The Slap (U.S. miniseries)

Last updated
The Slap
The Slap US Intertitle.png
Genre Family drama
Based on
Developed by
Starring
Narrated by Victor Garber
Composer(s)
Country of originUnited States
Original language(s)English
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes8
Production
Executive producer(s)
Producer(s)Rudd Simmons
CinematographyFrankie G. DeMarco
Editor(s)Plummy Tucker
Camera setup Single-camera
Production company(s)
Release
Original network NBC
Picture format 1080i (16:9 HDTV)
Original releaseFebruary 12 (2015-02-12) 
April 2, 2015 (2015-04-02)
External links
Official website

The Slap is an American television miniseries, which aired on NBC in February to April 2015. It is an adaptation of the Australian series The Slap , which in turn was based on Christos Tsiolkas's novel The Slap . Each of the show's eight installments told the story of the aftermath of a birthday party from the perspective of a different character. Jon Robin Baitz wrote the teleplay for the series and Lisa Cholodenko directed the pilot episode.

A miniseries is a television program that tells a story in a predetermined, limited number of episodes. The term "serial" is used in the United Kingdom and in other Commonwealth nations, though its meaning does not necessary equate to "miniseries" in its usage.

NBC American television and radio network

The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an American English-language commercial terrestrial television network that is a flagship property of NBCUniversal, a subsidiary of Comcast. The network is headquartered at 30 Rockefeller Plaza in New York City, with additional major offices near Los Angeles, Chicago and Philadelphia. The network is one of the Big Three television networks. NBC is sometimes referred to as the "Peacock Network", in reference to its stylized peacock logo, introduced in 1956 to promote the company's innovations in early color broadcasting. It became the network's official emblem in 1979.

<i>The Slap</i> (TV series) television series

The Slap is an Australian television drama series. It was first broadcast on ABC1 from 6 October to 24 November 2011. The series is based on The Slap, a 2008 novel by Australian author Christos Tsiolkas, which explores what happens when a man slaps a child, who is not related to him, at a suburban barbecue.

Contents

Plot

The miniseries revolves around the aftermath of a birthday party of a middle-aged city employee where adult Harry slaps someone else's misbehaving child, Hugo, after Hugo kicks Harry in the leg. Hugo's mother, Rosie, insists on criminal charges, claiming that Harry's slap has caused Hugo posttraumatic stress disorder. Though Rosie's diagnosis is later undermined when Hugo mentions how much he misses seeing Harry, the case slowly makes its way to court. Each episode tells the story from the perspective of a different character.

Posttraumatic stress disorder An anxiety disorder that can develop after experiencing or witnessing a terrifying or life-threatening event

Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a mental disorder that can develop after a person is exposed to a traumatic event, such as sexual assault, warfare, traffic collisions, or other threats on a person's life. Symptoms may include disturbing thoughts, feelings, or dreams related to the events, mental or physical distress to trauma-related cues, attempts to avoid trauma-related cues, alterations in how a person thinks and feels, and an increase in the fight-or-flight response. These symptoms last for more than a month after the event. Young children are less likely to show distress, but instead may express their memories through play. A person with PTSD is at a higher risk for suicide and intentional self-harm.

Cast

Promotional poster The Slap TV series promo poster.png
Promotional poster
Peter Sarsgaard American actor

John Peter Sarsgaard is an American actor. His first feature role was in Dead Man Walking in 1995. He then appeared in the 1998 independent films Another Day in Paradise and Desert Blue. That same year, Sarsgaard received a substantial role in The Man in the Iron Mask (1998), playing Raoul, the ill-fated son of Athos. Sarsgaard later achieved critical recognition when he was cast in Boys Don't Cry (1999) as John Lotter. He landed his first leading role in the 2001 film The Center of the World. The following year, he played supporting roles in Empire, The Salton Sea, and K-19: The Widowmaker.

A deputy commissioner is a police, income tax or administrative official in many different countries. The rank is commonplace in police forces of Commonwealth countries, usually ranking below the Commissioner.

Thandie Newton English actress

Melanie Thandiwe Newton is a British actress, who has appeared in British and American films.

