Unscripted

Unlike other viewers (posting on this site), I thoroughly enjoyed the debut episodes of "unscripted." Certainly I agree that the show might not be on the same plane as "Larry Sanders," "Curb," or "Arrested Development," but those shows are neo-classics. Furthermore, Clooney et al are attempting to do something very different here than we see with those programs.

Krista Allen and Bryan Greenburg's characters are endearing, even if the other students portrayed are a bit formulaic and silly. Frank Langella's depiction of the brutally honest acting coach is riveting and entirely realistic as a portrayal of an advanced drama coach.

This is an insightful and creative look at a few of the thousands of actors on the edge of making it, and infinitely more entertaining than HBO's recent attempt ("Entorage"...and rare dud) at creating a television show about an actor who already has.

On the border of mockumentary and drama, Unscripted focuses on the lives of three struggling actors without the glamor and fake tension found in Hollywood or reality shows. The only connection between the three actors is an acting class they all attend, though they each go on their own acting endeavors.

The struggling and determination of what the characters go through truly touched me. Unscripted records the odyssey these people go through to make it big, from numerous dead end auditions to making ends meet. Instead of the actors discussing the latest Hollywood flick they starred in, they converse about the latest walk on role they had or which show hired them as a stand in. It isn't as cut throat as Greenlight, and truly allows the viewer to get in depth with the character and feel the struggle they're going through.

I couldn't help but be drawn into the drama of the lives of three struggling mid-range actors as they experience the ups and downs of life in Hollywood. While I've read critiques that say their modicum of success makes the show unrealistic, I find it all the more fascinating to see how the lives of these actors change as they fluctuate in and out of Movieland's Pergatory.

The story of the down and out actor who crawls home with his tail between his legs has already been told, as has the story of the actor who goes from rags to riches, but the in-between state in which these men women function is something altogether new to me, and I find it far more fascinating than the hyperbolic drivel that the other extremes present.

The dialogue in this show is real, and frankly perfect. The story lines are beautifully subtle, the imagery is exactly what it needs to be, and the cameos provide the final ingredient that make this quite possibly the finest television drama I've ever seen.

This is an unusual show in that, while it is fictional, the actors are actually playing themselves. Which is a little strange, since occasionally they don't portray themselves in a particularly positive light (one actress, for example, sleeps with her acting teacher).

Nevertheless, the show is very well acted and directed. The style is unmistakably Soderbergh--hand-held camera, sound overlapping silent shots, etc. The show incorporates celebrity cameos in a very real, organic way, rather than being jokey about it. Overall, a compelling watch.

Problem is, the subject matter is so old, that I can't imagine this show remaining fresh for more than a season. You mean, the life of an actor is extremely tough and often degrading? I had no idea! Especially because the show takes place in LA, rather than New York. In NY, actors at least do interesting things while their miserable. LA is all about going on auditions for bit parts on second-rate sitcoms, a life which I find so pointless that I have a hard time relating to people trying to "make it" in Hollywood.

Who am I kidding? Like I won't watch it compulsively ...

I've seen the first four episodes of unscripted and i think this is a great new format for TV series. I'm really into the series, very Soderbergh's style, the colors in the background with a lot of yellows and blues, great story with so many very funny but credible moments like the one with Krista yelling in the wrong office with Sam Mendez or Jen sitting in Brad Pitts chair and asking Limon if he was involved in the movie (He is the director of Mr. and Mrs. Smith). Frank Langella is a fine actor and his performance so far i've seen is flawless. Krista Allen, Jennifer Hall and Bryan Greenberg show the tough life of young actors trying to make his own way in Hollywood.

It's a GREAT SERIES! another hit series from HBO.