‘Wicked City’ Review: ABC’s Sunset Strip Crime Anthology Not Bad At All

Miss the days of decadence and danger on the Sunset Strip with a Soft Cell, Billy Idol and Joan Jett soundtrack blasting out of cruising cars? Well, whether you were actually in L.A. back in the summer of 1982, Wicked City wants to take you there – for better or bloody worse.

Debuting on Tuesday, October 27 in the tough 10 PM slot on ABC, the anthology crime series is, as my video review above says, engaging and full of good instincts. Created by Steven Baigelman with Amy B. Harris as showrunner, the first chapter of Wicked City stars Gossip Girl alum Ed Westwick as smooth as silk Sunset Strip serial killer Kent. In a Bonnie and Clyde move reminiscent of Oliver Stone’s Natural Born Killers, Kent hooks up with sociopathic nurse Betty, played by Parenthood’s Erika Christensen, and they bring their love of death and each other to victims of the night.

In a TV world seemingly in love with nostalgia for the Reagan Era, there is a good supporting cast of Jeremy Sisto, as the investigating cop, and Taissa Farmiga, as a reporter caught in the story. Gabriel Luna and Karolina Wydra also help keep the hunt for the killers tense and tight in the ABC Studios-produced show.

Look, Wicked City isn’t great and you either buy into the throwback factor or not, but from what I’ve seen the show has a lot of good moments – and on today’s Big 4 schedules, that’s not bad at all.

So, take a look at my video review and then tell us what you think? Are you going for Wicked City in the City of Angels?