Made for Love

Sometimes a show that doesn't take itself too seriously and is weirdly (sci-fi) fun is entertaining escape from stress. The 3 main characters, Hazel, Byron, Hebert do some really good acting...that made a huge difference in making up for the few cheesy parts (most of the scenes with the nun). I laughed it off or didn't care about it and just let myself be entertained!

Cristin Milioti plays the charismatic, yet acerbic Hazel in this creative non-linear story about the ethics of technology, agency and relationships. It is an extended Black Mirror episode, a union of The Collector (movie) and Upload (TV series), presented with a cynical, sinister core wrapped in flippant humour.

MfL tackles serious issues without being preachy or pulpit polemic and the half-hour episodes allow for a brisk pace and regular changes of tack. Ray Romano is fabulous as Hazel's father and his issues reflect Hazel's from a different viewpoint.

This is well worth the watch.

3 episodes in, I cannot think of anything negative to say.. The cast is solid, the production solid, the story (get ready) is entertaining, funny, interesting, timely, relevant, well done, well told and, unfortunately in a sense, necessary.

But if you disagree, I'd respect that.

Hazel's (Cristin Milioti) escape narrative has huge caper energy, but Made for Love has mysteries within mysteries, and they unfold in ways that are alternately exciting, astounding, and creepy. Milioti is the clear standout among an already impressive cast. Even when the deliberately scattered storytelling wears a little thin, she holds our attention with no trouble. Billy Magnussen's Byron Gogol is also delightfully, terrifyingly unhinged. The only thing wrong with this show is its pacing. Otherwise the outstanding cast gives us more than enough reason to keep coming back for those answers and makes Made for Love a solid installment in the techno-dystopic rom-com genre.

I've seen the first four episodes. My guess is the other reviewer has seen just the first episode. I don't think the pacing is a bit of a problem, but deeply flawed and makes for an unenjoyable experience. Also the show dropping the viewer into the middle of the timeline and going forward and backwards comes as an artificial and compensatory gimmick that makes a mess of the narrative. (that is not a spoiler it is obvious in the first 30 seconds)

The set up is pretty much dystopian rom-com, and it has been done better elsewhere. Really instead of subtle dark humor, the vibe is just generally a drawn out creepiness. This all comes down to bad writing. The acting is quite adequate. Yoeman talent level for TV acting. The lead actress overdoes the quirkily schtick just a bit much, but it looks like that is more bad directing than an acting problem. The dialogue and screenplay are not clever by golden age of TV standards. Not even a sliver or bronze effort. There is an unevenness and a lot of tedious sections. Once gets the sense that the writers take the audience for granted. 4/10.