Kaka

There's plenty of fuck-ups and shocking surprises to go around. The second half of the third season has a very decent pace so far.

Complete victory in a very shaky and not very realistic way. It smacks a bit of cheap serial theatricality like those second rate shows on Hallmark, but even so, there are bright, really impressive authentic moments among the would-be elaborate acting.

I sincerely hope that the sixth episode is not a premature climax to the third season, although many indicators strongly suggest it. There are some superbly tuned situations, excellent Spyros, Connerty and the last minutes are good. Let’s hope they can keep the pace.

If there's anything to single out in this episode, it's Taylor's strange romance, where the viewer unfortunately sees more than is really necessary. Otherwise, it's a typical fifth episode that fills the otherwise exciting beginning and end of this excellent series with padding and a lot of unnecessary dialogue.

Two excellent highlights. One concerns a father and son who form a very interesting personality and intellectual tandem. The other is the reverse psychology regarding solar panels. And, for a change, a gala presentation of the opposing party.

For an episode it's excellent as expected. There are major changes, one of the characters flips under overwhelming pressure and an offer that can't be refused. Overall it's pumped up with enjoyable twists and thrilling shifts in the story.

What's annoying about unnecessary episodes like this is the fact that some of the twists and changes happen just sort of randomly, precisely the way one of the main characters needs. And, of course, how the writers need them in order to glue this colossus together and mix it into an ideal construct of everything key that the audience likes. But the ambitious will see through it and it doesn't taste quite as it should. It needs to be better.

Quite a decisive step into the third season, with a lot of fundamental changes that are hidden "between" the seasons, with the viewer being forced to guess them sometimes. But why not? A penthouse is a better haven than a castle. The important thing is that the original group is still on the scene and in the mood, and there are new players coming in who will definitely have something to offer.

A warm-up act for Suburra. The charisma of the protagonist is undeniable and the work with the narrative of the plot is impressive and holds the attention. It's just a pity about the overly cowboy finale, which knocks down the otherwise quite successful mafia atmosphere and the raw setting of cold Latvia. And unlike Suburra, where all the characters are interesting, here it’s only the main one.

Text-book second season. More elaborate, with new and engaging characters, all kind of leveled up. But the first season was better. It was more focused on the main characters and their motives and motivations, it was better balanced dramaturgically and with a stronger emotional impact. The second season season is too much off kilter, and that doesn't help it. Still damn engaging, clever, and superbly acted on all fronts.