When reactions for this series first dropped, I saw so many "This is just East Coast Big Little Lies, but bad" type Tweets, to the point where I didn't even bother giving it a chance, even though I love Sunday night HBO and was somewhat looking forward to it. But then, between a couple positive reactions in the HBO thread, and The Watch podcast giving it their endorsement (who I trust and am usually in line with), my interest was piqued again. And now, after devouring the three episodes that have aired so far, I have to say, I am so, so in. Really, I don't at all understand the initial criticisms, as this is just as addicting, if not more so, than Big Little Lies.
Big Little Lies was definitely a more splashy, star-studded, well-rounded series, but I think this is a more focused, suspenseful, and engaging story overall. In fact, I don't think I've ever seen three episodes in a row, of any show, end on such consistently great cliffhangers. The kid in this is also way more tolerable than the kids in Big Little Lies, and Hugh Grant continues to have a nice little renaissance, as he's impressive here as well. While the digital cinematography can be distracting at times (even though it still looks like a million bucks), and Big Little Lies' general vibe, soundtrack, etc is superior, I'd absolutely put this in the conversation with other notable 2020 shows so far (not quite tier one, but definitely tier two), which has already been an incredible year for TV.
Anyway, it's currently halfway through its six-episode run, with the fourth episode airing this Sunday. So if you're into this sort of thing, I highly recommend giving it a shot and catching up, as it's absolutely worth your time.
Big Little Lies was definitely a more splashy, star-studded, well-rounded series, but I think this is a more focused, suspenseful, and engaging story overall. In fact, I don't think I've ever seen three episodes in a row, of any show, end on such consistently great cliffhangers. The kid in this is also way more tolerable than the kids in Big Little Lies, and Hugh Grant continues to have a nice little renaissance, as he's impressive here as well. While the digital cinematography can be distracting at times (even though it still looks like a million bucks), and Big Little Lies' general vibe, soundtrack, etc is superior, I'd absolutely put this in the conversation with other notable 2020 shows so far (not quite tier one, but definitely tier two), which has already been an incredible year for TV.
Anyway, it's currently halfway through its six-episode run, with the fourth episode airing this Sunday. So if you're into this sort of thing, I highly recommend giving it a shot and catching up, as it's absolutely worth your time.