TV: "Cane" Review

Cane (CBS, Tuesdays at 10pm)

CBS's new Hispanic drama centers on the life of Alex Vega (Jimmy Smits from “The West Wing”), a Cuban immigrant shipped off to America by his parents for a better life. An industrious Cuban family known as the Duque’s adopted him. They run a sugar cane business that produces rum. His step father Pancho (Hector Elizondo from The Princess Diaries) is suffering from a cancer relapse and only has 6 months to live, so he’s decided to pass the family business on to the most responsible of his sons, Alex. Of course, one of his real sons, Frank (Nestor Carbonell from “Lost”), was hoping to sell the business to an opposing sugar cane business for lots of money. Unfortunately, the owner of that business bought Pancho out once before many years ago against his will. The man murdered Pancho’s three-year-old daughter as an incentive. Alex has no intentions of letting this man hurt his family or his business again, and so the war begins. His relationship with Frank is like one between Cain and Abel. Driven by jealousy, Frank will do anything to regain his birthright, including team up with the enemy. Of course, this strife could all be resolved if Alex and Pancho would just explain to Frank what this man did to the family. But apparently he’s so clouded by money, cars, and the competitor’s hot daughter, that he supposedly cannot be told the truth.

Even though that plot line is suspect, the deeper purpose of this drama is a noble one. It's an examination of the struggle patriarchs have when trying to keep their families together in spite of outside influences, like money, business competitors, and even war—his oldest son enlisted. It’s also meant to illustrate the struggle of immigrants to assimilate in American society, when they are faced with capitalist enforcers and racial assumptions. It’s the paradox of wanting to be considered American, but at the same time native to one’s own country; wanting to be considered American enough to do business with, but not to go to war with. It’s like Frank says, everything comes with a price. You want freedom? First you have to give it away--whether it's by making yourself a slave to a nation or to money.

The main problem I have with the story is that there are so many freaking characters in it. I get that Hispanic families are big—I’m in one. But it’s one thing to have a lot of characters, and another to have a lot of interesting characters. It should have the latter, but it doesn’t. They need to focus on building everyone else’s personalities and not just Alex’s.

Not sure I'll be catching the next episode.