Sneaky Pete Series Review

Sneaky Pete (2015-2019)

Season 1 -  10 episodes (2015-17)
Season 2 -  10 episodes (2018)
Season 3 -  10 episodes (2019)
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Created by: David Shore, Bryan Cranston
Starring: Giovanni Ribisi, Marin Ireland, Shane McRae, Libe Barer, Michael Drayer, Peter Gerety, Margo Martindale, Ethan Embry
Rated: TV-MA
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Plot
A con man on the run from a vicious gangster assumes the identity of his prison cellmate Pete and reunites with Pete's estranged family which threatens to drag him into a world just as dangerous as the one he's escaping.

Verdict
This show is the most fun when Marius is trying to pull off some kind of con or heist. The first season is the best and each one after is slightly less with each season stretching the premise further and losing a clear direction. The third seems like several ideas thrown together, and it resolves a bit too neatly with how many plates were spinning. With Marius, it's always making people believe while robbing them with some sleight of hand trick. That's when this show is at its best.
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Review
The show was canceled after the third season, but it has a satisfying resolution.

In season one, Marius (Giovanni Ribisi) is released from jail and assumes his cell mate's identity, Pete Murphy (Ethan Embry), in order to avoid the crime boss, Vince (Bryan Cranston), that wants him dead.  The ongoing question is whether he can pull off the scam and whether Vince will catch up to him. Marius heads to the family farm and grandparents Otto (Peter Gerety) and Audrey (Margo Martindale) as he then tries to ingratiate himself into this family that he doesn't know, but luckily the family's bail bond business needs help. That means he's tracking down people he knows tangentially. Luckily, influencing people is his specialty.

Giovanni Ribisi, Peter Gerety play Pete, Otto

Marius ended up in prison by trying to swindle Vince and failing. When the ruse was up he stuck up a bank to escape Vince. Alive in prison was preferable to dying free. Now free, Marius keeps getting into and out of trouble. He has to fool his parole officer while Vince is trying to find him, and he's thinking about robbing the bail bond office safe. Vince gets word to Marius that if he isn't paid back he will kill Marius's brother. Marius is always scheming and plotting, but Pete's younger cousin has a growing suspicion that he's a fraud. She might use that as leverage rather than exposing him.

Karolina Wydra, Bryan Cranston play Karolina, Vince Lonigan

By the end of the season, Marius has nearly everyone involved in his scheme though some don't know it. Marius is good, but how will he get out of this one? He manages to get the money to Vince, but in turn Vince needs him to figure out how a guy is cheating. In the final episode several plates are spinning as we wonder where they'll land. Marius sets up this crazy con. While the show uses some sleight of hand, the reveal is worth the deceit. The first season has a satisfying conclusion with a preview of what's in store for next season when two people that know the real Pete have demands of Marius.

The heists, cons, and pick pocketing make this fun while Marius navigates the long con.

Marius is on the hook for Pete's crimes in season two, having played the part too well. While the running joke was that Pete stupidly tried to rob a gun range, it was a part of a distraction to the real crime that had quite the take. Marius must now find Pete's mom, Maggie, whom Pete claims is dead. To aid in that plight, Marius gets Pete released from prison but unfortunately loses track of him.

Seeing Pete's schemes are so much fun. He's conning a bunch of spiritual mediums in an effort to find Maggie. I wondered how he would do that. It can't just be guessing, but Marius usually does his research. Goons are pushing Marius to find Pete's mom as he delays them while he's also trying to keep Pete hidden. Just when Marius thinks Maggie has gotten away, she shows up at the farm. That really throws Marius for a loop. He has to play along with someone that knows he's a fake. She's knows he's a fraud but doesn't reveal it, so what's her angle?

This season has a lot more tension as Taylor and Audrey are trying to dodge the cops over the events at the end of last season.

Marius discovers that Pete and Maggie were involved in an $11 million robbery. The owner of the money wants it back. Pete's a con man, and that's how he plans to get out of this jam, but Maggie undermines him at every step. If they're going to save their lives, they need that money but of course it's not easy to obtain it at this point. Marius pulls a team together to pull off the heist. He has to convince his team they can do it, while also placating the gangster that's pushing him to get the money. The heist is a lot with all these people, concurrent misdirections, and of course there's always some surprise when Marius is involved. This heist has so many fake outs and double crosses.

This season is better in that it's more intense and the stakes are higher with more action, but there's less character development. I enjoyed Pete trying to play this family while flying blind. Season one is more interpersonal drama while season two is more action.

Michael Drayer, Bryan Cranston, Karolina Wydra, Pej Vahdat, Giovanni Ribisi, play Eddie, Vince, Karolina, Raj, Pete

In season three, Marius deals with the fallout of last season. Julia (Marin Ireland) knows who he is now, but she doesn't reveal it to his parole officer. She's facing jail time, fired from the bail bond office, and trying to figure out a path forward. Marius finds an old friend and falls into old habits.

This season is more scattered. Marius and Pete are scheming, Julia is trying to set up Marius to save herself, that gets Marius trying to nab another con man, and Marius is also in on a wine scheme. With all that Pete's cousin Carly is trying to find her mom, Lila, who was presumed dead, but may not be. Her mom is an old wound. Pulling on that thread could unravel the entire family.

Marius is faced with showing that he cares about the Murphy family or being the selfish conman that's propelled in this far. He's tangled up in multiple cons, playing everyone against each other. It fits together too perfectly as he leverages one con against the other. At least with the heists, while ridiculous it was Marius figuring it out based on what he had. In season three, one victim provides exactly what he needs for his other job.

I didn't like this season as much. It's trying to do too much with so many additional characters. That and the characters are split with everyone on their own adventure. The conclusion is too neat and tidy, very convenient. 

I'd rank the seasons one, two, three. The first is really good, delivering the very premise of the show. The second season loses some of the small moments but makes up for it with a great heist. The third season is a take it or leave it. There's just too much going on without a clear focus.