jwhites
There are several very good strong areas in this series -- the male actors are all good, inasmuch as the script allows, and the lead and supporting male actors are particularly enjoyable to watch. The story takes an unexpected turn in the beginning episodes, which prevents what could have been triteness polluting the rest of the story. Also, the portrayal of female friendship and male-female friendship is stronger than I have gotten accustomed to seeing.
Somewhere after the change from one year to another, things go sour in the female relationship areas. I am willing to suspend disbelief to some extent, but I do get tired of adult women being portrayed as two-dimensional, children who are either dim-witted or mean-spirited. There is good interplay with the male characters, and the story does add new considerations. Then it stalls out for about 5-6 episodes, with the female lead going from one extreme to another, spending most of her time looking like a frog with the flu, and honking and whining, really a lot of whining. Flashback scenes are relied upon a little too much, and while I understand the purpose, it sometimes feels like they are being used to fill up the time demanded in the contract.
The last third or so picks back up, and although it goes in circles occasionally, we do get to see that the good guys are not impossibly good, and the mean-spirited women are capable of some introspection. Sadly, a female supporting actress was cursed with the inevitable man-obsessed, drama queen, screaming, stomping hot mess identity, so I fast forwarded during her appearances after a while.
The last two episodes are probably the best of the series; they are certainly the most tear-jerking. I'm calling it bingeworthy because there is enough new stuff going on throughout to keep your interest at a positive level most of the time. It doesn't demand a whole lot of close attention either, which is also OK. The realistic friendship portrayals in the front and back ends save it from being a Bechdel fail, but I really hate it when it gets all stereotype and caricature. The music was on the upside of OK because it did vary throughout the series.
Somewhere after the change from one year to another, things go sour in the female relationship areas. I am willing to suspend disbelief to some extent, but I do get tired of adult women being portrayed as two-dimensional, children who are either dim-witted or mean-spirited. There is good interplay with the male characters, and the story does add new considerations. Then it stalls out for about 5-6 episodes, with the female lead going from one extreme to another, spending most of her time looking like a frog with the flu, and honking and whining, really a lot of whining. Flashback scenes are relied upon a little too much, and while I understand the purpose, it sometimes feels like they are being used to fill up the time demanded in the contract.
The last third or so picks back up, and although it goes in circles occasionally, we do get to see that the good guys are not impossibly good, and the mean-spirited women are capable of some introspection. Sadly, a female supporting actress was cursed with the inevitable man-obsessed, drama queen, screaming, stomping hot mess identity, so I fast forwarded during her appearances after a while.
The last two episodes are probably the best of the series; they are certainly the most tear-jerking. I'm calling it bingeworthy because there is enough new stuff going on throughout to keep your interest at a positive level most of the time. It doesn't demand a whole lot of close attention either, which is also OK. The realistic friendship portrayals in the front and back ends save it from being a Bechdel fail, but I really hate it when it gets all stereotype and caricature. The music was on the upside of OK because it did vary throughout the series.
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