Rating summary

Movie		3.5
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		0.0
Overall		3.0

Ray Donovan: Season Three Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Martin Liebman December 19, 2015

Ray Donovan, one of Showtime's signature programs, got off to a hot start with its well-received first season but quickly lost its edge with a much more uneven second outing. Season three comes closer to stagnation than it does improvement, though there's certainly still reason to watch Ray Donovan. The story of the high-powered "cleaner" -- his family dealings and work with, and around, the big city high-powered elite -- remains a watchable and oftentimes engrossing show that follows Donovan getting his hands dirty in the muck of his clients' own making and, sometimes, his own. Season three progresses the core story of family and introduces several new angles that bring Ian McShane and Katie Holmes into the fold as a high-power and ultra-wealthy father/daughter tandem that help shape Ray's journey through the season.

Ray Donovan (Liev Schreiber) is mourning the loss of a close friend, and his home life is a wreck. His wife Abby (Paula Malcomson) is reaching a breaking point in her life and their marriage. His father Mickey (Jon Voight) is hatching a scheme to control a local prostitution ring with the help of a hooker named Ginger (Fairuza Balk); he watches and befriends her aspiring actress daughter Audrey (Shree Crooks) while Ginger "works." Ray's brother Terry (Eddie Marsan) is serving time but a fight with the Aryan Brotherhood leaves him on death's doorstep and Ray no choice but to secure his release, even it means he must become beholden to a very high power. Ray's other brother Bunchy (Dash Mihok) is managing the gym in Terry's absence and finds himself falling for a domineering wrestler named Teresa (Alyssa Diaz). Meanwhile, Ray takes a job for the ultra-wealthy Andrew Finney (Ian McShane) whose son has been kidnapped. Ray also works for Finney's daughter Paige (Katie Holmes), a high powered sports agent with aspirations of something much larger.

As with previous seasons, it's the performances that keep Ray Donovan thriving at best and afloat at worst. The ensemble is fantastic, and new additions Katie Holmes and Ian McShane effortlessly fit in, with the latter in particular delivering a season dominating performance. Schreiber is terrific in the part, bringing an even keeled and moody, dark exterior staunchness blended with a much deeper, swirling interior struggle that makes the charter a fascinating human juxtaposition. Dash Mihok is terrific this season as the oddball brother whose relationship with Teresa allows him substantial character growth while maintaining his quirky persona that is, in many ways, the polar opposite of his brother Ray. Eddie Marsan remains a well constructed anchor whose season three arc puts him through the wringer and helps shape the major surrounding pieces. Yet it's screen veteran Jon Voight who remains the series' jewel. He's fantastic in season three, arguably his best work yet in portraying the character with a combination of sensitivity, deviousness, and even a bit of social ignorance in his role as a burgeoning pimp and drug dealer.

Ray Donovan's third season doesn't much break the mold. It just advances it. The season pours through some interesting character story arcs -- more so Mickey, Terry, and Bunchy than Ray -- that maintain something of a character status quo while still progressing the series enough to maintain interest. It borders on staleness but, as noted above, is saved largely by the performances that often feel more organic than the writing, more interesting than they should by the saving grace of the actors' careful consideration of who they are, where they are at, and what they are doing more so than a season arc that doesn't stagnate but rather inches along. The darker character underpinnings that evolve and develop throughout the season, and the resultant character interactions and machinations, hold it up. Ray's signature external brooding darkness and interior emotional upheavals are counterbalanced by some lighter scenarios involving Mickey and Bunchy, balancing the season and bringing some enjoyable subplots that often carry it more than Ray's general wheeling and dealing.

The following episodes comprise Ray Donovan's third season. Summaries are provided courtesy of the Blu-ray packaging. Some spoilers follow.

