Casey Bemis

I did not read the book so I came to this show with nothing to compare it to. I did find it hard to get into the first few episodes. There were so many plot lines and characters that it was boring to watch. But as the show progressed, the characters became more relatable and the plotting made more sense. Essentially I found it entertaining and a nice way to spend an evening. I think a few more episodes that fleshed out the beginning might have improved the series. As is often the case, most of the poor reviews were from those who read the book which evidently went into the subject more deeply. Some complained that the characters were too young to have so much scientific knowledge. But I seem to recall that most of them were in their 30's. By her late 30's my daughter had earned a doctorate in plant genetics and had a few patents under her belt. So I don't understand the criticism. But enough complaining. I enjoy SciFi and this didn't disappoint. It took me into worlds I never thought of and made some interesting comments about our human condition. It was visually appealing with some great sets, and I was able to understand the science as it was explained in the show. So I would recommend this series, particularly for people who haven't read the book.

Given that almost all the words were sung, I guess you could call Annette an opera. And I guess the music was (hopefully) purposefully written in a pentatonic scale, giving it an eeriness that can't be denied. So once you accept that it's written on a 5 note scale it's easier to say that it is avant garde in that it is trying something new and was successful. Some of the harmonies were very nice. So I'm not going to quibble about the music. But the lyrics were just boring and not very original. They did carry this film to its tragic end. But I would have appreciated it more if they expanded their vocabulary. Just because you are writing music on a 5 note scale, doesn't have to mean you have to have simplistic lyrics. Or maybe that was the point. It was meant to be simplistic. And that is either a success or failure depending on your taste. So we get to the plot. And it was definitely a tragedy, but not very original. I've seen better ones on numerous streaming channels thees day. I mostly watched it for to see if it matched up to the hype. I never found Adam Driver's jokes funny, so I was surprised at his success as a comedian. And while he doesn't have a great voice he was able to stay on pitch in some more complicated places. But of course these days, that can be altered somewhat in the sound editing. I'm not sure about the symbolism of Annette being a wooden doll or puppet. I can only think this symbolized the lack of humanity Driver's character had and was passed on to his child. It is only when he meets his fate that she comes alive. So I gave it a three stars. I longed for Rogers and Hammerstein, Sondheim, Andrew Lloyd Weber and even the Who's Tommy. It's a shame that Marion Cotillard's beautiful voice was wasted on this film. Her singing was one of the best parts of the movie.

I was just checking out what was on Netflix when the Squid Game played in the top box. I was immediately drawn in and had to watch it. I really got pulled in and binged in a day off. The acting was extremely good as was the intensity of the plotting, sets, editing and character development. Others have gone into more detail about what happens. But I thought some of the themes of greed, ego, self sacrifice and generosity were well played out. POSSIBLE SPOILER; My only problem was at the end when personal growth and generosity seemed to die. I guess Netflix has a second season in mind so perhaps there will be some better answers. Or else they thought it was good enough to take it into a second season and make more $$ off it. If it is just a repeat of the games, I probably won't watch it. It would be same song, second verse. There are some story lines that could be better explored and completed. So I hope they go there with the games being background. Otherwise I think they will have lost the whole point of the show.

I love the show and am enjoying season 2. I only wish they were going to let this go on for several seasons. My only complaint is that I would like to see more of Matthew Rhys. The side stories of Della, Paul and LA in the 1930's broaden the series. But if it's only going to run for 2 years there's no point. I'd rather see Perry, Della and Paul get together more and actually solve the case. Season 2 has already dropped, so the above can't be fixed. So I'd like to see a season 3 and 4 where character development continues to be fleshed out.

Just watched the first episode while my husband was out. We lived through that period of time and do remember that the plumbers were a bit incompetent. After all, they got caught. I found it very amusing and will wait till my husband gets home because I know he will really laugh. These actors are great. Did they exaggerate the characters? I don't know, but it was fun to watch.