drjgardner

Yes it's a sitcom and yes it has canned laughter and yes it has only a few locations. So what. The writing is good, the acting is good, and the characters are realistic. Particularly good are the three lead actors but the supporting cast also does a great job and it's difficult to pick any one out. I'll do it anyway. The son and daughter are a hoot. And I appreciate that one of the main supporting folks is in a wheelchair and nobody dwells on it. Really nice.

What also appeals is the range of subjects they deal with - from divorce, living with parents, differences between kids, older people romance, etc. Yes. It's all been done before, but they do it well.

Sugar has so much to recommend it, one hardly knows where to begin. Acting - from Colin Farrell, Amy Ryan, Dennis Boutsikaria, Nate Corddry and Anna Gunn is remarkable. Everyone does a good job, but these are at the top of their game. The story is exceptional. Excellent writing. The twists and turns will keep you guessing until the 4th or 5th episode. The editing with the classic film clips where appropriate is very good - perfect for this type of film. You can binge-watch or you can go by episode, but I recommend binge watching because the plot is convoluted (in a good way). Let's hope their is s sequel.

In a long and prestigious career, Michael Douglas has delivered many good performances, some of which are even very good. In Franklin, he shines as never before. "Michael Douglas as Ben Franklin?" you're thinking and so did I. No one had more skepticism than I when viewing this series. Then it happened. First, it was the speech. He sounds like Franklin (I should know, I've researched him for my own book). Not merely the words, but the tone, the spaces, etc. Then the mannerisms. He's even got the walk down to perfecting. The last thing was the face. Yes, I could see that it was Michael Douglas playing Franklin, but eventually I stopped seeing him and just saw Franklin. Of course, he isn't there alone. The rest of the cast is wonderful too. Why a 9 and not a 10. The photography and direction are also exceptional,. But they don't earn the top marks as does the acting.