Quantcast

Important Notice

Special captions are available for the humor-impaired.

Pages

Sunday, December 28, 2014

Educated Adults Watch TV, Too!


Mozart in the Jungle on Amazon

Wow! Powerful. Passionate. Intelligent. Beautiful. Not exactly words usually associated with a TV series. We've come a long way from Green Acres, The Beverly Hillbillies, Eight is Enough, American Idol, and whatever insipid trash we've been buried under for so much of the history of the television genre.

Gael Garcia Bernal is the perfect mad genius. This is the best work he has ever done and the best character he has played—that's saying a lot because he's been good in everything. "He does have an undeniable charm," it is said of him at one point—very easily the biggest understatement this TV season. Here's the key: charm, something almost impossible to define. On paper it's easy enough: to delight or please greatly by beauty, attractiveness, etc.; enchant, but on the screen it's another story altogether. Were it not for his enormous charm the character of Rodrigo would just be annoying. This works for the Malcolm McDowell character but he has less presence in the series and serves as a foil to Rodrigo.

And then there is just the perfect touch of humor. There also happens to be a lot of great music.

I do have one complaint. I can't believe that I'm saying this about film but the episodes should be longer; talk about leaving your audience wanting more.

No comments:

Post a Comment

If you can't say something nice, say it here.