theraconteurgirl

Awesome. Fantastic. I felt like I was in a war zone. Well done. This is too much work. I just say great, but I need to write 150 wds. You guys are nazis. Let freedom reign.

I mean seriously? Where were they? Bad plotting/writing. Makes zero plot sense. No wonder this ep only scores in the 7s. Couldn't you afford better writers?

If only the story had been a little more... Story.

This movie didn't make us care about any of the characters. Jon Snow was in the first ten mins and then... where?

The best personality's died. And after that... Meh.

You need more than "Marvel" in the production ppl & an amageddon scenario.

Yaaaaaaawn.

Possibly the most badly acted, poorly written, boring rom-com I've yet to encounter. None of the characters were even remotely likeable. The lead actress was cringey in her lines and delivery. Every single character came across as on the spectrum. I almost died yawning.

This show was brilliant until season 3. I gave it a ten. Now it sucks. 5 now - and that's generous.

What happened? Did all the writers have a collective woke brain fart? It's not even subtle. It's in your face wokeness that is really annoying. It makes for bad, boring TV. Eye-rollingly predictability boring.

If you're going to use a show to make political statements, at least try to do it intelligently.

So... there was absolutely no chemistry whatsoever between the main characters.

It a ok to be woke... but at least make sure you're actors have chemistry.

This movie was really bad. Even for a corny Hallmark-esque Christmas romcom.

I have never read this fantasy series. However... the TV series has basically stolen lines straight out of LoTR which I know and love with a vengeance. So blatantly have they stolen lines, I literally laughed out loud in many places. Seriously? If you're going to plagiarise, at least try to be more subtle.

Additionally: the acting is bad. The characters don't make me like them. The dialogue is clunky and boring. I could write better episodes than this and I work in tax. I have a feeling the books must've been better than this because they have so many fans. But as for this series... ho hum. I hold out little hope.

Here's my advice: don't do fantasy unless you have great actors, an even better script, and some integrity.

"Sorry. I just found out that I have a gallows sense of humour and I'm trying it out."

Brooke Smith rocks.

If you want a big name male lead to take you through this story, sorry, this is not the show for you.

But... If you want awesome writing, cinematography, and great acting... 10/10.

You don't need big name men to make a great show. Just saying... #2021.

Kill off Katerina. And then Liz.

We're all thinking it. We're all bored.

Red is the show.

Liz is annoyingly yawnfesty.

Katerina... Who???

Please end the Madness.

I agree with many other reviews.

Liz is stupid. Annoying. The story is getting Old. With a capital O. We are tired of her issues. She's become an a moral selfish cow.

Her "mother" kills at least 4 innocent ppl in this ep as lone. So Liz ... helps her escape? Believes everything she says? Her mother says "I'll make it up to you!" How will she make it up to the 4 innocent she murdered? Liz also betrays her very loyal team. Who've been through hell and high water for her. She's a massive b#@!&. We hate her.

This show is getting boring. The writing is becoming crap. The characters we're supposed to like, are becoming more and more unlikeable. Hateable actually.

We want to love Liz. Not hope Reddington will off her. Seriously. I'd give that ep a 10 right now if I could.

Writers: lay off the vodka and weed. Get some sleep. You suck.

Really. Stupid. Writing.

This episode made me cry. Amazing writing. Acting. Perfect.

If you're going to be historically inaccurate in a period romance for the sake of politically correct diversity - fine. You can be forgiven for that.

If you want to argue that what you're writing is 'fiction' so you're entitled to write whatever you want - fine. It's true. You can.

But.

If you do, if you proceed to go where angels fear to tread, then you had better make damn sure the 'fiction' you're writing is amazing.

Unfortunately, this Bridgerton adaptation by Shondaland is anything but. It has all the 'amazing' of beige wall paper in a beige room with beige furniture. You just get slapped in the face with all the disappointing beige.

Shondaland has completely rewritten the best parts of "The Duke and I" and turned it into a generic shadow of its former glory. All that remains of the original story are bare bones.

Just focusing purely on the story - the shows writing is uninspiringly generic, with tired old storylines introduced.

Why???

If it ain't broken, why fix it?

The original story is amazing. It needed nothing. No fixing. And instead, Shondaland broke it.

Pretty is all well and good on camera, but it's not enough to make a great show. A great show needs more. Where is the humour? Where the sparkling dialogue? Where the personality?

Muscles, beauty and gratuitous sex do not chemistry create. Personality is sexy. Originality is sexy. Humour is sexy. Sexy things the book has in spades. Things this show has not been able to reproduce.

But the worst atrocity Shondaland has committed?

The characters. They lack character.

They have been recreated as barely there shadows of what they are in the books. Almost all of them.

Anthony: Unrecognisable. His treatment of Daphne, his surly immature moodiness, and his wanting to run off with an opera singer. Not Anthony. Anthony always put his family first in the books because he thinks he's going to die young like his father did. He would never have forced his sister to marry anyone. Anthony was charming, confident and kind.

Daphne: In the books she was never "a diamond of the first water". Daphne had been out three seasons already. She was a very likeable, down to earth, easy to get along with, dark haired girl - not a clueless insipid vain blonde. Her friends were the wallflowers. All the gentlemen felt comfortable with her.

Simon: In the show Simon is a bland generic hero. All muscles no brain. No real conversation. No humour. Simons famous stutter makes no appearance whatsoever, except as a child. Simon in the books is reserved but passionate, super smart, longing for family. He is thoughtful. In my opinion this actor had no emotional range. He was wooden. He actually made me yawn.

Simon and Daphne together in the show are also uninspired, lacking real chemistry. In the books they sparked. They were funny. They made you love them as a couple.

Colin: In the books Colin has a way of seeing into people. He is probably the sharpest and most insightful of all the Bridgertons. Colin in the show is a clueless puppy. And his hair is terrible.

Violet: Where was Violets sparkle? Her moxie? In the books she is admired and adored by all her children. Violet has a sly sense of humour, especially when it comes to match making. She outwitted her children. She knew what she was about. She is a respected leader in society. She made things happen. Violet is not the worried lip-biting unsure mother the show has given us.

Lady Danbury: In the books Lady D is sassy, opinionated, and scathing. She says things to throw people off balance. She's feared in general. She's a menace with her cane. The shows Lady D is too refined, too tactful, too nice. Lady D did not openly play match maker with Violet.

Lady Whistledown: She is witty - never truly mean or cruel, which turns out to be Penelopes saving grace in the end. We loved reading Lady Whistledowns humorous observations in the book. The ton eventually see it as a right of passage in society to be mentioned by her. But in the show, they paint her petty, cruel and hated.

Bridgerton Family: The family in the books is loud, boisterous, irreverent, loving and fun. They joke, tease, talk, play and are fiercely loyal to each other. They are all friends, which makes them differ from the usual ton families. In the show, that family makes very little appearance. The family of the show is (for at least 6 out of the 8 episodes), shallow, vain, fraught, disjointed, uncommunicative, distant and, to be honest, a bit annoying. This is not the Bridgerton family of the books.

In short, many of the 'read the books once a year for years' fans, will, like me, be very disappointed with this series. Some adaptation is always expected - but an almost complete rewrite?

Make no mistake about it, Shondaland has rewritten, dismantled or removed the majority of the best parts of 'The Duke and I' for this show.

Let's hope they do better with season two.

This is the best syfi since Battle Star Galactica. Perfect. However... it reves up after episode 3. Perseverance pays off! :)