It isn't as over the top as the trailers. Characters seem to be pretty well done, and I'm enjoying the sets, must of cost a fortune.

+1, the story is deeper than the trailers show. Some liberty with the original story, but that was to be expected. Just finished the first season, and I'm looking forward to seeing the second one.

You can watch all ten episodes of Transparent today for free, no prime sub required. (Amazon)

Going through "Breaking Bad". I like it a lot, but it's getting more depressing as it goes through.

You're in for a treat. Which season are you watching right now ?

You're in for a treat. Which season are you watching right now ?

Will finish 2nd Season today. It's pretty engaging but Jesse exasperates me sometimes.

So I watched the available episodes of Grand Hotel, e01-42. As someone who hates hotels (except the Westins because they're built in an open style), a long series set in a hotel is far from a natural fit. Moreover, I have a hard time understanding why a provincial resort hotel on the northern coast of Spain would have been so socially important in 1905.

But setting aside the premises and the premise and the Cathtilian, the series' social world of manners and discretion is quite involving. If you enjoy understated dramas with a strong element of mystery, you might really like it. Yes, it has a soap opera-ish element. And a little too well-scripted, though there's art in that too. But it's disarmingly "predictable," which makes it not so predictable after all.

Two words of warning: almost every episode ends on a cliff-hanger, and I want to kill netflix because they don't have the last 10 episodes yet--and it's on a cliff-hanger!!!

Season 1 (e01-14)  4/5 or 8/10
Season 2 (e15-28)  3/5 or 6/10
Season 3 (e29-42)  4/5 or 8/10


Now I'm watching Blue Bloods. It's about an Irish family of cops (and lawyers) in my old hometown, New York. Tom Sellick plays the NYPD chief and paterfamilias. It's something of a slow-burner: in the early episodes, the actors are still settling into their roles and the plot hasn't taken off yet. But I quickly came to enjoy it because the character show real moral character and civic virtue. I'm especially pleased that they dropped the "club music" from the opening scenes in favor somewhat elegiac orchestral music--much more appropriate.

Seasons 1-4  4/5 or 8/10