Expats

It's impossible to evaluate the show because lead actress Kidman's features are so distorted by her over-use of Botox & fillers that, at least for me, it proved too distracting to watch.

Why doesn't someone who loves her -- husband, best friend, agent? (uh, maybe not) -- help her accept that aging is not a crime so she can get back to the varied & fascinating characters she used to be known for? Hollywood seems to be more accepting of women aging than it once was. Helen Mirren, Emma Thompson, Michelle Yeoh and Jamie Lee Curtis, all older than Kidman, are wonderful to watch.

Please Nicole, it's not too late!

Expats is an interesting mix of The Leftovers (for its meditations on grief/loss) and Big Little Lies (for its "rich miserable people" themes). While the series does from time to time fulfill those lofty ambitions, it doesn't do so frequently enough to truly be considered great.

For a very basic overview, Expats follow the exploits of three women living in Hong Kong but originally from the United States (hence the title). Margaret (Nicole Kidman) is undergoing a severe family tragedy regarding a missing child. Hilary (Sarayu Blue) seemingly has it all--career, style, beauty--but struggles with any sort of home/family life outside of her job, especially as it pertains to David (Jack Huston). Mercy (Ji-young Yoo) is a young woman torn between her teenaged Hong Kong adventures and more serious dalliances with older men and the local protest scene (of which she wants to be a part of). As the series progresses through its six episodes, these three characters converge in often-unexpected ways.

There are times when Expats hits the very heights of prestige TV drama. Certain scenes and character interactions will have you absolutely rapt and thinking deeply about your own life through the compelling arcs. I was especially drawn to the Hilary character, but each angle has its heights to be sure. Series creator Lulu Wang also takes risks--like a feature-length (1:40.00) episode almost exclusively devoted to Hong Kong's domestic help industry. It certainly isn't a show afraid of "big swings".

Now, do those prodigious hacks always produce solid contact? Not necessarily. The first episode can be a little overwhelming until the groundwork is laid, and it crams a lot of serious topics into its scant six-episode run. All the character resolutions may not be everyone's cup of tea, either. Somewhat oddly, this is a series that--at least for me--was a little less than the sum of its parts. In other words, my individual episode rankings slightly outpaced what I ultimately thought of the season as a whole.

That is truly the best way I can describe my experience watching Expats. Each episode had enough highly emotional or deeply thought-provoking moments to never be boring or outright poor, but in the grand scheme of things I didn't feel like it added up to much. A solid watch for those who enjoy deeper fare--but perhaps not one that will rocket to the top of best-of lists.

This show has a serious mood; there's no humor or excitement to get your heart racing. However, it does shed light on expat life, especially from a housewife's perspective, which hits close to home for expats like us. Reminding us of the good time there. It's heartbreaking to see everyone leaving Hong Kong now due to all the chaos. Such a fantastic city, and let's hope this show won't end up being the last historical record of its finest moments. The camera work is a letdown, though. It feels too confined and doesn't capture the true essence of modern Hong Kong's awesomeness. This episode clearly is just sets the scene for the story. If you're not into expat life or Hong Kong, it might be a bit boring. Farewell, Hong Kong.

What's disconcerting about the lower ratings from other reviewers is that most viewers probably don't speak Cantonese, Tagalog, or the several other languages that were featured in this series, which is why people find the series confusing to follow. In my opinion, the show was written for a very specific demographic. You need to know the HK culture to truly understand the series, the importance of foreign help, the wealth disparity between the rich and the poor, and the entire premise of why Margaret couldn't let go of Gus. It's a great series worth watching, but it also requires some learning beforehand if you aren't familiar with the HK culture.

The idea storyline revolves around domestic helpers (something that is highly common in HK's upper and upper middle class). Domestic helpers tend to bond closer to the children they care for (they are essentially au pairs but they also do the cooking and cleaning as well). And the fact that Margaret became jealous of Essie's relationship with the kids was what set everything in motion (including Gus' disappearance).

The series is multi-layered, complex, and is beautifully filmed. My favourite part is probably all of the background characters that have been introduced, and what each storyline symbolizes. I think my only qualm is the lack of closure for each of the characters, but what's beautiful about that is the idea that their stories aren't done yet.

So yes. Before watching this series, I think people need to be open to new concepts, new cultures, and new languages. If you don't, you definitely won't enjoy it as much as I did.

This series is unequivocally above average and sadly the majority of the negative reviews come from kids who are expecting a fast-paced action as their attention spans are short and limited. Think people who flip through social media daily to watch reels; slow burners aren't their thing. This is a well written, well acted, well directed slow burner. The storyline is brilliant and it has me completely absorbed in it and glued to my seat wanting more. The only criticism I suppose would be that there are scenes such as the one with full frontal nudity that seem unnecessary. Other than that, an outstanding series and you can never go wrong with the infallible Nicole Kidman. A must watch!