Of all the masterworks of television's new golden age - Mad Men, Breaking Bad, The Wire etc. - this is still, for me, the only one that has the feeling of great arthouse cinema. That's to say, it opens up your perception, makes you say, 'Oh, I didn't know you could do that,' feels utterly honest and human, says the things you've thought, but didn't think to say, and isn't afraid to do things 'badly' for a greater artistic good.
In fact, even a lot of arthouse cinema doesn't do as much of that as this show does. And notably, almost no short filmmaking does it and most of it is terrible in a way that makes you think it must be an inherently unsatisfying form, whereas this show is a study in how great short-form work can be.
In fact, even a lot of arthouse cinema doesn't do as much of that as this show does. And notably, almost no short filmmaking does it and most of it is terrible in a way that makes you think it must be an inherently unsatisfying form, whereas this show is a study in how great short-form work can be.