2023 TV Shows Ranked list on my profile --> https://trakt.tv/users/justinnumerick/lists/2023-tv-shows-ranked?sort=rank,asc


Review:
I'm having a hard time rating this one because in some ways this is phenomenal television, but in other ways some things didn't quite work for me, and some things took me a bit to adjust to. Regarding that last point, I'm really just talking about the nudity. I've seen plenty of shows with nudity in it, but this was a bit more than I'm used to so it came as a surprise at first until I could adjust. I did enjoy how it helped make everything feel incredibly raw and grounded, though. As for what I did love about this, it starts with Dominique Fishback, who was nothing short of phenomenal. She pulled off this character so well and the entire series felt like a showcase for her to flex her acting skills, and I was loving it. From her perfect line delivery to her awkward and very unsettling movement, it all worked great. I also thought the couple of supporting characters were great, Billie Eilish especially surprising me with how good she was. I also really loved the style they pulled off in the direction and cinematography. I'm not smart enough to know the technical terms for how they do this, but they did that thing that makes the shots look super grainy and cheap, which I really enjoyed here because it added to the incredibly grounded feel. Almost like we were watching these things play out for real on hidden cameras and seeing things we weren't supposed to be seeing. Beyond that, the shot selection was perfect for supporting the grounded feel and there were some standout shots regarding cinematography with lighting and colors. Another strong point is the themes the show goes for in regard to toxic fandom. I thought it was a very interesting exploration of that topic through the lens of a single character study, with lots of connections to real life that made it feel realistic but like a heightened and exaggerated reality. All together that thematic richness was very enjoyable. The main thing holding this back for me is that I don't think it did enough to make me feel for Dre, personally. They do provide a backstory and I enjoy how we get that information slowly hinted at and revealed later in the series, but I had a difficult time feeling sympathy or empathy for Dre as a character. I didn't particularly like her at all, and therefore found myself rooting against her rather than for her. So when she continues to get away with everything, I'm left with feelings of frustration more than anything, and she came across as very immature and annoying. I get that this was sort of the point, but I've seen a lot of other people comment on how she was sympathetic and likable which made her someone to root for despite her obvious issues, while I just didn't have that same experience and therefore I didn't have as much of an appreciation for the character. This takes absolutely nothing away from Dominique Fishback, though, whose performance is still the absolute best part of the show. Overall, some things didn't fully land but on a technical and performance level this was one of the best shows I've watched so far this year, and the themes it explored were genuinely intriguing. Beyond that, it's an incredibly quick watch yet nothing felt too rushed, which I found very refreshing.

8.1/10 -- Great