Better Than Us

This is well made show and very entertaining. I watched all the episodes in just a few-days-spree. Sure, plot got some holes (starting from where Arisa is coming from in first place), some behaviors are schematic, some scenes make little sense, but the plot is fine overall, with some nice twists. Acting is good, camera is good, sound is good, F/X are good. futuristic vibe is there. I personally noticed a few opportunities for better twist or story development wasted and but overall I enjoyed this show. WARNING: there're are bloopers added to the credits, just after last episode is over. This ruins the whole episode's mood for me, so you may want to pause the playback after last scene.

Also please note that some reviews mention that you should choose native (russian) voice + subtitles. I am not Russian native, but I can speak the language and I definitely disagree. Beside from some odd translation issues that english version adds to this show, voices in English version are far superior and add significant value to the show. The tone of the voice, the sound - Russian Arisa is no that "robotic" as English one. So do not follow the review. Do not believe me blindly - just check for yourself first. IMHO watching the show in English is still better.

Really enjoyed the tech in this show. It's about bots, like the show "humans" so reminiscent but very different. Technology ceo is out of control, the government is involved, the police are corrupt, and the innocent get caught up in the middle. Lots of conflict. The tech is clean and cool--we should be using it already but for some reason are still waiting for it. My recommendation is to watch it in the original russian with english subtitles rather than dubbed english. Otherwise you miss some of the great acting--you can hear the emotion better in the russian language even if you can't understand it. Note: I think some of the bad reviews are based on the dubbed versions. The acting was actually very good--not lame as others have said. I dumped the dubbed version on the 2nd episode as it got worse. Maybe people don't realize that Netflix is defaulting to English dubbed versions (which in my opinion is a mistake).

We have seen many stories of FemBots. This a different product, really well achieved. With small creative special effects, credible performances and with which, surprisingly, you can even empathize. They are not glacial cold Russians, there is a story of a family and the most surprising of all is that it will catch you. I usually enjoy the Nordic series, because you can appreciate different cultural elements and at the same time the equalizing effects of globalization. Give yourself a chance to enjoy a Russian product made by Russians. Look at it without prejudice. It will surprise you

I recommended another Russian series (To the Lake) to my son who loves all things Russian and he returned the favor by recommending Better Than Us. This show is a must-see, and I highly recommend you to pass on the dubbing. It's worth the extra effort to read the subtitles. I don't know if I'll be able to sit through another American series after seeing TV done right.

Wow, great move on Netflix to pick up this Russian series gem!

There are many factors why I really enjoyed this series. The directing by Russian TV show director Andrey Dzhunkovskiy is near perfection, and in line with top seasoned Hollywood directors. Every camera shot is well thought out and captures the scene perfectly, creating the amazing tension and drama. I'm not sure if his use of "less is more" in most of the sets was intentional or budget restricted, but it worked perfectly. Who would've thought that a simple bunch of drones flying around would be enough to set the stage for a futuristic sci-fi?! Open unfilled spaces in vacant buildings or the main lobby of a corporation with just a long counter and one sofa - all worked perfectly! I also enjoyed seeing some of the Russian landscapes.

The cinematography was exceptional and really set the tone of the entire series. The score was outstanding and perfect for this sci-fi film, especially that specific set of tones. The Russian actors (we've never heard of) were all cast and performed perfectly. Every characters look and style fit their role, especially Paulina Andreeva as Arisa.

The just under 1 hour run-time per episode was great, although the 2nd half of the series needed better pacing and much better editing.

My only complaint was the writing that had many obvious plot and technical issues, especially the 2nd half of the series. As well, the dubbing was clearly an issue, and lagged most of the time, but after the 2nd or 3rd episode, I got used to it.

Otherwise, an outstanding series that left me wanting more, of which I hope the producers will capitalize on. Mad props to the entire Russian producers and film-makers for creating this little gem, and bravo to Netflix for picking this up. A well deserved 9/10 from me!