Twenty years later Hap is a man past his prime (James Purefoy has declined physically into the role perfectly. Long gone is the handsome brute of Mark Antony). He is divorced, childless, hasn't achieved much in life, works odd jobs of manual labour and, being an unlucky romantic, lives mostly alone. Leonard faced the reality that in the South being a decorated war hero doesn't impress people much if you are black. Even less if you are a gay black. He is a grumpy guy who only shares his life with the occasional boyfriend and Hap.
Neither of them looks for trouble, but they always get into one. Hap's ex-wife turns up with the plan of finding lost treasures. Leonard's curmudgeon uncle leaves a dark secret to his nephew. Hap's ex-love goes missing in a town of white supremacists. Our goofy heroes face psychopaths, serial killers, corrupt lawmen and the Klan itself and get through it by grit and sheer luck, but not unscathed.
It's hard to pigeonhole the series into a single genre. It's a mix of 80's nostalgy, buddy-movie, southern gothic and noir. What makes it a rare gem is that it's a bona fide blue-collar series. Two working class guys trying to make ends meet and do the right thing, either it's about a child in need or a damsel in distress.
Despite of the often grisly storyline this is not a dark series. There is plenty of sorrow and tragedy - befalling on our heroes and their loved ones -, but no cynicism. And there is humour. The kind that doesn't make you laugh out loud, but makes you smile. At the end of the day it is a touching tale of brotherly love in an uncaring world. Hap and Leonard grow on you quickly and you'll find that you really love these bumpkins and care for their fate.
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