‘The Slap’ Review: A Family Drama That Hits Hard

The Slap, NBC’s newest family drama series, is sure to leave a bad taste in your mouth. The Slap based on the Australian TV series that is originally adapted from the novel of the same name by Christos Tsiolkas, challenges the ideas of child-rearing and family dynamics. The show exposes the weaker bonds of a family when they least expect it in order to magnify sensitivities of a complicated family structure.

The Slap starts out slow in pace as the characters are slowly introduced into the plot and their roles within this complicated family dynamic are established. The patriarch of the family and central character is Hector, played by Peter Sarsgaard, who is married to Aisha (Thandie Newton) who is of mixed race and runs a local health clinic. Aisha is throwing Hector a 40th birthday party in which the entire family is expected to be in attendance. The party is almost at its height when a few of the family’s problems start to surface. The culmination of the party happens as Harry (Zachary Quinto), Hector’s cousin is making a toast, but gets interrupted by Hugo (Dylan Schombing), the overly coddled son of one of his cousins, at which point Harry decides to discipline Hugo for his disobedient behavior by slapping him abruptly across the face.

The actual slap is very disturbing and plays with the idea of child abuse. Quinto’s Harry is not Hugo’s father and by has no right to control his behavior let alone touch him. The notion is that children are impressionable at the pre-teen phase and can be “scarred” if they are exposed to the wrong situation to early in life. Hugo’s parents, Rosie (Melissa George) and Gary (Thomas Sadoski) believe that children can be taught right from wrong with a more calm approach with small corrections instead of stern demands. They are more progressive in their ideas and have a different approach to how they would like to raise their son, which to many of the family members is frustrating.

One small but noticeable aspect of the show is the minor narrations of Hector’s inner thoughts by Victor Garber. Garber narrates in a third person omniscient perspective, knowing all of the action and characters but only revealing Hector’s side. These moments present some of the internal struggles that Hector contemplates daily as he tries to keep his life from falling apart. They also bring a familiarity to the character-driven plot and adds depth to the main role. The narrations occur at unexpected moments but bring clarity to Saarsgard’s Hector’s behaviors and choices.

Quinto’s Harry is very unpredictable and volatile, similar to his portrayal of Dr. Oliver Thredson in American Horror Story: Asylum. As Harry, Quinto is ruthless, quick to speak and very much in control of his environment. His character is the most fully conceptualized by the end of the first episode and will be the apparent antagonist of the series. Quinto leaves you almost scared for the family, yet at the same time he is a hero. Harry is that person who was able to stand up to an “injustice.” He is the relatable character who, by simple human nature, was forced to admonish a child who lacked self-control and by the same token, whose parents were too inexperienced to be strict.

The Slap is a riveting family drama that is sure to leave you guessing if family bonds can truly be broken. Though the idea of corporeal punishment is a controversial subject, it is one that is constantly changing and evolving as more parents are moving away from the traditional forms of child rearing. This series will give you a perspective on the opposing views while you root for a possible “happy ending.”

Catch The Slap Thursdays at 8 PM on NBC.