'Magic City' series lacks its own

A father of three and already preoccupied with his daughter's impending bat mitzvah, Ike makes a rash decision. He turns to underworld boss Ben "The Butcher" Diamond (Danny Huston) for help, and, with a name like that, we may as well add the term "uh-oh" at this juncture. The Butcher wants to help, but there is a price. "Six years ago, this was all sand and mosquitoes, and now it's the Miramar," says Ike's young, new, beautiful wife, Vera (Olga Kurylenko). The Butcher wants to take it all away.

It's certainly pretty to behold, with a sumptuous set shaded in pastels and brimming with countless period details, so "Magic City" should be compelling. The opening credit sequence is clearly a winner -- all bluesy and mysterious, a naked mermaid floats across the screen, while dead bodies (presumably mob victims) drift into view. Then the show begins and breaks the spell. Dramatically inert, "Magic City" is the viewing equivalent of doing laps in a vat of glue. Even Morgan's Evans -- putatively a tough guy in bed with the mob -- projects all the menace of the Pillsbury Doughboy. Too bad. This looked interesting (although looks have been known to deceive).

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