jax713

Despite its number one goal of trying to be "cool" at every turn, this show is a boring mess. Let's sidestep the many dumb notions like people telling Alan Cumming that he needs to lose weight or get back his mojo or his lawyer boyfriend signing a lease with a gaping loophole that no layperson with an ounce of sense would agree to. Look instead at the scripts which have inane dialog and are too easy to predict and which reach their resolution as fast as a speeding bullet, absent any tension or complexity. Look at the characters: the too-perfect Dylan with his daunting academic credentials, best selling book, spiffy wardrobe, cool motorcycle & CIA background. His only flaw seems to be that he acts like he's on speed all the time. Lizzie is a tiny sprite-like cop who fears nothing and no one though she could be swatted like a fly by anyone bigger than her. How she affords her NYC residence on a cop's salary is a mystery. Her too-young lieutenant boss has shown no ability for investigative strategy though she mentions how over worked she is. There is also the idealized liberal version of a NYC mayor: a young, beautiful black woman.

Everyone here is young, zippy and cool. And not believable. There is not one iota of wit, wisdom, suspense, plot development, or character authenticity to be found anywhere. But. hey, that's cool in today's American TV programs. (Minus) One star.

I've watched 3 episodes of Season One and am on the fence about continuing. There is very little that has reeled me in and, in fact, I dozed off during the second & third episodes and had to rewind. The acting is so bland and the injection of politically correct situations is forced in what is supposed to be a period piece and these two things do not lead to character invovlement. The only character I enjoyed so far was Frankie's mother in the first episode thanks to the skills of the actress. But the biggest sin in what I have seen is the absence of any mystery. You can pretty much figure out how the "mystery" is going to turn out within 10-15 minutes and then you have to sit through highly predictable character exposition where nothing is a surprise. Even the character of Ernest Hemingway is flat. It seems the "mystery" is a big challenge for the writers so it takes a back seat to all the various relationships going on which aren't very interesting because we've seen them all before. Send the SOS for better acting and better scripts! One-star for costumes.

Premise is good, acting is very good, dialogue is very good. Amy Huberman in the lead role of Tara is a strong actress able to carry the show but she has quite a few stellar actors in supporting roles to add a high level of polish to this show. The two sets of parents shine like stars in their limited scenes and the maverick mentor, Vincent, supplies just the right amount of edginess. After watching Season 1, I have hopes that follow-up seasons will expand those roles and also that the cafe owner will become more important in a variety of ways. I like that the philandering fiance was kept in the storyline and wonder if there's any way to redeem him, though I think not because he has a megalomania that would take years of therapy. Though I enjoyed this show, I was left with unanswered questions about what I felt were muddled plots: I wasn't sure how the bigamy case ended in favor of Tara's client (veiled references to stashed cash and something to do with jewelry); I wasn't sure about the conduct of the dad in the custody case; I wasn't sure about the extent of corruption in the bidding case; and the lease problem seems weak. I also have quite a few questions about Vincent's background because that role is so pivotal & entertaining. However, these are minor questions since the legal cases are overshadowed by the dynamics of all the relationships among the main characters but they add up to a 7 out of 10 rating. Looking forward to Season 2.