I started watching this because I love Claire Danes. After a couple episodes, I was ready to give it up: the episodes were meandering and mediocre, at best, and Danes was barely even in it. Then, I saw someone mention episode 7 and how amazing Danes' performance was. I decided to persevere.
The first six episodes were quite a slog of upper middle class navel gazing. I kept wondering what purpose the story really served. Did we really need to know about these people and their boring, privileged lives? I think that it was well acted, but the focus on Toby seemed a poor choice: he was the least interesting character in the series, to me. Episode 6 picked up a little, so I was hopeful about episodes 7 & 8.
Episode 7 was one of, if not the, best hours of television I've watched this year. Claire Danes was riveting. I related so much to her character. Just phenomenal. Episode 8, which focused on Libby was also very, very good. Both episodes together were a profoundly moving look at middle age for us younger Gen Xers.
I really wish the first 6 episodes had been condensed into 3. I also think Claire Danes and Adam Brody were criminally underutilized. If you can slog through the start, the payoff of episodes 7 & 8 is worth it.
The first six episodes were quite a slog of upper middle class navel gazing. I kept wondering what purpose the story really served. Did we really need to know about these people and their boring, privileged lives? I think that it was well acted, but the focus on Toby seemed a poor choice: he was the least interesting character in the series, to me. Episode 6 picked up a little, so I was hopeful about episodes 7 & 8.
Episode 7 was one of, if not the, best hours of television I've watched this year. Claire Danes was riveting. I related so much to her character. Just phenomenal. Episode 8, which focused on Libby was also very, very good. Both episodes together were a profoundly moving look at middle age for us younger Gen Xers.
I really wish the first 6 episodes had been condensed into 3. I also think Claire Danes and Adam Brody were criminally underutilized. If you can slog through the start, the payoff of episodes 7 & 8 is worth it.