Production

The miniseries was filmed on location in New York City (substituting for the novel's setting of Melbourne) and features Melissa George, who also played the role of Rosie in the original 2011 Australian adaptation of The Slap novel. Direction was by Michael Morris, Lisa Cholodenko, and Ken Olin. The series was written by Jon Robin Baitz, Walter F. Parkes, and Christos Tsiolkas. Costumes were designed by Jennifer von Mayrhauser and art direction was by Alison Ford. Mary-Louise Parker was originally cast as Anouk, [1] but she had to drop out due to pneumonia and was replaced by Uma Thurman. [3]

New York City Largest city in the United States

The City of New York, usually called either New York City (NYC) or simply New York (NY), is the most populous city in the United States. With an estimated 2017 population of 8,622,698 distributed over a land area of about 302.6 square miles (784 km2), New York is also the most densely populated major city in the United States. Located at the southern tip of the state of New York, the city is the center of the New York metropolitan area, the largest metropolitan area in the world by urban landmass and one of the world's most populous megacities, with an estimated 20,320,876 people in its 2017 Metropolitan Statistical Area and 23,876,155 residents in its Combined Statistical Area. A global power city, New York City has been described as the cultural, financial, and media capital of the world, and exerts a significant impact upon commerce, entertainment, research, technology, education, politics, tourism, art, fashion, and sports. The city's fast pace has inspired the term New York minute. Home to the headquarters of the United Nations, New York is an important center for international diplomacy.

Melbourne City in Victoria, Australia

Melbourne is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia and Oceania. Its name refers to an urban agglomeration of 9,992.5 km2 (3,858.1 sq mi), comprising a metropolitan area with 31 municipalities, and is also the common name for its city centre. The city occupies much of the coastline of Port Phillip bay and spreads into the hinterlands towards the Dandenong and Macedon ranges, Mornington Peninsula and Yarra Valley. It has a population of approximately 4.9 million, and its inhabitants are referred to as "Melburnians".

Melissa George Australian-American actress

Melissa Suzanne George is an Australian actress and entrepreneur. A former national rollerskating champion and model, George began her acting career playing Angel Parrish on the Australian soap opera Home and Away (1993–96). After moving to the United States, George made her big-screen debut in 1998 in the neo-noir/science fiction film Dark City. She later appeared in Steven Soderbergh's The Limey (1999), David Lynch's Mulholland Drive (2001), Sugar & Spice (2001), and Down with Love (2003).

