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As Psych taught us for years, there’s a lot of mileage when it comes to the world of fake psychics, and this December, Hulu is planning on showing us an even darker side of this world. At New York Comic Con, Hulu presented a screening and a panel for its latest drama, Shut Eye, and even with its big name protagonist, it was the women of the series who commanded attention.
Starring Jeffrey Donovan (Burn Notice, Fargo), Shut Eye confirms something most logical people have suspected for decades — yes, most psychics are a con designed to rip you off. However, when talented hustler psychic Charlie (Donovan) unexpectedly gains the ability to see into the future, his entire world is turned upside down. Shut Eye gleefully explores the dark side of mystical hustling, creating a world of psychics card readers, and hypnotists that doesn’t watch as very different than a drug underworld. Show creator Les Bohem described the series as a story about a bad man becoming good. “I’ve said breaking good a couple of time,” he said.
Based on the first half of the pilot that was shown during the panel, it’s certainly Charlie’s story that grounds the narrative, but it’s the women of Shut Eye who emerge as the show’s morally murky stars. Typically, the evil side of drama is filled with scheming men and their worried wives, so it’s refreshing to see a show that’s happy to create so many complicated female characters. Perhaps the most interesting of Shut Eye’s morally murky mistresses is Linda (KaDee Strickland), Charlie’s ambitious and no-nonsense wife. “Everything thrills me. I have not seen this character,” Strickland said about playing Linda. “I love the idea of playing someone who is so unpredictable. It keeps me on my toes.”
Another one of the show’s powerful characters is Rita, played by Golden Globe nominated Italian-America actress Isabella Rossellini. “I was intrigued playing a woman who is sort of the Godfather of the group, you know, who’s really in charge,” Rossellini said. “I come from an ancient civilization — Italy — and I know that a lot of women in Italy are really the boss of the family, and everyone is terrified of them.”
Toward the end of the panel, Bohem summed up his newest series by calling it “a long, twisted journey to sainthood.” Between the show’s twisty and dark premise, interesting characters, and star-studded credentials, Shut Eye is a journey that’s worth keeping an eye on.
Season One of Shut Eye premieres on Hulu December 7.
[Check out more information on Shut Eye here]
For more coverage of all things New York Comic Con, including conversations with the casts of War For The Planet Of The Apes, Resident Evil: The Final Chapter, Underworld: Blood Wars and more, visit decider.com/nycc.
