The stage curtains open ...
"Homecoming - Season 1, Episode 1: Mandatory" wasn't the most memorable pilot I've ever seen, but it effectively sets the stage for what is yet to come. I was immediately struck with how good the acting was, and heading into this show, I just know that it is going to be a major, contributing factor to how I will feel about it when it is all said and done. A solid start.
Julia Roberts is Heidi, a counselor at a voluntary transitional support center for returning soldiers called Homecoming. The goal there is to help soldiers reacclimate to normal living after enduring the horrors and atrocities of war. They offer a room for them to stay in, food, and programs such as interviewing skills when applying for jobs in the common workplace. We also move forward into time where we see Heidi working at a washed up restaurant in her hometown and she is approached by an investigator from the Dept. Of Defense who is following up on a complaint from a soldier claiming he was being held there against his will. Even though we see Heidi working with and helping this one particular soldier, Walter Cruz, she says she doesn't remember him.
This was an intriguiging start to a highly acclaimed series. As I mentioned at the outset, it wasn't stellar, but it was well acted, and the screenplay and dialogue is intelligent and well written. The interaction between Heidi and Walter at the center seems to be genuine, as well as how she and her live-in boyfriend seem to have a strained relationship. She is under the thumb of a manipulative boss who continues to string her along with shallow praise, and whenever she feels she has a something important to contribute, he reminds her that this is not part of her job description. He just wants her to do what he directs her to do.
The run time of this opening episode wasn't that long, but it pulled me and I am ready to dive into the next episode. I liked the beginning, I like the characters, and I like the settings. This gets a solid 7 stars out of 10. Great start to what I hope will be an even better season.