Episodes

No.TitleDirected byOriginal air dateU.S. viewers
(millions)
1"Hector" Lisa Cholodenko February 12, 2015 (2015-02-12)5.13 [9]
On his 40th birthday, Hector, an assistant deputy commissioner struggles with getting older, advancement at his job, and his attraction to his teenage babysitter, Connie, who works at his wife's medical clinic. During his birthday party with family and friends, his cousin Harry slaps Hugo, another couple's out-of-control child for misbehaving, causing an impact on everyone's lives moving forward.
2"Harry" Ken Olin February 19, 2015 (2015-02-19)3.96 [10]
Harry's personal life—with his wife, Sandi and his son, Rocco—is examined. Two NYPD detectives speak to Hector about an investigation regarding the incident with Harry. Harry speaks to his attorney and speaks about looking for witnesses. Later on, Hector plans to have Harry speak with Rosie and Gary with the hopes that the matter will be resolved. Harry confronts Sandi and tries to ask if she spoke with Hector in secret, which she denies. After things get tense, Sandi leaves. Later on, Hector and Harry pay Gary and Rosie a visit in hopes that things will go well, but after Rosie goads Harry by questioning if he's also violent towards his family, the mediation goes sour and after Harry storms off, Rosie calls the police. That evening, Harry is about to enjoy a night of passion with Melody only to have it cut short after receiving a call from Sandi that Rocco engaged in a fight with a teammate from his basketball team. Rocco explains to him that he needed to stand up for himself, to which Harry replies that learning how to be assertive with control is something that the two need to learn. Just when Harry and Rocco arrive to their house, the detectives who spoke with Hector, as well as Gary and Rosie, meet up with Harry and let him know that charges were pressed, and that he would be arraigned in criminal court. Hector learns of Harry's arrest and goes to the court where he learns that Rosie accused Harry of assaulting the family by throwing a chair (when he actually kicked it). Bail is posted, and Harry confides to Hector that this matter will be fought.
3"Anouk" Michael Morris February 26, 2015 (2015-02-26)3.67 [11]
After Anouk and her boyfriend Jamie leave the party following the slap, she wonders why anyone would consider getting in a relationship or even having children. She and Jamie agree that something is going on between Hector and Connie, possibly even an extramarital affair. Later, Anouk, Aisha, and Rosie discuss Harry's arrest. Rosie is happy about it, but Anouk suggests she drop the lawsuit. Rosie insinuates that Anouk is saying this because she doesn't have children, which causes Anouk to abruptly leave to visit her mother, Virginia. A venerated psychology professor from England, Virginia appears to be the source of Anouk's issues. After Anouk denies the possibility of being pregnant, she discusses recent events, including Hector and Connie's behavior. Virginia suggests not mentioning anything in either's presence. Anouk visits Hector and advises him to not destroy his marriage, as they are the only family Anouk has. After seeing Jamie perform at a nightclub, Anouk vomits in a restroom and later confirms she is pregnant. At dinner with Virginia, Anouk and Jamie learn that she is selling Anouk's home in order to move to Scotland, which upsets Anouk. The next day, Jamie learns that Anouk is pregnant, but she wants nothing to do with it and breaks up with him. She then contemplates having an abortion. Aisha tries to talk her out of it. Anouk explains that her father died during his divorce hearing with Virginia. Anouk then found the divorce documents which revealed Virginia didn't want to get custody, yet had to due to the father's death. Aisha says that no parent knows exactly what's going on with their children, mentioning Adam watching internet porn and not knowing how to clear the internet history. Inspired, Anouk checks Virginia's internet history and is shocked to learn Virginia has brain cancer. Edinburgh is where the treatment center is, hence her plans to move to Scotland. Anouk apologizes to Rosie for her awkward departure, but still suggests dropping the lawsuit. Anouk then confirms her pregnancy to Virginia and is okay with her moving to Edinburgh. Anouk then reconciles with Jamie.
4"Manolis"Michael MorrisMarch 5, 2015 (2015-03-05)3.92 [12]
Manolis is disturbed by the events going with his family and tries to resolve the situation. Rosie, Gary and Aisha meet with the District Attorney, who bluntly tells them that they don't have a case unless they can prove Harry has a longer history of being violent. Aisha looks very upset and stops talking. Hector is aghast at a sleazy but effective attorney who earns Harry's trust and business with his plan to ruin Rosie and Gary by revealing details of what they're really like. Later, when Manolis asks her for help in getting the case against Harry dismissed, Aisha tells him that several years ago, she treated Harry's wife Sandi after she came in with severe bruising to her face. Manolis confronts Harry, who denies ever hitting Sandi but hints that they did have other confrontations that could have resulted in injuries. Manolis and his wife reflect on how to let their children handle events now that they're adults, and reunites with his oldest and best friend.
5"Connie" [13] Ken OlinMarch 12, 2015 (2015-03-12)2.74 [14]
