Critic Reviews

The overall result is a first season that has its flaws, but features enough delightful weirdness to intrigue those willing to give it a chance.

For the most part, the characters hook our attention, and the performances are mostly pretty solid. Arjona’s performance grounds the series well.

This one is intended for adults that, if it was a film, it would carry a PG-13 rating. It’s gritty and violent. And also visually spectacular.

Fans of the alternate reality/fantasy genre should enjoy “Emerald City,” and I think they’ll get a kick out of its parallels to “The Wizard of Oz,” and in trying to guess what’s coming next.

Emerald City has its moment as a vicarious, danger-packed thrill ride replete with jolts, wonders and ample shivers amid its shimmers.

Friday’s premiere consists of two episodes, which is good, because two hours is about how long it takes you to acclimate to the tone and intent. In the third episode, a doozy, the show’s grip on you really tightens.

It all looks good, but Arjona never gains real traction as Dorothy and some of the side stories become distractions. Still, Emerald City is an ambitious, if derivative, project for broadcast television.

Emerald City is a sometimes chaotic cocktail of familiar characters, fairytale elements, sex and drugs, and a hero’s journey that doesn’t ever feel totally cohesive. But its visuals, crafted by the director Tarsem Singh, are endlessly creative, and the weaker primary cast members are buffeted by an array of gifted supporting actors.

It remains to be seen if viewers latch on to a visually sumptuous but narratively messy take on an old story. In the meantime, enjoy the insanity of the ride, if you can make any sense of it.

Director Tarsem Singh produces dazzling visuals and an invigorating weirdness in all 10 eps. But the storytelling is too disjointed and the drama is too symbolic. The performances range from spirited to adequate to Dorothy. [30 Dec 2016 - 6 Jan 2017, p.108]