What do a teenage boy, a wrestler, and a former CIA officer have in common? They’re all subjects of FX’s latest and hottest hit Snowfall. With a number of shows in the line up this summer from FX, Snowfall is having its impact on viewers through a wide range of characters and scenarios that viewers can connect with.
Set in 1983 Los Angeles, the story follows Fredrick Saint(Damson Idris), an African American teen looking to find his way up the ladder in the drug dealing business in Los Angeles, Gustavo “El Oso” Zapata(Sergio Peris-Mencheta), a Mexican wrestler who has found himself in the drug business in an attempt to find his place in society, and Teddy McDonald(Carter Hudson), a former CIA agent who has taken a liking for involving himself in the drug business. All these characters and their backstories blend to create a compelling television show that is worth the time to watch.
The show isn’t what one would call “family friendly,” however raises questions about family and loyalty within the first episode. Audiences get glimpses into Fredrick’s family life. He was clearly raised with the best intentions, with a strong work ethic. Gustavo Zapata work ethic is clearly full of intentions, however it seems as though execution may not be his strong suit. Teddy McDonald is an intriguing character in that his past is unknown, and he seems to be all too excited to get involved in activities a person typically wants to stay out of. With violence, crime, love, passion, and a plot to hook you, Snowfall should without a doubt be on your watch now list.
John Singleton is all over the production of this show, serving as a co-creator, writer, director, and producer. Singleton is a brilliant filmmaker, producing high quality work that more often than not covers controversial topics. Singleton is no stranger to the Los Angeles drug scene, with is debut film Boyz N the Hood(1991) portraying lives of African American teens living in South Central LA in the same decade Snowfall is set. If anyone is qualified to portray such material, it’s John Singleton.
Snowfall premiered with ratings that placed the show among the top-five rated new cable series premieres in 2017, with a total of 2.24 million viewers tuning in during the show’s premiere episode. Episodes air Wednesdays at 10 pm on FX.
