I just finished watching the thirteenth episode.
It's not the greatest thing since sliced bread, but it's certainly worth watching to decide for yourself.
Negative Impressions:
- They're trying too hard to be edgy.
- There's too much in the way of product placement.
- There are numerous attempts at 'connecting with the youthful crowd'. I think there was a focus group involved, and they should all be shot.
- They seem to think everyone has perfect vision, and won't get close-ups of text that the audience is obviously supposed to read.
- The Fourth Wall should file a restraining order.
- I, E, O, and U.
- Some of the audio work is a little sketchy. E.g., someone ends a call on a cellphone by pushing a button, and on the other end you hear a traditional receiver hanging up.
Positive Impressions:
- Decent cinematography.
- Generally good performances; Kate Mara being the horribly dull, boring, lifeless, cardboard-cutout exception. I actually can't think of why she would get that role in the first place, it simply doesn't make sense on all counts.
- There's a Master Plan, but you don't know what the details are.
- The Princess Bride.
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I want Netflix to take all the time and effort they put towards making new shows, to instead acquiring already existing shows and movies and keeping them available.
I've been waiting three years for them to get a copy of Akira. And they still don't have the first season of Andromeda (they've got the rest of them, though).
I really hope a new service pops up to rival them, soon. Healthy competition (and the gutting of their company) is the only way it's going to get better.
