Reviews

I really enjoyed season 1, and found it to be really addictive, like the best prison dramas. The dramatic pull was so strong that I could easily suspend my disbelief at all the crazy goings on. However, they cranked up the melodrama in season 2 beyond my what I could handle, so I dropped it after episode 4. The death of a key character at a significant moment in a very suspicious manner, and the operatic, slow motion reactions to it was one of the last straws. I wish the creative staff had practiced a little more restraint and tastefulness. However, their strategy seems to have paid off, at least in the Italian market, even if it doesn't displeases someone like me. I'm glad I watched season 1 though.

When it comes to this great premise--an odd, obsessive protagonist tries recreate parts of his life on sets using actors--first there was Tom McCarthy's 2005 novel Remainder. Then came Charlie Kaufman's 2008 movie Synecdoche, New York. Then there was Nathan Fielder's 2022 TV series The Rehearsal.

All are interesting and worth attention. The earliest part of this trilogy is the most difficult and complex work, the novel Remainder. The movie Synecdoche, New York is almost as difficult and complex as the novel, but is more entertaining. And The Rehearsal is the lightest and easiest to digest, being a subtle dramatic comedy. So you might want to watch The Rehearsal first, and if you love the premise like I did, then you can move on to Synecdoche, New York, and then lastly read the novel if you want to be really ambitious.

I'm glad I decided to watch this through the end, despite mixed feelings about the first episode. But the lead actress is so charismatic and fun to watch, that kept me going. After lots of light comedy, the last episode turned out to be surprisingly moving, making the whole series a very positive experience.

If you want to watch a bunch of crybabies feeling sorry for themselves nonstop, this show is for you. I wish I could just grab all these people by the collar and scream at them to just get the fk over it! People in real life lose loved ones every day, sometimes under mysterious circumstances, and 99% get on with their lives after several months, unlike in this implausible mopefest. Also, this guilty remnant cult is utterly unconvincing. Why would anyone except for the most damaged crackpots have any desire to join this cult that offers not the slightest lure (no group sex, no charismatic leader, no 72 virgins, no Tom Cruise or John Travolta).