I simply cannot fathom why this show exists at this particular moment in history. With all that's happening in Russia, the revolutionary fervor of a repressed class slowly realizing the world is indeed run by an oligarchy (or perhaps kleptocracy), and given the recent spate of hating-on-the rich movies and shows--why did the show runners decide to make this particular story now?
My main beef with it is how they represent the Ewan's class of aristocrats as just decent, normal people like the rest of us. Meanwhile the revolutionaries are mostly cold, heartless apparatchiks. There's no consideration given as to WHY they rebelled in the first place. It's like someone read Tale of Two Cities without gaining any insight into the nuanced interplay between normal people caught up in A Big Historical Moment.
If you want to see a far better (though satirical) depiction of Russian aristocracy at its finest, watch The Great.
I'm certainly not saying all aristocrats were bad and all revolutionaries were good. McGregor's character was the very definition of the word "gentleman." Impeccable. Irrepressible. Irreproachable, maybe. His basic decency would have been far more impactful if he were shown in the light contrasted against those of his horrendous, parasitic class.
One other complaint: the production quality was very "soap opera". It lacked the grit and depth of a well made period piece that pulls you in and suspends disbelief.
This review is based on the first episode, which I watched for free. I do not need to see the rest.
My main beef with it is how they represent the Ewan's class of aristocrats as just decent, normal people like the rest of us. Meanwhile the revolutionaries are mostly cold, heartless apparatchiks. There's no consideration given as to WHY they rebelled in the first place. It's like someone read Tale of Two Cities without gaining any insight into the nuanced interplay between normal people caught up in A Big Historical Moment.
If you want to see a far better (though satirical) depiction of Russian aristocracy at its finest, watch The Great.
I'm certainly not saying all aristocrats were bad and all revolutionaries were good. McGregor's character was the very definition of the word "gentleman." Impeccable. Irrepressible. Irreproachable, maybe. His basic decency would have been far more impactful if he were shown in the light contrasted against those of his horrendous, parasitic class.
One other complaint: the production quality was very "soap opera". It lacked the grit and depth of a well made period piece that pulls you in and suspends disbelief.
This review is based on the first episode, which I watched for free. I do not need to see the rest.