JoeCoffee

This 'inspired by John Le Carre' sequel jettisons what made the first season great and settles for a second-rate Bond clone that barely treads water for its 6 episodes. Olivia Colman and Indira Varma are woefully underused. Add to that a cliffhanger ending, and I'd be surprised if many of the first season's viewers return for the third.

Rule of Thumb: Don't try to make a 3-hour series from 90 minutes worth of material. You do a disservice to both cast & audience. And if you're the writer, write things for your lead character to say and do. Don't leave her furrowing her brow in endless close-ups, pondering what has occurred. And when you have two actors like HBC and Martin Freeman, use them. Freeman, in particular, lights up every scene he's in, but he's underused.

When in doubt, employ the Steve Zahn Rule. Only the finest programs survive his presence (Wildcat being one such exception). This is not such a program.

Felt badly for the actors involved. Unfortunately, they were't able to surmount the limitations of a dull script and a low budget. The timing is so off between characters that I suspect many scenes were done live - without editing or extra takes - and without sufficient rehearsal time. Pretty shoddy production for what is considered by many to be a prestige streamer.

Enjoyed season 1. Getting to know the layout & characters was an effortless task, but the delay between seasons dampened my interest. With no wrap-up of the prior season (does Netflix think every viewer will willingly revisit hours of previously viewed content in order to orient themselves to the new stuff?), we were immediately tossed into the chaotic aftermath of last season's cliffhanger. Urgent phone calls referencing names I was now unfamiliar with, scene after scene of walking& talking (shades of Sorkin!) in order to simulate momentum, etc., etc. The thrill was gone for me & I aborted midway through the first episode. For those less easily befuddled, I hope you are rewarded for your perseverance.

Series starts off with a bang, but Goode's egocentric character quickly wears out his welcome, as do the interminable scenes set in a hyperbolic chamber. Proof that fewer episodes were needed is evident in episode 8, which is made up of flashbacks, dreams and background on the characters that were wisely cut from the original episodes. Kelly MacDonald is in fine form, and fellow detectives Salim, Hardy and **** were top-notch. In fact, I'd prefer a spin-off with Salim (call it I Am Akram) to a second season of Q. There's something to be said for an understated but competent character in contrast to the brash, showboating leads that populate far too many series.

All the neon noir atmospherics can't cover up the weakness of the story, which is your crusading reporter vs. mobsters.What really drags the series down, however, is the lead, Elgort. This boy can't act. I understand his character exhibits the naivete of youth and an outsider, but the way Elgort blurts out his lines is cringe-inducing. Too bad they didn't focus more on Watanabe's character.

Enjoyed season 1. You can't fault the actors or sets or the imagination and creativity that created this world. Maybe if I hadn't rewatched the first season to prepare for a season 2 binge, I wouldn't have felt the weight of the effort required to get through all of it. Unrelentingly grim, every episode drags the characters in a downward spiral. I may have to watch Hannibal or Peaky Blinders again to lift my spirits.

This series had a lot of potential: great location & photography, good cast, easy pace. All this is undone by contrived mystery populated by weak characters and even weaker dialogue. Yes, folks, it's the writing that sinks this show. I imagine the lines left a bad taste in the actors' mouths even as they were speaking them.

I thought Season 1 was pretty good, but when I re-watched prior to binging Season 2, the flaws were glaring, and Season 2 is even worse. Like Bosch, Connelly's other success, the dialogue is flat and cliched, with hardly any effort made to polish it up a bit. The pace is lethargic, the characters two-dimensional except for all the standard emotional entanglements they drag around, and the plots are pretty contrived, always in search of a Magic Bullet to resolve the case. Maybe if they hadn't padded it for a 9-hour show, it could've been different, but this is really substandard stuff. Bosch was too, but it had an ambience that was kind of laid back and cool. L.A. homicide detectives are much cooler than any lawyer. Can't help wondering if Connelly's books are as bad as the TV shows. Can't wait for the Neve Campbell spin-off.

Well, it's a change of character for Odenkirk, and the setting is fresh for a series, but it's not half as clever as the writer(s) think it is. Every characters sounds the same - witty - and the zingers fly back and forth, ad nauseam. It's really not much different than the 70s series where the dialogue consisted of one put-down after another. Way too precious. Sure isn't going to convert anyone with a hyper-sensitivity toward liberal education.

How did this show last as many seasons as it did? The two-word answer would definitely be James Spader. The writing, both plotting and dialogue, are sub-par even by network standards. The lead actress is so out of her depth (but cute!) and she isn't helped by the supporting cast who are all held captive by the one-note characters crafted by the writers. There is potential in the Brilliant Villain of the Week concept, but a one hour show (minus commercials) short changes the execution of same, at least as realized by this series.

This series has its defenders, though Season 1 seems to have earned higher scores on various sites. Both seasons feature talented casts. First season opens like a mystery series before shifting into a SF realm. I was open to either. What I cannot abide is bad writing, whether it's the plot or the dialogue. I felt bad for the cast who had to attempt to breathe life into these canned conversations. My wife felt invested in Season 1 and continued to watch while I read. When you're not plugged into the visuals or atmospherics, and the dialogue is laid bare in all that it's lacking, it was painful to be in the same room. We gave Season 2 a try because Jason Patric is such a great actor, but had to pull the plug when the dialogue verged on insulting. Don't know how this show lasted as long as it did, or made it past any sort of quality control. It did have a low budget look and everything took place in fewer than a half-dozen sets, so maybe it was moderately profitable. Unfortunately, for all involved, Wayward Pines will leave a permanent blemish on some very fine careers.

A series that starts off full of possibilities takes a dive midway and never recovers. Great cast, wonderful atmosphere and a gorgeous soundtrack is undone by meandering dialogue filled with brain-numbing aphorisms. The plot twists betray the earlier potential and wander into implausible territory. What a shame.

An entertaining series for sure, but the quality is hitting the skids in Season 4. The writer would appear to have overextended himself by allowing himself to become a one-man industry. He may be hot now, but in years to come I predict his legacy will be tarnished by exceeding his creative capacity. In Season 4, the writer props up his lack of ideas by leaning on macho tropes which probably tickles the 'anti-woke' elements of his audience, but is off-putting for many others. (Personally, those dainty little dances the stunt riders perform are about the gayest thing I've seen in a Western, but to each his own.) Cast is great, production lush, only limitations lie with the creator. Will probably pass if there's a Season 5.