As someone who grew up in the 70's watching crime shows like Kojack, Baretta etc... that were set in NYC you just knew you weren't getting the true eyeful of what was really happening unless you were old enough to see "R" rated movies like Taxi Driver or the French Connection and even then the time constraints of a 2 hour flick only gave a director and crew enough time to flesh out the main character with other characters just being there in a supporting role. The first episode is always the toughest to get into because it takes time to get know who you like and don't like in the ensemble of characters or whether the story will keep you watching future episodes. The first episode starts pretty much as you'd expect with mostly typical stereotypes of what one would imagine Times Square was like in that era with pimps, hookers and wiseguys and a guy who just trying to make a semi-honest living in the morass. After watching the 1st episode I still wasn't sure about how good this could be but after the 2nd you start seeing more pieces coming to play, by the 3rd you could tell it was definitely going to be a good series.
The weaknesses of some characters (like the wiseguys) could be tuned up as the show progresses, just like they get tuned up or deleted on any new show. Some say it mimics other great HBO shows of the past, as if that's a negative. There's a reason many of Hollywood's stars are jumping in and doing these type of shows on streaming and cable, it gives them a chance to flesh out a character over 8-10 hours or more, not just the standard 2 hour "Hurry up and get it done, where's my paycheck, I'll be back for the sequel" mentality.
Yes, there's too much sex, but Times Square didn't become a G-Rated Disney destination because it was the best part of NYC, it's seediness and lack of real estate value is what drew the new commercialization that we see today, something the show starts addressing in the 2nd episode.
The weaknesses of some characters (like the wiseguys) could be tuned up as the show progresses, just like they get tuned up or deleted on any new show. Some say it mimics other great HBO shows of the past, as if that's a negative. There's a reason many of Hollywood's stars are jumping in and doing these type of shows on streaming and cable, it gives them a chance to flesh out a character over 8-10 hours or more, not just the standard 2 hour "Hurry up and get it done, where's my paycheck, I'll be back for the sequel" mentality.
Yes, there's too much sex, but Times Square didn't become a G-Rated Disney destination because it was the best part of NYC, it's seediness and lack of real estate value is what drew the new commercialization that we see today, something the show starts addressing in the 2nd episode.