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Stay Tuned: Layered storytelling worth the journey on 'American Odyssey' Comment By Melissa Crawley More Content Now MailTribune.com By Melissa Crawley More Content Now Posted Apr. 30, 2015 at 10:13 AM By Melissa Crawley More Content Now Posted Apr. 30, 2015 at 10:13 AM » Social News “American Odyssey” takes the terrorist plotlines of “Homeland” and combines them with the government/corporate conspiracy themes of “Person of Interest” to create a fast-paced thriller that focuses on how three people’s lives are impacted after they discover evidence of a dangerous cover-up. Not every character’s story is equally interesting, but when combined the result is an intriguing drama. Sgt. Odelle Ballard (Anna Friel) is a soldier fighting jihadists in Mali, North Africa. After her unit kills a top leader of Al Qaeda, she finds and makes a copy of computer files that show an American corporation is funding the terrorists. Soon after, her entire unit is killed by a team of private US military contractors. The military’s version, however, is that the heroic soldiers were murdered by terrorists in an act of revenge. Her lucky escape is short lived and she is captured by a local village leader. Odelle and her captor’s son, Aslam, begin a fragile alliance. Odelle’s experience through North Africa is the show’s odyssey and its strongest storyline. Friel is convincing as the desperate and determined Odelle whose relationship with Aslam (Omar Ghazaoui) is her early lifeline. It’s an uneasy pairing of questionable loyalty and shaky trust that adds to the already strong tension of Odelle’s quest for home. The action switches between Odelle’s story and a plot taking place in New York. Lawyer Peter Decker (Peter Facinelli) figures out that he is working with the company that funded the terrorists. A former U.S. attorney, Peter’s investigation puts him and his family in jeopardy. Facinelli gives a solid performance as a family man who is suddenly forced into paranoia and fear when his actions begin to threaten his wife and children. His story is about the consequences of fighting power and how far he’ll go to do the right thing. The third intersecting plot line features Harrison Walters (Jake Robinson), a prominent member of an activist group who is eager to prove he isn’t an outsider despite growing up as part of the one percent. Harrison meets a hacker who reveals the conspiracy about Odelle’s survival. The information puts him in a position of power that also feeds his ego. The character’s most interesting trait is that his desire for credibility is not unrelated to his eagerness for fame and recognition. If this was a stronger element of the story, Harrison would be a more compelling figure but so far his contribution to the narrative is the weakest of the three. The show’s take on contemporary issues — terrorists, government secrets, corporate espionage, the role of technology in cover-ups and conspiracies — gives it an authenticity that makes it engaging to watch. While the action in New York adds a nice layer to the story, it is Odelle’s journey that has the potential to be the most gripping as she forms the strategies and alliances that will keep her alive. “American Odyssey” is on Sundays at 9 p.m. EDT on NBC. Melissa Crawley is the author of “Mr. Sorkin Goes to Washington: Shaping the President on Television’s ‘The West Wing.’” She has a Ph.D. in media studies and is a member of the Television Critics Association. To comment on Stay Tuned, email her at [email protected] or follow her on Twitter at @MelissaCrawley. By Melissa Crawley More Content Now MailTribune.com By Melissa Crawley More Content Now Posted Apr. 30, 2015 at 10:13 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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