“Crisis in Six Scenes” is the result of Woody Allen awkwardly attempting to take a stab at television. The very short miniseries (six half-hour episodes or “scenes”) was released Sept. 30 on Amazon Prime’s growing streaming network. The series further emphasizes the shift from Hollywood’s best uprooting from their conventional film brand to experiment with television. After much bribery on Amazon’s part, Allen agreed to take on the project and quickly produced the show. Unfortunately, this perfunctory inception is apparent in the finished product. “Crisis in Six Scenes” has all the charm of a Woody Allen piece, but without the heart.
The historical comedy takes place during the riotous time of the 1960s, following elderly husband and wife Kay and Sidney Munsinger (Woody Allen) as their quiet suburban lives are turned upside-down when revolutionary fugitive activist Lennie Dale seeks refuge in their home. Lennie Dale, played by Miley Cyrus believe it or not, infectiously charms and influences the surrounding characters with her rebellious political philosophies; everyone, except stick-in-the-mud Sidney, who would rather draw within the lines of the law and not stir up trouble.
Woody Allen traditionally plays characters that are similar archetypes to his true self, with “Crisis in Six Scenes” being no exception. In the opening scene, Sidney, an acclaimed author, explains to his barber that he is going into television writing. The statement is a clear reference to Allen’s attempt at the fairly new series. The barber warns him about public critics and scrutiny. Allen most likely wrote in this conversation to show his anticipation that the show will garner mixed reviews, ultimately giving reason to believe that he knew this was not his best work. Miley Cyrus, donning a long blonde wig once again, is sadly incorporated as cohesively into a Woody Allen project as you would expect— not very well. Cyrus’s acting is pretty weak and unconvincing. Her unnaturally spoken lines blaringly accentuate that the series does not fit her. Player Elaine May is delightfully quirky as Sidney’s wife, Kay, and shares in some classic Woody Allen banter that shines through the lackluster narrative. The plot is no more than ho-hum, with a cheesy ending that feels lazy and falls flat on providing narrative closure.
Alas, “Crisis in Six Scenes” feels as if Woody Allen cut and pasted his signature lovable, quirky dialogue into a 1960s-era setting, without adding much else. The bland series does not have that certain spark that gives Allen’s films such an enchanting appeal. Woody Allen is regarded as one of the greatest cinematic artists alive and, because of his popularity, it is even clearer that “Crisis in Six Scenes” does not live up to his standard. Allen’s films have become so iconic and his brand so recognizable, that it is hard to see originality in this piece, rather than him falling into his own cliché.
