jrg-ras-266-436267
Just watched the first episode last night. Aside from the garish colors and the punk overtones, I was enthralled. Like Shakespeare's stage directions, the bio for historical Will is sparse leaving ample room for dramatic embellishment. I thought it was clever the way the writers wove ideas and fragments of speeches from the plays throughout the first episode. Especially enjoyed the "duel" of words between Robert Greene and Will in iambic pentameter. If the rest of the episodes prove as entertaining and engrossing as the first, this series will be a treat! Oh, and after about the first 10 min I was over the garish colors and punk overtones.
paulellerman
The plot is a bit out of focus and random, but somehow everything still manages to come together and provide above average entertainment. The actors are very spirited which is one of the biggest pluses. There are very few period piece TV shows that I have found to be worth watching, but this is one of them. The sets are done well enough so that it really kind of brings you back to another day and age. The music, even though it doesn't necessarily fit the period the show is set in, still adds a youthful and vibrant touch to the show.
thomasgrindol
This show has gotten a lot of hate that it does not deserve. The actors are very charming and Laurie Davidson does an especially good job at showing Will as a troubled man who wants to achieve success but struggles with his personal demons. It also manages to deliver a good message about religious tolerance without making it preachy or annoying. The main problem is that the show struggles with keeping a consistent tone, going from dramatic to cheerful without much transition. While this show may not be historically accurate it is compelling and when it wants to be dramatic it does it very well.
R.L. Buckley
The jury is still out for me on this one. . . I was looking forward to this series with considerable anticipation, and after seeing the first night's episodes, am now not so sure this is one I will faithfully make an effort to see each week. I was immediately put off with the graphic, nothing left to the imagination, disembowelment scene at the beginning of the show. While some might argue it was to provide a necessary component depicting a level of the barbarity of the times, I never feel it is a requirement to include something that disgusting, ever. Filmmakers have been capable of conveying what they want you to know/feel, without having to go that far, for decades. Apparently the folks producing this show don't think alluding to the barbarity is enough, or that the audience is capable of using their imagination, because they then followed up shortly thereafter with another guy being gruesomely tortured. I came to be entertained, not grossed out.I was secondly very disappointed that they felt it necessary to borrow the cast from Mad Max and then dip dye and tattoo them all, whilst clothing them in apparel that looked like something straight out of a 1980s rave. Really? While I expected the show to have SOME fun with artistic license, this was ridiculous. I found it difficult to concentrate on the story line because so many people looked so out of place. C'mon. Folks were not running around with shock blue, hot pink, lime green, pale purple and neon yellow hair on half shaved heads and spiky hair back then, with tattoos of objects that did not exist yet on their arms and necks. (And could someone tell these folks that plastic, reflective sequins and trim didn't exist then, either?)I'm not crazy about the music chosen either. What is the flavor they are trying to create here? I'm not sure. Knight's Tale it ain't - that was supposed to be humorous. If it was supposed to be humorous here, it didn't work. It just seemed odd and out of place. Using music appropriate to the time would have provided better flow, although I'm sure there are plenty who might not agree.I also expected bawdy and lewd to be in attendance, given the time this is set in. Be forewarned that you do not want your children in attendance while you watch this, though, or anyone with whom you would be uncomfortable sitting through sex scenes, with everything on display but the "private bits". Additionally, the manner in which the theater actors kept forcefully and loudly slinging themselves about the stage seemed over done. Maybe that was to provide a backdrop against which the acting becomes more refined under Shakespeare? Don't know. Remains to be seen I guess.Given the above, one might wonder why I would continue watching at all. Well, I have always been intrigued by this time period, and I do find the manner in which Shakespeare is being played/portrayed interesting, so I guess I'm hoping this will get better. I'll give it a couple more episodes before I decide whether or not to give up on it.
