gifted actors continue to join after S1 as guest starring roles. S2 is based on the book Mucho Mojo and S3 is based on the book Two-Bear Mambo.

It's a terrible shame that no one really talks about these underrated canceled shows. It's possible to watch "Hap and Leonard" in one weekend, but go back to the beginning and listen to the dialogue because it is too good to be rushed.

Links for further reading/viewing:

• "Q. & A.: Joe R. Lansdale on ‘Hap and Leonard,’ Poverty and Writing a Gay Character," NY Times (March 2016)
• Interview: James Purefoy from IndieWire (March 2016)
• Interview: James and Michael in The Daily Herald (March 2016)
• Interview: Christina Hendricks on YouTube. Another (spoiler alert) from EW
• The style of fiction writing is known as splatterpunk. 
• If you like the show and/or the books, the Threadless store sells shirts.
• Look at the video extras on Sundance TV's Hap and Leonard site.
• If you take a view of the "Inside" page of the book The San Marcos 10 by E.R. Bills, Lansdale writes an introduction and admits he too was on the side of the objectors to the war.
• Here's a point of view of the "San Francisco" song being the worst song that you love in an article written by Keven McAlester.