Goliath

First let me say that billy bob was built for this role. Picking him was the obvious choice because there is almost no one that can play a washed up brilliant drunk the way he can.

Now as for the actual series. We have Billy, who's a retired defense attorney thrown back in law after he gets tossed a case about a guy on a boat that blew up. At first it just sounds like a regular case, and then it quickly becomes apparent that there's a lot wrong with it. The long and short of it is that this series is layered perfectly, you never see what's coming because they scripted it in a way in which you don't get to see around the bends.

10/10 great acting, great directing, and an amazing script.

Moves briskly despite the length, great courtroom scenes, amazing work from the actors, all of them. Nina Arianda, Tania Raymonde and Olivia Thirlby are standouts in a cast featuring Thornton, William Hurt and Molly Parker, and this is the first role I've seen Harold Perrineau in where I didn't see him, just his character. Maria Bello is quite good as well.

One of the best shows of the year, for me. Maybe 2-3 mildly preachy bits that dragged, but altogether solid. While there's not much actual action, a lot happens, but it doesn't feel clumsy or forced. I would be into a season 2.

Random Thought Review

This show, hopefully a limited run extended mini-series is a gritty, dirty, nasty "Good Wife" with a bad attitude.

Where "The Good Wife" was upscale and cast with beautiful actors and filmed in bright colors and light, "Goliath" is the opposite. Billy Bob Thornton would not have been cast at an attorney on "The Good Wife." Billy Bob Thornton is beat up looking in real life and plays a beat up burned out attorney living in a low rent apartment on the beach near Los Angeles.

Billy McBride's allies are fatally flawed and compared to "The Good Wife" unattractive. His associates look like ordinary people you'd meet in the supermarket. Great casting in other words.

The attorneys at "Cooperman-McBride" are simply over-the-top in their nastiness. William Hurt gave me nightmares. That man is a genius in getting into character - in this case, I hope he was able to shake Cooperman after wrapping on Goliath. I'd hate to have that character haunt me after the show wrapped.

Over all this gritty take on a legal drama is great simply because it is so different from the long running "Good Wife."

Just my random thoughts.

Amazon smartly released all 8 episodes of Goliath so you could binge and follow the full arc of the story in a continuous setting. Goliath doesn't bury the lead by making you watch 7 episodes before stuff happens. Crucial elements of the story are revealed quickly and consistently and still it goes a full 8 episodes. Billy Bob Thornton just absolutely crushes it with his unique voice. Combined with Nina Arianda, it may have the best acting on TV that seems to never get noticed.

Meanwhile Apple continues to water-board viewers as it slow rolls its shows, with one episode at a time making you forget the reason you watched the first 2 episodes of any of their shows in the first place. They have ruined Ted Lasso and pretty much every other show in this way. I mention this b/c Apple put out several shows at the same time Goliath was released, including Foundation, See, and Ted Lasso. Goliath's full season was more satisying than all 3 of those shows combined.

I thought season 1 was great and looking forward to season 2. However, the storyline was a bit boring and didnt care much for any of the characters. Very disappointed with the second season. Please dont bring back the writers from season 2 if the creators plan a season 3.