A Moment of "Zen"

I've always liked UK actor Rufus Sewell, who has long been typecast as a villain in his film career, despite several excellent turns as a leading man. So it was nice to see him in the title role of the BBC detective show "Zen," which came and went fairly quickly back in January of 2011. Like the outwardly similar "Luther" and "Sherlock," its three episodes are feature-length, running about ninety minutes apiece. I'm afraid "Zen" doesn't match up to the highs of either of those shows, but then it's more consistent and succeeds in setting itself apart from other British crime dramas.

Aurelio Zen (Sewell), is a detective in Rome. Separated from his wife, he lives with his mother (Catherine Spaak), works too much, and contemplates a relationship with his boss's new assistant, the lovley Tania Moretti (Caterina Murino). Zen has a reputation for being both an outsider and a man of unusually strong morals, who does not engage in the sort of politicking and corruption that is endemic in his department, as exemplified by Zen's chief rival, Vincenzo Fabri (Ed Stoppard). However, he knows how to use the system of political favors and under-the-table dealings to his own advantage, including taking delicate assignments straight from a well-placed cabinet minister, Amadeo Colonna (Ben Miles). And like almost all hero detectives, Zen has a habit of bending the rules and ignoring direct orders when they would get in the way of seeing justice done.

I was not surprised at all to learn that the Aurelio Zen of Michael Dibdin's novels, which were the source material for "Zen," is introduced as being about a decade older than the one in the television series, is far more morally compromised, and is generally described as an anti-hero figure. The show abandons most of these shades of gray, giving us a version of the detective who is faced with few deep moral quandaries, and difficult decisions. Every episode seems to involve him putting his career on the line due to the shady machinations of higher authorities in the police force and the government, but Zen remains untouched by the corruption. Instead he's a terribly romantic ideal of a lone detective who values the truth over furthering his own interests, and despite the costs to his personal life, he bucks the system and always seems to come out on top in the end.

The series is set in Italy, and mostly populated by British actors without a trace of an Italian accent. The exception is Caterina Murino, playing Zen's primary love interest. Their hot-blooded, libido-driven romance sets the tone of the show, which is reminiscent of early James Bond as it plays up the intrigue and sexiness. Love affairs are open secrets, and practically every female character tries to seduce the reluctant Zen at some point. Throw in picturesque Italian locations and a dreamy, nostalgia-tinged score, and we're clearly dealing with a heavily exoticized version of Rome that doesn't really exist. Zen's cases all involve high-profile political victims in compromising situations, that require hushing up potential scandals, but there's no real social commentary or any sense that we're getting a candid look at Italian society. In fact, I spotted several things that an genuine Italian would probably cringe at.

But as an old fashioned detective fantasy, it's perfectly serviceable entertainment. The stories are nothing new or memorable, but the execution provides just enough kick to keep it interesting. The actors in particular are a major asset. Far from looking villainous, Rufus Sewell's Zen is immediately sympathetic and has an appealing underdog charm. Even when he's dressed to the nines, there' still something vaguely scruffy and down-to-earth about him. Caterina Murino gets a tricky character to play, so overtly sexual and sexualized that I wasn't sure if "Zen" took place in the past or if it was a matter of cultural differences, but she can certainly hold her own on the screen. And it took me a while to figure out where I had seen Ben Miles before, since his performance as Colonna is light years away from goofy Patrick from "Coupling" - in a good way.

"Zen" didn't last beyond its first season, but it makes for decent casual viewing, especially if you like crime procedurals. Even though I think the picture of the Italian police force it paints is highly suspect, it's nice seeing a depiction that doesn't incorporate any of the usual clichés and tries doing things a little differently. And I like to think that if the show had returned for more series, it might have gotten darker and more interesting the way that the original novels did. If you're impatiently awaiting the return of "Sherlock" and "Luther" like I am, "Zen" is no substitute, but it might help to tide you over.
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