"Red Widow" is based on the Dutch series "Penoza". The US version stars Radha Mitchell as Marta Walraven, the daughter of a Russian mobster. Her husband Evan (played by Anson Mount) smuggles drugs on his boat and is shot in episode 1. I'm not giving anything away since the show is after all entitled "Red Widow". Anson seemed like a strange casting choice. He's a great actor but it seems like they don't match as a couple.
Other cast members include:
- Irwin Petrov- Marta's brother. He stole drugs from a Russian mob baddy and is probably responsible for Evan's murder. Marta is working to keep him from being killed while in jail.
- Nicholae Shiller- Russian mob boss baddy is played by Goran Visnjic (of ER fame).
- Mike- friend who worked on Evan's boat and is married to Marta's friend Dina.
- Marta's three kids- Boris (the youngest), Gabriel (who could get into trouble), and Natalie.
- Kat- Marta's sister. She got married in episode 1.
- Andrei- Marta's father. Her parents are separated. He is now involved with a much younger woman.
- James Ramos- FBI agent who had a deal with Evan before he was killed. Evan was going to give him all the info and in return the family would be placed in the witness protection program.
Important point to ponder: If you're a mob boss, why would you force a housewife to start doing "consignments" for you? It doesn't sound like a good business decision.
Wikipedia:
Episode 1 "Pilot"
Marta Walraven (Radha Mitchell) finds her life in shatters after her husband is brutally murdered when she convinces him to get out of the mob; After finding that something was going on with her husband and her brother she sees that she is now the one working for the mob as he owed a debt to someone. After the police begin searching for a flash drive, Marta hides it, only to find that she can't enter it; Her son, Gabriel then shows that he can, making her realize that they didn't hide it very well. On the flash drive they find that her husband was planning on turning all her family into the police, in order for Marta and their children to go into the Witness Protection Program. When Marta attempts to deliver the money to Nicholae Schiller (Goran Visnjic), the man her husband owed money to, she finds that the only way to protect her family, and get her brother out of jail is to join the mob, and import what they want her to. Episode 1 "Pilot"
Episode 2 "The Contact"Two weeks after Evan's death, Marta begins questioning when Schiller is going to actually contact her; Michael also begins teaching Marta the basics about how her life is going to be now. While Natalie begins questioning what really happened to her father when she hears other people at school talking about him. Michael and Marta begins looking for a new supervisor, Bob, when they find that their original supervisor wanted to charge them more money; Marta gets distraught when she finds that Schilling put in a good word for Boris at a school, after he brought a gun to school and got expelled; Detective Ramos begins wondering what Marta is up to when he finds photos of Marta going into Schiller's building. Michael and Marta steal Bob's bike as collateral to get them to be their supervisor; while Marta begins to see that Gabriel is starting to help her when it comes to getting away from the cops. Marta gets worried when Bob gets scared off after she questions him about the shipment, but when she goes to him later he agrees that he can help her.
Grade: 3 Monsters (out of 5). Yes the plot is really stupid but Rashida does a great job of making the character relatable and fun to watch. Throw in some kick ass fight scenes and it will be great.
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