Banshee appears to be like many other small towns in the United States. However, this onion has many layers and the townspeople are hiding degrees of badness. The town is filled with illicit activities and bad things happen frequently. The audience roots for people who are less than perfect who do not always stand on the right side of the law.
The unnamed central figure arrives in Banshee after being released from a fifteen-year prison sentence in search of the woman he loves and his criminal partner, Ana. Once in Banshee, the ex-con assumes the life of Lucas Hood becomes the arm of the law. Sheriff Hood has unorthodox ways of dealing with local criminals while simultaneously eluding the man he double-crossed years earlier, Rabbit.
While the audience may sympathize with characters and their choices, overall the lives of the Banshee characters are embroiled in unending conflict. Here’s a rundown on a few of the key players.
Sherriff Hood is a master thief who has military training. He is a highly intelligent man who comes from an abusive home and chooses to bend the law to seek justice while dabbling in crime as the town sheriff through season 3.
Carrie Hopewell (Ana) daughter of the Ukrainian criminal kingpin Igor Rabitov (aka Rabbit) who is a real-estate agent and married the town’s Banshee’s district attorney.
Job is the transvestite criminal accomplice to Hood and Ana who is the most sought after computer hacker in the U.S.
Sugar Bates owns a local bar, is an ex-con, and former boxer. He gives Hood a place to live and goes into a criminal partnership with Hood, Carrie, and Job.
Brock Lotus is the longest employed member of the Banshee sheriff department who joins Hood seeking vigilante justice and becomes sheriff in season 4.
Kai Proctor left his Amish community and became the crime lord of Banshee. He runs an enormous meth lab and competes with other local criminal elements, the Kinaho tribe and the Aryan Brotherhood.
Clay Burton is an enigma. At first glace, the dapper bowtie wearing man he appears to be a soft spoken. However, he is a one man killing machine who is prepared to defend Kai at all costs. When his glasses come off, things get serious and no one is safe.
Rebecca Bowman was shunned by her Amish family for leading a double life. She moves in with her uncle Kai, and takes up the “family business.” Her life unravels and she cannot escape her destiny.
It’s easy to forgive Hood, Carrie, Job, and Sugar for their criminal past and cheer for them even as they continue a life of crime. Brock is caught in the middle. His ex-wife becomes involved with Kai, which is unfortunate. Brock and other department members, join Hood in using less than legal means to seek justice. With Hood in the sheriff roll, people’s lives change and it’s not for the better. Being associated with Hood is dangerous and puts people in risky situations.
Kai is a complex character. There are hints that he has some humanity, but he cannot keep his anger in check about how his Amish family turned on him. He continues to dive head first into the dark world of crime to prove his worth to himself. By allowing his niece to have a safe haven in his home, he begins to mold her to become his successor, he is responsible for her getting in over her head. As a young beautiful and impressionable girl, Rebecca has nothing to lose since her family turned their back on her, just as they did her uncle Kai. Although she is smart, she does not have the experience and is a lose canon. Her cockiness and willingness to embrace darkness takes her life in a tragic direction.
The series finale airs Friday May 20, 2016 on Cinemax. There is still time to catch up and see how it ends and who is left standing despite their degree of badness.