Onlinewsma
Absolutely Brilliant!
ChicRawIdol
A brilliant film that helped define a genre
Mathilde the Guild
Although I seem to have had higher expectations than I thought, the movie is super entertaining.
melcollins-98080
As a child of the '80s I am always excited to see a show about that era, but if you are like me and you're looking for something authentic, don't bother with this one. However, if you don't care about such things or don't know anything about being a young person in the '80s, go ahead, you might like it. For me, as soon as I hear words that weren't even in our vernacular in the '80s, it's a huge turnoff. This was a very sad imitation of some of the best tv and movies from the era of my coming-of-age. I can only guess the writers are too young or too old and pretty clueless about what it was really like. Or perhaps they are just targeting today's young people. In that case, the show really doesn't need to be set in the '80s at all. Art really did reflect life at the time, and we had some of the best and raunchiest movies that probably couldn't even be made in this day and age. Please don't imitate unless you can be real!
ginnseven
The pilot episode was sort of cliché and riddled with 80s music in an attempt to remain authentic. It tries too hard to be 80s and it shows. Unlike a great series like Stranger Things that builds on a solid premise that just happens to be set in that time period, Red Oaks tries to make an 80s themed series out of a jumble of the eras stereotypes. The biggest letdown is the main character who is far too nerdy to fit the part. No offense to this actor but he should be cast as the lead characters nerdy pal. There is no way someone like him would be a tennis pro dating a beautiful aerobics instructor in the 80s, in real life or in a movie. I remember the 80s and looks and materialism were the norm and the nerd did not get the girl unless it was at the end of a sappy flick, and even then the movie ended. They could have built it up and moved towards this character getting it all in the end which would have been a true 80s coming of age story. But this series does not know what it wants to be, a coming of age Wonder Years or a wacky Caddyshack free for all. I will try a few more episodes but I do not suspect much more.
theopinionatedindian
Red Oaks - Amazon Prime's hit dramedy is back with a third season & we sure were thrilled to view it.
The moment we were done with the first episode of the first season of the American show set in the 70's, we were bowled over. Every episode in the series is barely 22 mins long. While the first season dealt with the lead character - David Myers's (Craig Roberts) stint as a tennis coach for a summer in Red Oaks club. The second season spoke about the subsequent summer at the club. The season ended with David breaking up with his gf Skye & Skye's father losing his court battle.
The third season does not see David back to teaching tennis at the club. David is working in the city for ad film company. There is a new woman in David's life in the third season. His parents have moved on & are both seen to be exploring romantic opportunities with others. David's mother - Judy Myers (Jennifer Grey) is doing well as a real estate broker, whereas his father - Sam Myers (Richard Kind) has found a way to monetize his love for food. Sam has finally found love in a woman. Doug Getty (Paul Reiser) is in a minimum security prison for the rich. His daughter Skye (Alexandra Socha) does make an appearance in this season as well. A lot of time is devoted to Wheeler's (Oliver cooper) & Misty's (Alexandra Turshen) relationship. Nash(Ennis Esmer) - easily the most popular character on the show, has quite a few ups & down in the third season. He is not quite himself. He is not seen making sexist comments or flirt with women in this season.
With a run time of barely 22 mins, you end up wanting more. Every episode is entertaining & easy on your senses. Every character is well defined. Everybody in the cast does a good job. With Nash & wheeler becoming subdued versions of themselves, Doug has the best lines this season.
The ending does leave a lot to be desired. Despite the makers having made it clear that they won't be returning for a fourth season, there are several loose ends at the end of the show. Fans of the show will not get the closure they will have hoped for.
For those who are yet to see a single episode of this series, we highly recommend this series. And for those who have been following the series, do watch the show & bid goodbye to your favorite characters. We believe there was scope to extend the show by at least two seasons more!
ramair350
This show gets a very solid 9 of 10 from me. I'm in my 40s and therefore am a proud child of the 80s, so this show is fun for me for obvious reasons.I describe the show to others as what John Hughes would have done with a TV show. The struggles and awkwardness of young people is timeless, and while the setting is the 80s, anyone alive will relate to the story lines (whether you were a child of the 30s, or a child of the 2000's). The beauty of the series is that the characters become more and more developed, which ultimately is what makes or breaks most productions. Sure, this is a comedy, but it is moving and nostalgic in a way that few shows achieve.I just concluded the second season, and I liked it even more than the first. The music selection is spectacular; some of the selections I have not heard since the 80s, and so Amazon racked up a few extra MP3 purchases from me thanks to this show (Amazon, if you produce a Season 3 I promise there will be additional purchases to be made!). The ONLY weak point for the show occurred in Season 1, Episode 7. There are entire discussion threads dedicated to the subject, but honestly I would recommend that people completely skip that episode. Or perhaps some additional footage can be tacked on to the end to show that it was all a dream (a perfect 80s thing to do, right???). But if you can survive that ridiculousness, I promise the whole rest of the series is amazing, and just builds and gets better through Season 2.In summary, I am keeping my fingers crossed that Amazon keeps this incredible gem of a show going as it makes a wonderful addition to their lineup.