Connie's story unfolds as she learns from her friend Richie that he has photos from the party where the slap occurred—and also showing her kissing Hector. She asks him to delete the photos, and after tries to inspire Hector to be romantic but he bluntly says their affair, and her time as their babysitter, is over. A hurt Connie meets up with the boyfriend of her late "wild" absentee father Malcolm and learns about his irresponsible lifestyle. Meanwhile, the prosecutor and family of Hugo appear in a conference with the defendant Harry and his attorney, with the judge mediating. The defendant wants the case dismissed claiming it was self defense (that Hugo was holding the bat and was swinging it, threatening people) while the prosecutor refuses to back down, claiming the defendant is a child abuser. The judge has no choice but to assign the case for trial. Connie sees Rosie later, and finds her crying because the judge has ordered Hugo to have a psychological evaluation. Connie then tells her they still have the photos, which do not support Harry's version of what happened.
6"Aisha"Ken OlinMarch 19, 2015 (2015-03-19)3.18 [15]
A Greek Public Relations expert wants Aisha, because she is not a relative, not Greek, and not a really close friend, to appear as a character witness for Harry. He feels that what they need is a respectable member of the community who is a physician to take the stand in his case and say that Harry is a good man whose deeds have helped kids and that he is a decent man. He points out that the criminal trial is just the beginning; if Harry is convicted, the child's family will use it as evidence to start a multi-million-dollar civil suit for damages. Aisha, who knows for a fact that Harry did cut Sandi with a punch to the temple years ago, weighs this while she nearly has a fling with a colleague, and then she and Hector sadly confess to each other the way they haven't been truly faithful.
7"Rosie"Michael MorrisMarch 26, 2015 (2015-03-26)3.22 [16]
As Harry's criminal trial approaches, Rosie's life begins to completely fall apart. First, she and Gary get an emergency call from Hugo's school where they're told about his terrible behavior. When Rosie lashes out at the school for being "barbaric" by insisting the students sit at their desks and follow rules, and states that Harry's slap has caused Hugo posttraumatic stress, the principal bluntly tells them Hugo has been expelled. Rosie's unprofessional diagnosis of posttraumatic stress is belied when Hugo mentions how much he misses "the fun guy ... Rocco's daddy" (Harry). Gary gets angry at Rosie's behavior, and when she tries to get Ritchie to turn over the photos that will show Hugo wasn't being threatening when Harry slapped him (as Harry has claimed), Ritchie and his mom both tell Rosie to leave and not come back. Harry's lawyer Thanassis asks him if they can use some damaging personal information about Rosie that his researchers found, but Harry is reluctant. However, Rosie later comes to visit Harry and asks him to accept a "no contest" plea that will result in no jail time and a small fine, and Harry turns her down saying that he needs to be exonerated in court to get his life back. After being drilled by the DA about his abusive treatment of Sandi, Harry OKs Thanassis's line of defense, which includes Gary and Rosie being too drunk to care for Hugo at the party, Rosie drinking wine then immediately breast-feeding her 7-year-old son, and a time she abandoned baby Hugo by himself for hours due to post-partum depression. Gary is horrified at Rosie's treatment and tells the DA about Ritchie's photos so that he will have to produce them; at the same time, a distraught Ritchie is at home and seems to be deleting images from a video file card.
8"Ritchie" [17] Ken OlinApril 2, 2015 (2015-04-02)3.13 [18]
A police detective serves a warrant for Richie's laptop in order to obtain the photos that Ritchie took at Hector's birthday party. Ritchie confirms that he deleted the photos but willingly surrenders his laptop and flash drive. With Ritchie being called as a material witness, Thanassis reveals his strategy to Harry: he will get the pictures recovered from Ritchie's computer thrown out and, despite Harry's misgivings, leak new information he acquired about Ritchie's past. He has learned that Ritchie and his gay lover were the victims of cyberbullying, in which photographs on him and his lover in "very private moments," were circulated widely on the internet, resulting the suicide of his lover. Ritchie also attempted suicide, but was institutionalized for six months. Ritchie legally changed his last name from Collins to Joanau, and he and his mother moved to start life over. His past is published by a New York newspaper pursuing the foolishness of a simple slap ending up in court, an "only in New York" story. With his past in print, Ritchie again attempts suicide, but is found by Gary, who calls an ambulance. Ritchie recovers and is able to testify in court the following week. When questioned by Thanassis, he explains that he deleted the photos because they were photographs of people he cared about behaving badly and felt that no one should see them, in the way pictures of him had caused such pain in the past. He also confirms that the photos don't support Harry's defense. Harry is only found guilty of attempted assault of a minor in the third degree, but the judge merely sentences him to the time already served on the evening he was originally arrested. She then advises Gary and Rosie that they can expect a visit from Child Protective Services, as their drinking and drunk breast-feeding have endangered Hugo, and should Hugo ever be found again being harmed or harming someone else, they will be held responsible. She also bluntly tells the courtroom that the entire trial has been a waste of time. Connie is shown saying good-bye to Ritchie as she leaves for college, while he has been accepted to study art at The New School. At Anouk's home, Manolis and Koula, Hector and Aisha, Harry and Sandi, and their assorted children are celebrating the arrival of a newborn to Anouk, who has broken up with Jamie. Gary and Rosie arrive, and upon seeing Harry, abruptly start to leave. As the guests beg them to stay, an uncharacteristically well-behaved Hugo approaches Anouk, who allows him to hold her new baby.

