Over-produced and just plain dumb. The focus is not the performers, but the panel of judges who are the real drama here. Albeit, lame drama. Get past the auditions, which seemed to last an eternity, and you are left with a "competition" that is comprised of judges clashing egos. For the most part the talent is not front and center, the performance is lost in lights and smoke and dancers and orchestration that takes the eye and ear to everything but the singer. At least with American Idol the focus really is on the performer. There is some true talent on this show (not the judges, no way). But they are being lost to the infighting and strutting of the judges. I'm not watching it anymore.
Reviews
2 Reviews
The Borgias
(2011–2013)
Costumes yes, drama no
14 April 2011
"The Borgias" misses the mark because of weak writing. The sets are grand, the costumes are extravagant, but the acting is stymied by a lack of depth in the storytelling.
How Neil Jordan, the creator and principal writer of this series, could make late fifteenth century intrigue so flat and so boring is a mystery. As I watched the first episode I wondered why it was taking so long to lay the groundwork for the Borgia's machinations.
Characters who maneuver and manipulate, who embrace corruption and strive toward their ends by any means possible, need to be shown this purpose driven. Certainly there can be moments of doubt, moments when they lose control, times when they make mistakes. But as this series has been written, the Borgias don't seem to control events but rather react to them. Leaving those of us in the audience to wonder when will Rodrigo and Cesare Borgia control events and take charge.
After watching the second episode I realized there would be no real tension, no complex strategies, no delicious evil. Most of the effort in this series is put toward mounting extravagant pageantry, such as the Vatican rituals of installing the new Pope or new cardinals. This is no "Spartacus", no "Boardwalk Empire", no "Sopranos".
I'll pass on the rest of it.
How Neil Jordan, the creator and principal writer of this series, could make late fifteenth century intrigue so flat and so boring is a mystery. As I watched the first episode I wondered why it was taking so long to lay the groundwork for the Borgia's machinations.
Characters who maneuver and manipulate, who embrace corruption and strive toward their ends by any means possible, need to be shown this purpose driven. Certainly there can be moments of doubt, moments when they lose control, times when they make mistakes. But as this series has been written, the Borgias don't seem to control events but rather react to them. Leaving those of us in the audience to wonder when will Rodrigo and Cesare Borgia control events and take charge.
After watching the second episode I realized there would be no real tension, no complex strategies, no delicious evil. Most of the effort in this series is put toward mounting extravagant pageantry, such as the Vatican rituals of installing the new Pope or new cardinals. This is no "Spartacus", no "Boardwalk Empire", no "Sopranos".
I'll pass on the rest of it.
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