Photo: Theverge.com
“Raising Dion” is off to a wild start thanks to an intriguing premise centered around the performances of Alisha Wainwright and Ja’Siah Young.
And the occasional cameo from executive producer Michael B. Jordan doesn’t hurt.
Wainwright’s performance is layered with emotional depth and teases an impending dread over the course of the series.
She plays Nicole Reese, who in this episode, we see dealing with the loss of her husband (played by Jordan) while also trying to raise their titular son (played by Young).
Of course, when you add into the mix that he has powers, that makes everything else more complicated.
Young’s performance is a mix of inexperience and adaptability. He’s an eight-year-old with a lot to carry on his shoulders, given that he stars as the titular Dion, a young boy blessed/cursed with superpowers.
He and Wainwright’s chemistry is a big plus for the show going forward, which is good considering that the show depends on their performances.
I really enjoyed the talented camera work on display in this episode.
Some of the angles in this episode are really cool and the transitions between scenes do well at keeping the audience engaged in the flow of the scene. Seith Mann directs this episode with poise.
The soundtrack also has some good sounds to choose from, even if they come off a little random at times.
I also feel like the visual effects were pretty good for a show like this.
My one main gripe with this episode would be with Jason Ritter’s character Pat, who acts as Dion’s godfather in the show.
Their dynamic seems sort of weird to me and although it is explained that Pat is the former best-friend of Dion’s father Mark, their relationship doesn’t feel like it’s fully formed enough to be believed.
Their pairing doesn’t feel as authentic as Dion’s other relationships.
This first episode ends on a bit of a cliffhanger, which made me excited to talk about it here. It seems to be headed toward an interesting climax, with the origins of Dion’s powers surely to be revealed soon.