Disc One:

• The Kalamazoo: As Ray takes on a contract to free the kidnapped son of a wealthy Hollywood family, Mickey uncovers a new prospect, and Bunchy has a run-in with the Luchadoras.
• Ding: Loyalties are called into play when Paige asks Ray to protect a quarterback from an enraged Navy SEAL, Terry ends up in a prison brawl, and a disgruntled Lena considers moving on.
• Come and Knock On Our Door: It's time for action when Ray and Mickey put everything on the line to get Terry out of prison, Bunchy invests in a Luchadora show, and Abby reaches her breaking point.
• Breakfast of Champions: Everyone must deal with unexpected changes as Paige tries to buy an NFL team, a troubled Terry returns to his former life, and Abby reconnects with her estranged family.

Disc Two:

• Handshake Deal: Ray feels torn between parenting and work duties as he tries to secure incriminating voice mails that could bring down the governor while also helping Bridget with her scholastic and emotional turmoil.
• Swing Vote: It's election day, and while Ray must take down a rival NFL bidder, Bridget volunteers at the polls to get closer to a teacher, Mickey finds a way to keep Ginger and the other prostitutes working, and Bunchy confides in Father Romero.
• All Must Be Loved: Alternate plans are put into play as Ray refuses to give up his NFL dream, and Bunchy takes up arms with Mickey against the Minassians.
• Tulip: Interesting offers abound as Ray attempts to force a Finney rival into selling his land, a gang officer tempts Mickey with protection in exchange for cooperation, and Finney unexpectedly calls Ray back into his service.

Disc Three:

• The Octopus: Getting Bunchy to the altar takes a family effort when Detective Muncie arrests the groom in an attempt to draw Mickey out of hiding, and Ray is the only one who can find him.
• One Night in Yerevan: Mickey knows he's a dead man if he gives in to Detective Muncie's demands, so Ray comes up with a two-sided fix to help him -- but not without making some demands of his own.
• Poker: The tables are turned as Finney and Cochran team up to frame Ray for murder, and Mickey pushes his luck by throwing himself a goodbye party.
• Exsuscito: Abby and Terry finally tell Ray the truth about what's going on with Bridget. The Minassians move to punish Mickey for his betrayal, endangering the entire Donovan family.

Ray Donovan: Season Three Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Ray Donovan: Season Three's 1080p transfer delivers a satisfying viewing experience. The digital photography leaves the image looking mildly glossy but never at the expense of detail and color. Textures are well pronounced across the board. Facial pores, lines, wrinkles, stubble, and makeup are intricately presented. Clothing textures are precise. Backgrounds across any number of locations -- high dollar offices and hotel rooms, football fields, low-rent apartment complexes -- reveal intimate details aided by exceptional clarity. Colors are cheery and balanced, pushing a bit warm -- particularly evident in flesh -- but producing vibrant natural greens and a myriad of support shades with pinpoint balance. Black levels are fine. A hint of noise and light-to-moderate banding creep across some backgrounds, but macroblocking and aliasing are never a problem. Overall, this is another solid Ray Donavan Blu-ray release.

Ray Donovan: Season Three Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Ray Donovan: Season Three features a good, but routine, Dolby TrueHD 5.1 lossless soundtrack. That track doesn't distinguish itself, but it presents the show's audio with commendable efficiency and, when necessary, intensity. Music is fine, playing with quality stage immersion and instrumental definition. Background ambiance in school hallways, out on the street, inside the gym, and other areas is usually fine and mildly enveloping, but a prison brawl at the end of episode two -- various crowd chants and other assorted details -- lacks the necessary intensity to truly surround the listener in the moment. General action delivers satisfying focal intensity. Dialogue is the priority, and it plays with consistent center balance and clarity.

Ray Donovan: Season Three Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Ray Donovan: Season Three contains no supplemental content.

Ray Donovan: Season Three Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Showtime has ordered a fourth season for Ray Donovan and, even if the show isn't quite the crowd pleaser and must-see television it was in its debut season, it remains a quality product that, in season three, presents an adequate arc supported by terrific performances. Ray Donovan: Season Three's Blu-ray release is disappointingly devoid of supplemental content but video and audio are fine. Recommended.