Cane

Reviewed by:
Adam Bryant

With Cane boasting big names like Jimmy Smits, Hector Elizondo, and Rita Moreno, we were actually looking forward to it. Unfortunately, the winding, rambling pilot quickly zapped that. The bulk of the show focuses on a Cuban-American family running a sugar and rum business in South Florida and the rivalries that arise (both inside the family and out). Papa Duque (Elizondo) is inching closer to death and must choose between adopted son Alex (Smits) and his brash birth son Frank (Nestor Carbonell) to take over the family business. Alex wants to keep business as usual, while Frank wants to sell the sugar side of the business to longtime rivals. (Perhaps because he's bedding one of the owners.) While the show looks great (thanks to stylish shooting and the lovely Latina ladies), the melodrama seems more suited for daytime soap opera (as does the sprawling cast size, which may work for other shows, but here is overwhelming). We still haven't given up all hope, as there is potential here. Perhaps some more time with the family and some juicier story lines with some of those minor character can somehow make a diamond out of this rough start.

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