User Reviews

After watching Season One, I rated it a 6 and wrote the following review: Bryan Cranston is just outstanding. I have never seen him when he wasn't outstanding. He also directs in this series and he is outstanding at that as well. But Cranston didn't write the script and therein lies some of the problems with this series. The story relies waaay to much on coincidence, and that's lazy writing. The other big problem is Hunter Doohan, who plays Cranston's son. He's not very good, and worse, he has to overcome a badly written part. The plot twist with the teacher we didn't need at all-totally irrelevant and unbelievable. Lilli Kay, who plays his gf, is also bad. Michael Stulhbarg, who is a terrific character actor with great range, plays an odd gangster. His wife, Hope Davis, is excellent, but I don't buy her very odd character either. Isiah Whitlock nails it. He is dead-on as Cranston's best friend, his son's Godfather, and a New Orleans politician and fixer. Whilst the movie utilizes the New Orleans locations well, the music, or lack thereof, is a big disappointment. If this series had maintained the momentum from its riveting first episode, it would have been a blockbuster, but alas, it does not. I'm also sick-to-death of this recurring notion of justice in Hollywood, and these tunnel-vision creatures who cannot recognize when a situation calls for a little, or big, compromise. They can only see one way- their way. They are smug self-righteous bores! In this case as portrayed by Carmen Ejogo. This series was a great idea that could have been so good, but fails to deliver on its promise. XXX

After watching this first episode of Season 2, which I rated a 7, the Hunter Doohan problem has been solved, but they've replaced that problem with a new one, Rosie Perez. The bigger problems, the writing and wholly improbable plotting, have not been solved. But I will watch this series because Cranston, Whitlock and Sthulbarg are compelling actors to watch and I will suffer through one-note Rosie and the improbable, implausible, only-in-Hollywood plot twists.