A show with precious little light. There is plenty of darkness, pain, death and violence here. Takes a special kind of person to not be worn out by it. Meaning on the part of characters and viewers.

Ray Donovan (played by Liev Schreiber) is a hard man who does a job beyond most people’s capabilities. He is a fixer. Not of the political type like Olivia Pope in Scandal, though both find themselves in dicey/dangerous situations. Ray deals with the underbelly of Hollywood. Paid to make scandals and problems disappear by actors/actresses, studio heads and a variety of wealthy people.

This season his family life seems to mesh into his professional one. He is still reeling from the death of his beloved wife, Abby (played by Paula Malcomson), and the entangled feelings towards his brother Terry’s (played by Eddie Marsan) involvement in it. Also rolled into his wife’s death is his daughter Bridget (played by Kerris Dorsey) and her new boyfriend, Smitty (played by Graham Rogers), who also has cancer. On top of all that there is the never ceasing problem of his father, Mickey (played by Jon Voight).

Family dysfunction is at the heart of Ray Donovan, the show I mean. Yes, there is the whole violence and Hollywood life aspect, but truly this is about the Donovan family. Two generations, father and sons, caught in a whirlpool of violence, lies and boxing. The dynamics here have made each man who they are. Trapped. Not able to get out of the downward cycle. That might frustrate some as the characters never really change. None of them are really likeable either. That being said what happens makes sense and the grim, gritty nature of all that goes on is weirdly compelling.

Special Features:

-Dog the Dog

-On Death & Dying – Parts 1, 2 & 3

-Nothing Goes Right for Bunchy

-Terry Donovan and the Parkinson’s

-Episode 508 Commentary with Paula Malcomson and David Hollander