Satisfaction

Sure there are tons of shows in prime time and elsewhere where adultery happens, but a show whose very premise is based on something that most of us, in our personal lives, find ugly goes a bit too far. And tit-for-tat infidelity is just wrong. To walk open-eyed into extra-marital relationships just because a marriage is unsatisfying is easy but at heart, lazy. Either work on the marriage or get a divorce. But as my mother used to say, "Don't land another plane until you've cleared the runway." The funny thing about us humans is that even though we are 21st century hip, we still, thank God, cannot jettison our morality and our emotions when we are on the "victim" end of violations of that morality. Wrongness wrapped in beautiful sets, rocking bodies, and decent acting is still wrongness. So low marks to a show that tries to make us forgot our moral compasses in exchange for cool.

What can I say for the new USA series "Satisfaction" it's a show that teases you watch it week after week and nothing really big happens true their is plenty of skin and love scenes still the story still does frown you with it's drama and discovery. Still it's a guilty pleasure as a plot about a husband Neil Truman(Matt Passmore) and wife Grace(Stephanie Szostak) who have an open marriage of sleeping around with escorts to spice up their love life is interesting. And the series has good eye candy in the form of pimp business lady Adriana(the sexy Katherine LaNasa). Overall it's a sexy series with lust, fun and intimate feel certainly a different kind of series for USA network.

"Satisfaction" begins with Neil Truman (Matt Passmore) having a terrible day. To top it off, he happens upon his wife, Grace (Stephanie Szostak) getting it on with another guy. Neil discovers that the other man is a paid escort, Simon (Blair Redford).

Neil comes into possession of Simon's phone, including all his contacts. On a whim, Neil takes a call and manages to fill in for Simon with a client.

Neil's heart belongs to his wife and his daughter, Anika (Michelle DeShon), who is having her own issues. But he has dipped a toe into forbidden waters and he is fascinated. He meets a modern day madam, Adrianna, played strikingly by Katherine LaNasa. She offers him a job working for her, which he declines.

As Neil juggles the various aspects of his life--and dabbles in Zen meditation to cope--things get more complicated. He knows Grace is lying to him. He is lying to her too, but she doesn't know it. The web of deception allows them to seek answers outside the marriage while they try to save it. Can that approach work? "You never really know where enlightenment will come from," he says in a voice over.

I find the story, after two episodes, to be well written. This is a sexy show. And there is an air of mystery surrounding the entire storyline. The acting is good.

On message boards, I have seen comments about the characters not being likable, but I disagree. Though they may be confused, they truly care about each other. The dilemmas they face are real and not uncommon. They are living in a world that is recognizable to many who work in high-pressure jobs, who lose sight of what their family needs, who wish to find a balance that promotes happiness for themselves and those they love.

So far, the story is in a state of imbalance. It is difficult to know what will develop and how Neil and Grace will achieve some equilibrium in their relationship. At this early stage in the story, I am interested in watching to find out.

Update 8/22/14: As the story lines expand to include other characters, the show is getting more interesting.

Satisfaction has very interesting and unusual plot. Even though scenario is little bit annoying, chain of events are amazing and addictive. Especially secrets between Grace and Neil also Neil's question about his relationships are real power of this TV show. Actually, Satisfaction show us consequences of very common problem in the world that is Married Couples' monotone lifestyles with unusual storytelling and incredible acting. Nonetheless, I have some doubts about continuation of Satisfaction, because when secrets between Grace and Neil are revealed, What would happen, after the revelations unless there will be strong scenario like previous episodes, ıt would be messy. I hope after the sharing or revealing secrets TV show does not lose its unique atmosphere and original storytelling, because everyone knows that TV series like Satisfaction includes clichés at some point. Anyway I am just waiting to find out what will be going on next eagerly and gladly.

The pilot of Satisfaction was very good. In its 65' feels more like a movie than an episode of a series.

Neil, a successful investment banker and a family man, has an epiphany and thinks he's living a life without meaning. He decides to do something about that, to speak the truth, to take matters in his own hand, but... the results are far from what he might expected! After the end of the pilot everything seems completed though. Most of the characters did their circle and any farther reference to them anymore seems futile. But it's a show, not a movie! So these characters keep coming back. Their story didn't end but now they seem totally unnecessary.

Just finished watching the second (42' this time) episode and now my initial good review is changing to the worst. The editing is now avoiding crucial parts of what is happening. The script is making the characters more wooden and predictable. I, as a viewer, now care less about them.

The show unfortunately turns into a sitcom. There are even some elements of comic relief, like with a Buddhist "Monk" (another character who completed his circle in the pilot, but he is still present in the 2nd episode) who's pickpocketing a cellphone to send a SMS.

Also in the second episode we get to see the title sequence, with a nip-tuck version of Satisfaction (by the Rolling stones), that I really truly wished not to be the music theme of series, but in vain.

Overall: See the pilot. If you question yourself after, "Where the show goes from here?" skip the rest of the series.