The Oath

I watched this because it has a few actors that are on my watch list, but I found myself looking away. When will companies realise that the "reality" shaky camera work just doesn't add anything, and, actually detracts from an audience viewing and taking in what's happening. It actually looks as though the camera operator is deliberately shaking it. The editing also consists single shots of the camera panning up and down individuals, at various points, along with extreme close-ups. Honestly if this had good editing/camerawork it would get me hooked. Now it's just like watching an extremely bad found footage series albeit with good actors.

I just could not keep my eyes on the screen for this ridiculous camera work! I ended up running the series as background when doing other things, only looking at the TV - Actually, mostly at the closed captioning - when something really important happened. The nearly constant bouncing and shaking and twisting and turning of the camera along with the extreme close-ups was giving me a headache, so I turned on the CC and then focused on only listening to the dialogue. As other reviewers mentioned, a sadly under-used Sean Bean, too, made this a disappointing experience, along with the use of some tired cliches. Still, the story itself was engaging enough to keep me following to the end. Conclusion : something to put on when you need something to listen to while doing other things.

I wanted to like the show as its not set up like the generic Police shows, (it is an anti hero bad police show) and I could of liked it if they hadn't over done the shaky camera shots, to be honest at time it was more like watching a TV show in the middle of an earthquake. I believe as an earlier reviewer said they were trying imitate 'The Shield' going for gritty realism .The difference is in The Shield it was a real effect they had cameramen taking shots with hand held cameras. In The Oath they have used a tripod then created the effect in post production and they have over done it. There is also a problem with the amount of edits, they are constantly cutting from shot to shot. I get that they are trying to keep it fast paced but having so many edits takes away from the acting, it is a failure to show or give the actor the chance to act. So overall it had potential but it has been spoiled in post production

Watched because two of my favorite actors, Cory Hardrict and Sean Bean are in it. The 1st 3 episodes are very confusing as you try to piece what's going on, who's who, which is normal. Then I was hooked and can't wait for season 2. It's no Power but definitely worth watching.

Who invented this shaky camera filming? He should be banned from filmmaking for the rest of her/his life. It is horrible and makes me a headache. This would have been so good with descent directing. Now it's awful.