“Banshee: Behold a Pale Rider:” Intense episode debuts Feb. 22

Antony Starr as Lucas Hood in "Banshee" - Photo courtesy: Fred Norris/Cinemax.

From left, Antony and Ulrich Thomsen in "Banshee" - Photos courtesy: Fred Norris/Cinemax.

This week’s episode of the Cinemax action series “Banshee,” titled “Behold a Pale Rider,” will have fans of the series on the edge of their seats.

Carrie (Ivana Milicevic) chooses to give up Lucas (Antony Starr) to Rabbit (Ben Cross) in order to try and protect herself and her family, and a tense drugstore robbery/police chase becomes an even more dramatic hostage crisis involving Deva (Ryann Shane) and Mayor Kendall’s wife Janie (Claire Bronson).

Starr has completely drawn me into this show by portraying the absolute toughness and vulnerability of Lucas perfectly – I’m positively rooting for him.

Kudos to the writers, Jonathan Tropper and David Schickler, as well. In the last couple of episodes in particular, I’ve been riveted to the screen, not having a clue what was going to happen next and anxious to see where this wild, no-holds-barred story and lead character were headed.