Reception

The Slap received mostly positive reviews from critics. It currently (as of 2019) holds a 67% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with the consensus being that "Though the characters verge on stereotypes, they are aptly executed by The Slap's bright cast, allowing the show's topical themes to shine through in a provocative, meaningful way." [19]

Rotten Tomatoes American review aggregator for film and television, owned by Fandango

Rotten Tomatoes is an American review-aggregation website for film and television. The company was launched in August 1998 by three undergraduate students at the University of California, Berkeley: Senh Duong, Patrick Y. Lee, and Stephen Wang. The name "Rotten Tomatoes" derives from the practice of audiences throwing rotten tomatoes when disapproving of a poor stage performance.

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References

  1. 1 2 Andreeva, Nellie (July 25, 2014). "Peter Sarsgaard & Mary-Louise Parker To Star in NBC Miniseries 'The Slap'". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved August 9, 2014.
  2. 1 2 Noonan, Kevin (October 3, 2014). "Thandie Newton, Melissa George Join NBC's 'The Slap'". Variety . Retrieved December 18, 2014.
  3. 1 2 Ausiello, Michael (October 31, 2014). "NBC Recast Scoop: Uma Thurman In, Mary-Louise Parker Out in The Slap". TVLine . Retrieved April 15, 2015.
  4. "Thomas Sadoski Joins Mini 'The Slap'; Michael Nathanson Upped On 'The Knick'". Deadline Hollywood . October 8, 2014. Retrieved February 12, 2015.
  5. 1 2 Siede, Caroline. "Zachary Quinto and Brian Cox join NBC's The Slap". The A.V. Club . Retrieved 10 September 2014.
  6. "Michael Nouri Joins NBC's The Slap". TVLine . January 23, 2015.
  7. "Makenzie Leigh Books Three TV Roles". Deadline Hollywood . October 6, 2014. Retrieved April 27, 2015.
  8. 1 2 "Lucas Hedges & Penn Badgley Join 'The Slap' Miniseries On NBC; 'Full Circle' Sets Cast". Deadline Hollywood . October 20, 2014. Retrieved April 27, 2015.
  9. Kondolojy, Amanda (February 13, 2015). "Thursday Final Ratings: 'Backstrom' Adjusted Down, No Adjustment to 'The Blacklist', 'Scandal' or 'The Vampire Diaries'". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved February 13, 2015.
  10. Bibel, Sara (February 20, 2015). "Thursday Final Ratings: 'The Big Bang Theory,' 'Scandal', 'Two and a Half Men' & 'How To Get Away With Murder' Adjusted Up". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved February 20, 2015.
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  12. Bibel, Sara (March 6, 2015). "Thursday Final Ratings: 'The Big Bang Theory', 'American Idol' & 'The Blacklist' Adjusted Up". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved March 17, 2015.
  13. "Connie". The Futon Critic . Retrieved February 24, 2015.
  14. Kondolojy, Amanda (March 13, 2015). "Thursday Final Ratings: 'Scandal', 'American Idol', & 'Dateline' Adjusted Up; 'The Odd Couple', 'Mom' & 'Elementary' Adjusted Down". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved March 17, 2015.
  15. Bibel, Sara (March 20, 2015). "Thursday Final Ratings: 'Reign' Adjusted Down & Final Basketball Numbers". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved March 20, 2015.
  16. Kondolojy, Amanda (March 27, 2015). "Thursday Final Ratings: 'American Crime' Adjusted Up + Final Basketball Ratings". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved March 27, 2015.
  17. "The Slap". The Futon Critic . Retrieved March 15, 2015.
  18. Bibel, Sara (April 3, 2015). "Thursday Final Ratings: 'The Big Bang Theory' & 'Grey's Anatomy' Adjusted Up". TV by the Numbers. Retrieved April 3, 2015.
  19. The Slap on Rotten Tomatoes