“Aquarius: The Complete First Season” Review

There’s a strong case for David Duchovny being one of the greatest television actors of all time. From his work on Twin Peaks and The X-Files to his recent run on Californication, Duchovny has consistently delivered remarkable performances. With Aquarius—Duchovny’s latest television vehicle—the actor is once again in top form as hard-nosed enforcer of the law.

Set in the late 1960s, Aquarius follows Detective Sam Hodiak (David Duchovny) as he attempts to take down the Manson Family in search of a teenage girl (Emma Dumont) he believes was abducted by Charles Manson (Gethin Anthony). With the help of two undercover police officers—Charmain Tully (Claire Holt) and Brian Shafe (Grey Damon)—who plan on infiltrating the dangerous cult, Hodiak toes the line of justice in order to bring Manson down.

Featuring an incredible soundtrack comprised of music from the era, the series is—at least from the perspective of a millennial—quite representative of the time. Subplots including the Vietnam War, the rise of the Black Panthers and the Nation of Islam, and the Civil Rights Movement help evoke a decidedly 1960s vibe. Amongst its real-life backdrop, however, there are numerous storylines in the series that have been completely fabricated in order to add drama. That’s an aspect of Aquarius that is sure to be polarizing for those who are familiar with the era or the Manson Family and yearn for a true-to-life tale, but with an open mind, there’s plenty of entertainment to be found.

Performances are strong throughout the season, with Duchovny regularly stealing the show as a charming detective with a justice-fueled moral code. Gethin Anthony plays a truly interesting, admittedly fictionalized Charles Manson who is much more of an insecure, albeit influential, ladies’ man than the raving lunatic we’ve come to know through the media in recent decades. Despite Anthony being considerably more handsome than the real-life Manson, he manages to make the character believable and fascinating.

Anchor Bay has put together a nice release with the Blu-ray. All thirteen episodes of the first season are included—with excellent picture and sound quality—but the real appeal of the set is that the episodes are extended and uncensored. Since the series airs on NBC, much of the mature content has to be toned down. On this release, nudity, strong language, and violence are on full display, giving Aquarius a decidedly grittier feel. Also included in the release are all four episodes of The Summer of Love—the prequel webseries that chronicles the origin of Manson’s cult—as well as a behind-the-scenes featurette.

Aquarius: The Complete First Season arrives to DVD and Blu-ray on September 15th.