Quarterlife

So I was genuinely surprised by this show. I wasn't expecting such a high quality show. Mostly because I was TOLD to not expect such a high quality show. I'm not sure why the reviewers have such a hate on for it. Maybe they can't appreciate good character dramas.

The characters are dynamic and complex, and you really get to know them throughout the course of the show. They deal with interesting subjects, like sexual identity and creatively "selling out", but not in a standard "look at us deal with problems" sort of way that is all too common in TV. They do it with tact and grace, and all the while the characters continue to surprise you. The ones you hated at first have beautifully charming moments that turn into truly redeeming traits. The "strong" character never stays the strong character. And you get this real sense that these characters could be real people somewhere in Chicago.

Given the fact that this show is TV quality and was independently funded speaks wonders about the crew that put this together, and you can tell every step of the way that this is a project that they cared about doing. It's not just about making a show, it's about artistically putting something out there that they love. And the audience can feel that. It doesn't happen too often with shows anymore, and that's too bad.