Jessiclair

From the very first episode you will be drawn into the lives of each of the principal characters - warts and haloes and all. Each is fully realized with a light and dark side, shown incrementally and alternately through their actions and their reluctantly expressed concerns. The story lines are both outrageous and – once you spend a few minutes with this family – absolutely believable, and move at an enervatingly brisk while gratifyingly even pace. I'm so glad I found out about it when Series II had already completed, and could enjoy it from episode 1.1 through the end of series II. While it seems evident that Series III will commence with casting changes, this production is so incredibly well planned (unlike most U.S. series - Lost, I'm looking at you) that the story arc girds you quite well for even fundamental shifts, and instills great anticipation. The show addresses immediate, on-the-ground social issues like complacency vs. poverty, avarice vs. honor, cheating vs. work (and stealing vs. profit), lust vs. love, and 9 times out of 10 the virtuous parts of humanity are exemplified and enjoyed (but always with the other side engaged and/or confronted in the process). That 10th time is where Frank comes in. Paul Abbott is a brave artist, a brave man, and a brave son. Never has such a reluctant father been so well-realized and so generously presented. Now. When do we get Series III?

Correction to another use comment: one of the players, the one with the highest number of kills, was in fact a volunteer. Another player was a winner of the game from three years earlier. The story is a human nature cautionary tale - see how fantastically violent and vicious and indelibly cliqueish 12 year old girls can be when it counts! Thrill to the powers of romance, of libido, and eventually of trust and love! Mostly, though, it's about adult ennui, about giving up on a floundering society and investing solidly in entertainment.

The effects and acting are silly enough that I wouldn't call it so very disturbing. If tempera paint gives you nightmares, steer clear of this one.