The official trailer for Ray Donovan season 5 is now online and introduces fans to Susan Sarandon's new character on the show: the powerful media executive, Samantha Winslow. The Academy Award-winner joins Liev Schreiber in the Showtime series as Ray's latest client.
Fresh off her role on FX's Feud: Bette and Joan with Jessica Lange, Sarandon is now applying her acting prowess to the crime drama series, Ray Donovan. Her character, Winslow, is a ball-busting business mogul who taps the services of Ray to keep a watchful eye on her own fixers, as she fears that they might know too much about how she operates. The Irish-American middle man is also tasked with overseeing protection of Natalie James - a young client played by Lili Simmons - though it's not clear yet why Ray is given this job (or why Natalie is of importance to Winslow).
The Ray Donovan season 5 trailer (see above) reveals little about Winslow herself, beyond making it clear that she is an accomplished woman. She exudes power and authority as she proudly stares at her office wall full of trophies, a glass of scotch in her hands. She is someone who is not afraid to cross certain lines to make sure that she maintains her pristine image. If anything, her mantra that encourages people to "find the thing you love the most and let it kill you" indicates that Winslow is not to be crossed, especially when it comes to things that matter to her.
Based on what Winslow asks Ray to do at first, there is a possibility that she will eventually become a threat to him, down the line in season 5. The fact that she is trying to banish everyone who could potentially ruin her, by knowing too much about her mysterious and seemingly sketchy dealings, might pose a problem for Donovan. The longer he works for her, the more skeletons in her closet he may wind up discovering - prompting Winslow to eliminate him, too.
Elsewhere, the usual family tropes of Ray Donovan are still going to be a huge part of its fifth season. Ray and his father Mickey, played by John Voight, may be finally ready to leave the past behind and start all over, with the elder Donovan promising to change for the better. Unfortunately, it appears that his transition will not be as smooth as he wants it to be, with a quick cut in the season 5 trailer showing Ray lashing out on his dad.
With Sarandon joining the cast for Ray Donovan season 5, it is interesting to see if she has any on-screen interactions with Voight, given their polarizing views on the political spectrum. Regardless whether they do or don't, the jam-packed trailer looks pretty impressive and should have fans of the series all the more pumped for its return.
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Ray Donovan returns for season 5 on August 6th.
Source: Showtime