Quarry: The Complete First Season (Blu-ray Review) at Why So Blu?

Quarry: The Complete First Season (Blu-ray Review)

February 13th, 2017 by Gerard Iribe

Quarry is the story of Mac Conway, a Marine who returns home to Memphis from Vietnam in 1972 and finds himself shunned by those he loves and demonized by the public. As he struggles to cope with his experiences at war, Conway is drawn into a network of killing and corruption that spans the length of the Mississippi River. The previously published review was for the Digital HD version of the show. This is a new review for the Blu-ray, which will have new content for the video and audio specs. The original review can be found HERE.

The Series

Mac Conway (Logan Marshall-Green) has just returned home from two grueling tours in the war with Vietnam. His wife, Joni (Jodi Balfour), is elated but this being 1972 and the anti-war sentiment not wrapped up, make things really awkward for Mac. In addition to the anti-war protesters, Mac carries the weight of something that happened overseas that made its way over to the states and into the hands of the media – all this involving Mac and his unit.

Mac does not have a job to go to and relies on the pittance from the government while searching for work. Again, this kicks up resistance from prospective employers, because they do not want to involve themselves with a war veteran and potential “war criminal.” Mac is a savvy person and a “jack of all trades.” He lives a great town, owns a great house and actually built and installed his own swimming pool – a fact that constantly blows people away, because it doesn’t look like many take on do-it-yourself projects like pool installation – at least not in 1972.

All of the rough patches aside – Mac has caught the eye of a mysterious stranger known only as The Broker. The Broker and his organization seem to know everything there is to know about Mac, his family, Vietnam, and home life, that there is to know about. They know that Mac has developed a certain set of skills that are conducive to their shadowy element. The Broker offers Mac a job. He’s to become a hitman. This proposition obviously kicks up serious suspicion but without any prospects Mac may have to make a hard choice sooner rather than later.

Quarry is a show that went under my radar but was quickly elevated back up by the fact that it’s by the same folks that did Banshee and I freakin’ loved Banshee! Quarry: The Complete First Season is a different beast altogether. You’ve got Mac, who is likable, but his constant struggles with PTSD don’t really make you root for the guy, because he’ll be ok one minute before lashing out the next. His wife Jodi is supposed to be the glue that grounds them but she has her own set of problems and can be a serious pain in the ass. It’s ironic that those that add levity to the show come from the colorful characters introduced throughout the series. The Broker (Peter Mullan), Karl (Edoardo Ballerini), and Buddy (Damon Herriman) are not only hysterical, but add some serious depth to what’s going. It is a dangerous world out there and there is plenty of money to be made for everyone involved regardless of what side of the law they’re on.

Quarry: The Complete First Season is an 8-episode series that aired on Cinemax. Whether the show gets/got renewed for a second season is not known yet – it is available for purchase through various Digital HD streaming services online. Consider this review a “glowing” one, because it does hit you over the head with a sledgehammer…in a good way. Quarry: The Complete First Season is highly recommended.

Episodes

You Don’t Miss Your Water

Figure Four

A Mouthful of Splinters

Seldom Realized

Coffee Blues

His Deeds Were Scattered

Carnival of Souls

Nuoc Cha Da Mon

Video

Encoding: AVC/MPEG-4

Resolution: 1080p

Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1

Clarity/Detail: Showtime television shows are slouches when it come to the Blu-ray format and Quarry is definitely no exception. The show takes place in the 1970’s and looks about as colorful as one could remember. We also get flashbacks to Vietnams and depending on the scenes they either look really colorful or dark. One thing is for sure: Quarry is reference quality in terms of video specifications.

Depth: Get a spoon and scoop it up.

Black Levels: Black levels are deep and inky.

Color Reproduction: The color palette shifts from colorful to drab depending on the scene.

Flesh Tones: Flesh tones look nice and natural – unless someone has been killed or injured or if the scene is muted.

Noise/Artifacts: The Blu-ray release does not have any anomalies, dirt, noise, etc., to speak of. Perfect.

Audio

Audio Format(s): English DTS-HD MA 5.1, French DTS Digital Surround 5.1, Spanish DTS Digital Surround 5.1

Subtitles: English SDH, French, Spanish, Dutch

Dynamics: In keeping with the perfect score for the video specs on this release, the audio specs raise the bar and maintain that perfect score. Quarry is a drama and thriller and there are plenty of instances where the soundtrack gets to shine.

Low Frequency Extension: The LFE channel handles the rumble beautifully. The bass levels from the subwoofer is deep, low, and without distortion or rattle.

Surround Sound Presentation: There are plenty of insane shootouts and car chases on the show. The lossless soundtrack will put you in the driver’s seat and will make you duck for cover.

Dialogue Reproduction: Dialogue is clear, crisp, and clean.

Extras

The extras on the Blu-ray are identical to the extras released on the Digital HD version. They are somewhat substantial and full of merit. We get some deleted scenes, interviews, and additional bonus scenes (not deleted) scenes involving certain characters that add extra depth to the series. I’m sure most, if not all, will be ported over for the eventual Blu-ray/DVD release.

About Quarry – Delve inside the settings, characters and storylines of Quarry with the cast and crew of the series

Trailer – A stigmatized former Marine in early 70’s Memphis goes into the killing business in this Cinemax series

Deleted Scenes – A fascinating selection of deleted scenes from Season 1 of the Cinemax series Quarry

Extra Scene, “Hitmen in Cars” – What do hitmen talk about while waiting in cars? Find out in this amusing collection of scenes from the Cinemax series Quarry

Extra Scene, “No Money Down” – A bonus scene from Season 1 of the Cinemax series Quarry

Quarry: Inside Quarry: Episode 1: You Don’t Miss Your Water – Get an inside look at Sn 1 / Ep 1 with the cast and crew of Quarry

Quarry: Inside Quarry: Episode 8: Nuoc Cha Da Mon – Get an inside look at Sn 1 / Ep 8 with the cast and crew of Quarry

Summary

Quarry: The Complete First Season is a breath of fresh air – coming off the high that was Banshee. Quarrydoes have some instances of slow burn but the viewer is rewarded handsomely in terms of pay off. I hope folks gravitate towards the show, so that we can get a second season rolling in the near future, because 8 episodes is not enough! Quarry has not been released on any physical media formats yet – it’s currently only available for purchase (in high definition) via Amazon, VUDU, iTunes, and other digital streaming services. * As if this writing – Quarry will be released via home video outlets February 14, 2017.