New Eden

I'm not sure why every other commercial on CNN is for this Crave TV show, or why they only did one version of one commercial when they knew they'd be airing it a billion times, or why they chose the jokes they used in it because they weren't very funny. But after about the 794 millionth time I said "OK FINE I'LL WATCH IT!"

So then we watched it, and it was terrible. Basically what you'd expect if you gave a women's improv class a camera and said "yeah make something about a cult" (by this I don't mean the problem has anything to do with gender, it's just that 90+% of the cast is women, you could obviously also get a terrible show from a men's improv class).

Way too many drug and crazy person jokes, way too many cult jokes that have been done before and done better. The best jokes in fact are in the commercials which says a lot about what to expect from this show. We spent much more time rolling our eyes and groaning than laughing or even just smiling at any of the bad jokes in this.

2 stars, I've seen worse Canadian TV.

The pace of the show is incredibly quick. Right from the first episode the pace is set and by episode 4 I was surprised by just how much had changed. The pace kept me fairly attached as I devoured all 8 episodes in one sitting. If you aren't paying attention you will probably miss some plot points, which might make the finale all the more confusing.

The comedy is witty, and irreverent, without being clawing or routine. Not only the writing but the delivery is superb, and not only Loretta and Rosen but almost every performer has good delivery and timing. The Grace and Katherine characters complement eachother perfectly, and Loretta and Rosen are seemingly of singular vision. The Canadiana in this show is riveting too, "Go Bombers!", which pretty much sells me on it.

The show boasts a completely original premise that really pays off throughout the season and especially the finale. Also, the finale is completely satisfying, which I find rare in TV lately. There are countless high budget TV shows that can't produce a satisfactory finale, instead opting for gimmicks and a big cliffhanger. New Eden successfully ends the finale on such a perfect note I was almost vibrating with approval.

Setting it 30-50 years ago provides some serious nostalgia, and I think they achieve the effect admirably.

The subject matter is obviously very timely, and the show makes a good effort of addressing the modern viewpoint without being didactic and at the same time seamlessly satirizing aspects of feminism, counter culture, millenials, true crime, the media, the justice system, and obviously cults.

In terms of mockumentary style Id place it somewhere between Arrested Development(short the narrator), The Office(short the episodic nature) and Dateline(short the frustrating pace). In terms of pace I'd place it up somewhere near Portlandia, or perhaps The Drunk and On Drugs Happy Funtime Hour.

Had I known this show was to be released on New Year's I would have watched it that much sooner. I enjoyed it so much that I signed up to IMDB just to write this review. This is the type of Canadian content that will have me asking for more, and watching for forthcoming works by Loretta and Rosen.

I was impressed with the realism of this mockumentary. The camera work and transitions through the years was very well done. I loved the bratty boy Adam especially when he goes running through their reunion.

I enjoyed watching this mockumentary more than I thought, it is well thought-through, characters are interesting and it's funny - not hilarious, but it made me laugh. I didn't know any of the actors before I saw "New Eden", which helped me getting into the illusion of watching a real story/documentary. The scene at the very end could be a little bit more refined, but all in all it is a story you could believe really happened. The cameo-like real-celebrity appearances in the "old footage" are also fun to watch. I can only recommend "New Eden".

This miniseries is surprisingly good. It's all made to look like a real documentary, and it is all very well done and very convincing.

Although the storyline seems predictable, there are twists that you don't expect. All with a light touch of humor that brings a special charm to the show.

I recommend this miniseries to everyone. It deserves much more attention and recognition than it receives.