The story goes that Hit & Miss came from ideas for two different TV series. It certainly has that feel. Part of the plot deals with a parent called to care for a child and step-children from a past relationship. The other part is about a transgender contract killer. While the first half of that description – the family drama – is not particularly unique, by combining it with the other story line, the show becomes a tense, unusual series on Netflix.
Chloe Sevigny is Mia, a preoperative transsexual woman who is also a hitwoman. (Any curiosity you may have about what Sevigny looks like with both breasts and a penis is answered in the first few minutes, but the series has limited amounts of sex and nudity.) The beginning of the first episode leads us to believe this will be the main focus, but there is a dramatic shift. Mia finds out a previous girlfriend has died, and she has been designated as the guardian of her son and step children.
The children’s previous contact with Mia, we believe, was for a brief period of time before she began hormone treatments. The four children, two of them essentially adults and two much younger, are resentful, grieving and confused. Needless to say, the process of getting to know them does not go smoothly.
As conflict arises between the two halves of Mia’s life and with various other events that happen, the series raises questions about what constitutes a family. There are a few surprises and some suspense along the way. Revealing dialog is limited, but it becomes clear that part of Mia is not fully ready to take on the role of parent. Scenes of the sparsely vegetated British countryside help to create an atmosphere of isolation and loneliness.
The Hit & Miss TV series was filmed in Manchester for Sky Atlantic, a British television station, and first aired in 2012. Though written by Sean Conway, the series was created by Paul Abbott, creator of Shameless, State of Play and several more popular shows. It is not entirely clear if there were ever plans for Hit & Miss season 2 (the official answer is no), but all six episodes of season 1 are available for instant viewing on Netflix. If you are expecting an action packed series about a contract killer, you may be disappointed, but Hit & Miss is recommended for fans of independent films and drama.
