This summer USA Network is releasing an interesting and compelling show, Complications. Dr. John Ellis (Jason O’Mara) makes a split second decision to save a young boy’s life after he is caught in the crossfire of rival gang members. He doesn’t realize that in doing so, he’s inextricably involved himself in a dangerous world that will take him to dark places. He brings in nurse Gretchen (Jessica Szohr) who both helps and hurts the situation.
At TCA 2015, Executive Producer Matt Nix, O’Mara and Szor talked a bit about the show’s direction. Nix told a fascinating story regarding his inspiration for the show. One day, he was working at his home in Echo Park, California when he heard a noise downstairs. He discovered a gang member breaking into his house. The burglar was surprised to see him and walked away. Instead of letting it go, Nix followed him outside to his car and took down his license plate. The man was eventually arrested, but Nix also was warned by police that the man’s gang was located very close to Nix’s house. Nix became more involved in the neighborhood and eventually befriended the man, who apologized for breaking in. This event and Nix’s experience volunteering in the ER when he was younger, came together as he wrote Complications.
O’Mara gives a strong emotional performance as Ellis, who struggles with the implications of taking a life and the loss of his daughter to cancer. O’Mara described his inspiration for the role: “I had a personal loss of someone very close to me, during the filming, to cancer. All of those feelings were there. They were readily available to me. I thought I could either sort of crumple in this situation or treat it like it’s meant to be, keep working, and try to use what I’ve been given in this moment. I tried to channel this stuff as best as I could…treat it like a form of therapy. That part of it was not hard for me at that time.”
OHSOGRAY screened the first few episodes and they are compelling. Check out the newly released trailer.