Mozart in the Jungle

I blew through this show in two days, and no just because of the quick, witty writing and 30-minute episodes. Seriously, though, a show that can be captivating and under an hour scores it at least 8/10 points.

You don't need to love classical music to enjoy this show (although it certainly doesn't hurt). There are many interesting themes of art and its patronage and the every-day people who have committed themselves to a purpose not often understood.

The acting is superb all around. I personally loved Lola Kirke, and thought she was a fresh take on an often boring trope as far as female leads go in comedy shows. While slightly naive, her character still possessed a great amount of self-awareness, perseverance, and depth to set her apart from so many other female characters. Gael Garcia Bernal was fantastic throughout. I have to disagree with others who thought him to be over the top. I felt that his character was very genuine, and a great contrast to his wife, who showed a slice of his previous self. The supporting cast are also fantastic, without a weak leak in the bunch. Even the "quirky roommate" (which is an exhausted character) is played with new layers and a refreshing depth by actress Hannah Dunne.

I will admit some of the writing comes across as clichéd. Some story arcs I could see coming from miles away, and a few I couldn't help but cringe slightly when they happened. But those few times were absolutely eclipsed by the incredible moments. Jason Schwartzman shines as a creator here. It definitely has his touch, and I look forward to seeing much more of his work. The dialogue was always quick, relatable, and always witty.

I really cannot say enough good things about this show. The one last thing I'll point out is that this show leaves you wanting more. Perhaps because of the intriguing characters and plot twists, the tantalizing dialogues, the incredible compositions, the chemistry between so many characters (platonic and non), and the on-point comedic commentary...or perhaps because each episode is a perfunctory 30 minutes and the season is 10 episodes long. Either way, so much gets accomplished, but so much is yet to be done.

GREATLY looking forward to season 2.

I was looking for something new to watch since my favorite shows are all on a break and I had heard this show won awards. I was skeptical because classical music sounded like a snooze. I was so wrong about that!!! This is such a wonderful fun show. I love the characters especially Rodrigo. The music is wonderful and the story keeps you hooked. I highly recommend this new show. Give it a try, you won't be sorry. I am a huge fan of the show Nashville. I love shows that incorporate music into the story.It really adds so much to the all around experience, but you don't have to be a fan of the music to like the show.I dislike shows that take too long to get going and drag along. This show gets going fast and gets you interested right away. The acting is superb! Love it!!!

This show has sparked my love of classical music again. I hated to see it end and I really want to see more of these characters journeys. Please Amazon, give us another season!

Like many of us, I had recently finished a series on Netflix/Prime a couple of days before and couldn't find another series to start. After losing hope, and about to re-watch an older series just to have something to watch, i stumbled across "Mozart in the Jungle" on Prime. Not the typical type of series i look for, but bored and out of options, I gave it a shot. After the first few minutes I was sold. A show i had never heard of, and had zero expectations of, surprised me. The episodes are only twenty some minutes so I ended up binge watching the entire season that night. I now want to grab the book the show is based off. And I am highly anticipating the next season.

When I first saw this pop up on Amazon Instant Video I was skeptical as I had never watched an Amazon exclusive television series before. And I was well aware of the popularity of rival-Netflix's exclusives and found it hard to believe it would be a worthy competitor.

I stand corrected.

It took me a single day of blissful binge-watching to finish the entire first season and I must say I am impressed. The characters are strong and able to draw you in, the atmosphere and setting are captivating, and the music is simply top-notch. When all are tied neatly together it makes for a wondrously entertaining season.

And how could one forget: the comedy! Whilst of course it is entirely subjective, I found every episode to be wholesomely amusing. Every character is entertaining in their own right and not a single line seems unfit for purpose. The humour was exactly to my liking and did not fall into the trap so many comedies today do in which they attempt to be hilarious and unfortunately end up just being silly.

As expected, however, it is not perfect. One particular instance in which I found myself to eventually drift-off was the Rodrigo-Anna Maria sub-plot. I did not find this to be interesting, rather I thought it tiresome. Despite both characters being excellently written and the acting being spot-on, this didn't quite engross me like the rest of the show did.

In addition, a criticism I have (perhaps a minor one) pertains to the memorability of the characters. Specifically: their names! Maybe it was just me but halfway through the season I still only knew a couple of the characters' names. This could be in part to blame on my binge-watching manner, or, more worryingly, the writing. Regardless, I consider these to be minor blemishes upon the finished product.

Let us end on a high note: the music. The music is what makes this so fresh. If it weren't for the music, I do believe this would just be another average comedy. The music adds something more, a passion, as Rodrigo may say. It truly does draw you in and you really can feel the energy and enthusiasm. It's what makes this show stand out from the rest and what kept me enthralled, among other things.

I am absolutely delighted with the first season of Mozart in the Jungle and will be returning for season two.