Through the first five episodes. The pacing is insanely slow - somehow thought, it still kind of hooks you.

I watch it. It's Okay. I'll finish it. Don't like the prison stuff.

Quoted from Demento I watch it. It's Okay. I'll finish it. Don't like the prison stuff.

Concur with you - so far - the caveat as I don't know where they are taking the main character and the prison stuff may end up being critical. But - I get your point - every time they leave Torturo or some other aspect of the investigation to go to the prison scenes - I'm bored and  just biding my time until they get bac to the prime story line.

Quoted from eldave1 Concur with you - so far - the caveat as I don't know where they are taking the main character and the prison stuff may end up being critical. But - I get your point - every time they leave Torturo or some other aspect of the investigation to go to the prison scenes - I'm bored and  just biding my time until they get bac to the prime story line.

The prison stuff just seems so extreme. Like the guy is in prison for a murder we are led to think he didn't commit. Now he's been put in some Oz like situation, where he has to do crazy stuff just to stay alive. You'd think such a high profile inmate will be better taken care off with a pending trial that is front page news.

And we are led to believe that he'll likely get off in the end, because there have been more than a few red herrings and hints that he didn't do it in the first episode. So, what will all that prison stuff mean in the end? It feels like filler. And it's cliche. We have the powerful inmate, that'll take the new guy under his wing, but it's not going to be for free.

Turturro's character is carrying this show. When he's on the screen, there's a feeling that the show is moving forward and you're watching something worthwhile.

Quoted Text Turturro's character is carrying this show. When he's on the screen, there's a feeling that the show is moving forward and you're watching something worthwhile.

Completely agree with this

There were moments of true brilliance here that ultimately make it worth watching, but IMO the series is also bogged down by numerous flaws.

My skepticism was high right out of the gate, from the opening credits, in which you can almost hear the HBO executives saying, "Make it just like True Detective...only different."

John Turturro is the primary reason to watch.  His deeply flawed character is a magnetic presence in every scene he is in.  The role wasn't even written for him -- it was supposed to be the late, great James Gandolfini -- but Turturro somehow owns it so you can envision nobody else in that role.  A nomination of some sort is surely coming.  It was also great to see HBO staple Michael Williams again.  Something about that guy I always enjoy.  But in the end, he was just filler.

Utterly ridiculous, however, was the Chandra character, the Indian (or something, I forget) defense attorney.  Her introduction was organic and potentially compelling at the outset, but where they took her was just stupid.  Senseless, even.  The story would have been far better off if she was only around for the first few episodes in which we met her.  

Even more offensive to my own screenwriting sensibilities was that cat.  I cannot recall a more deliberate, literal use of save the cat, and that really bothered me for some (probably silly) reason.  My non-screenwriting wife loved it, though.  She literally said out loud, "Yay, the cat!" at the end, so I guess the trope exists for a reason.  Whatever.

Without spoiling the final episode -- well, except for the cat, I guess -- it is far from satisfying.  Great acting throughout, with some truly riveting scenes in the mix, and beautifully shot.  But for me, it ends with a whimper.

Concur

Remove Chandra's escapades and make this primarily about Torturo's character and you have an A+.  Instead - B-

With all its flaws, and there were many, I thought it still stood above almost any drama currently on TV or cable. I agree that "Stone" carried the series, but "Naz" and "Helen Weiss" were quietly compelling. The ending was just ok for me, but maybe my expectations were too high. Anyway, SPOILER - my favorite moment, which I didn't see coming - the cat.

I enjoyed it enough, even though it's been pretty low-key as a series and I've never been itching for the next episode like I have been with other shows. I liked the ambiguity of whether or not Nas did indeed kill that woman, among other things. They set up his character so that you like him and want to believe he didn't do it, but even before they turn the tables, you know it's entirely possible that he did. I also liked the examinations of the justice system. A lot of it's dramatized for sure, but it brought up some interesting themes that I haven't really seen explored before in other prison-themed works.

At the very least, a good placeholder between GOT and Narcos (this week!!!).