A show I recommend highly is “Prodigal Son” it comes on Fox Mondays at 9 PM and I believe the episodes should be on demand and on Hulu for your watching pleasure if you like streaming.

It is about a man named Malcolm Bright (portrayed by Tom Paine who has the brightest and most expressive eyes that display such emotions even though he’s not saying anything or he’s reacting to a night terror or hallucination) in the first episode he gets fired from the FBI where he was working as a profiler. I like that the entire show is really about mental health and the toll like PTSD, anxiety disorders, and depression can really take on someone. I mean yes, there’s murder, a lot of murder but so much mental health!

Unfortunately for Malcolm his father is a serial killer called The Surgeon who killed over 20 people and that garden a lot of media attention so Malcolm had to change his last name from Whitley to Bright. The series follows Bright as he works with the police officer (his name is Gil and he’s played by Lou Diamond Philips who is excellent as always and has a touch of gray which adds wisdom and some swagger, in addition to his muscle car he drives), who arrested Bright’s father for his murder spree when Bright was 10 years old. After Bright reconnected with Gil in New York, he invited him to help out and consult on their major crime cases where they look at both serial killers and just peculiar crimes along with two detectives and one of my favorite characters the medical examiner.

The show examines the father/son relationship between Malcolm and serial killer surgeon Dr. Michael Whitley and also the relationship between Malcolm and his mom and his sister with also the others around him with Gil who arrested his dad. He has become like a father figure to him and his two detective acquaintances I think they’re still working their way up to being friends (Bright and all his behaviors and excitement during cases is an acquired taste for most – I would get along with Malcom way too well).

The first detective is a woman, Detective Dani Powell (Aurora Perrineau) and oddly after her initial meeting with Bright (his first impressions usually do not go well) she accepts him as is with all his Bright-ness. They grow closer as friends, I think there’s a lot going on in the show for them to grow too close too fast. Malcom has options and Dani likely has love interest options even if they’re off screen. We don’t know what she does in her spare time. I would like to know! Does she paint? Lockbox? Scrapbook? Sing? Run an underground club with peacocks? So many questions unanswered!

The second detective is male, known by two initials “JT” (played by Frank Harts) and is your typical tough guy who wonders why the new guy is here, I hate him from the bottom of my soul. It progresses to, he’s useful but weird as hell and please don’t say it like that somebody is dead. And at this point in the season, JT almost wants to hang out with Bright but still too weird, but also, you still alive though? Don’t die man. It’s now strange without you. I always enjoy JT’s dry humor and that we’re almost done with the season but we have no idea what JT stands for still.

My personal favorite is the medical examiner who obsesses over him a bit is so awkward it is as painful as it is endearing to watch. Edrisa played by Keiko Agena is a joy to watch as she fawns, obsesses and borderline harasses Bright during investigations. I think he’s at least aware that she a fan so he doesn’t seem to mind, plus he has someone who he can talk about death with all day and night! She does find some creative ways to touch Bright at a crime scene, it is as it sounds, a bit weird but wonderful light Edrisa.

If these aren’t reason to make you want to watch the show then I don’t know what will. I hope you tune in, start the show and maybe love it as much as I do.