Samarqand

Gorgeous show with great international cast. It is slow so if you are impatient or looking for a lot of action this is not for you. However, if you don't mind a slow burn this mind-bending surrealist sci-fi mystery show is more than worthwhile - it's amazing.

Compelling, with great acting. Beautifully shot, tough in its writing as it tackles tough issues that remain socially significant to this day.

I am not a big fan of Marvel; I've had to watch all the movies and shows because of my spouse. That said, I just finished the second season and thoroughly enjoyed it. Best Netflix Marvel show since the first season of Jessica Jones. While the powers are always present, they are rarely the focus and there is a lot more focus on character development and the overall mysteries of the season. While the show isn't all that subtle, it does a good job presenting a diverse cast with strong female leads without it feeling forced. That said, the show is very much 'of the moment' by which I mean to say it is blatantly aware of the #metoo #timesup movement. It can be a bit overbearing about it at times (not because of the message, but because of how forced it sometimes feels). This is relatively trivial though. The show is much more 'stable' over the course of the season as well - something other Netflix Marvel shows have struggled with - there is a lot going on but it doesn't seem overly ridiculous, though perhaps too predictable at times. The latter half of the season is a bit weaker than the first, but still worth seeing through. This is much more of a slow burn than other Marvel shows, and while there are action sequences they often are quick with the violence seeming both tame and extreme at the same time in true film noire style. Indeed, Jessica Jones' second season is even more reliably film noire (lite) than the first. This isn't a show focused on a big, bad villain or saving the world or even saving much of anything, allowing for a more grounded story with more relatable situations and characters. Overall, a great show even if you aren't a fan of superhero stories.