User reviews

First episode and it's seemingly more of Julios spontaneous, surreal style of filmmaking. Very quirky, very funny and clearly influenced. There's a unique feel to his projects, like a flow of thoughts coming and going, creatively juggling themes in this dreamlike splash of colours, costumes and alternate worlds similar to something you'd see in "poor things". The first episode picks up many concepts in 30 minutes, though so far they dont really land well enough to impress me (or hopefully these ideas will be explored in following episodes) but based on this being the exact issue I had with his feature film, I'm uncertain if these established themes will be revisited in this "stream of Julio's conscious thoughts" style. I liked his feature "problemista" but he is still clearly in the early stages as a filmmaker.

Check this out if you like funny, surreal, quirky weirdo filmmaking from an exciting upcoming indie director still finding his footing.

I think the way the series starts is rather bold. He's consulting for a crayon company and saying they should make a "transparent" color. The crayon people are apprehensive - I don't blame them. So Julio gestures to a glass of water and basically says if water can do it, so can you.

I get this is supposed to show how creative Julio is and that he thinks outside the box, but really it makes no sense. You obviously can't make a transparent crayon, and if you did it would be the worst crayon ever.

So I was a bit put off by this, but the rest of episode was fine and strange in its own quirky way. Overall it's not bad. It's definitely its own unique flavor.

I think that that the negative reviews are borne from people either not understanding or trying to apply logic to what is undoubtedly the quirkiest, funniest series I've ever seen. Highly unconventional, totally bizarre, and above all, hilarious, this series is without logic - don't try to understand it, just strap yourself in for a helluva ride. The humour is not quite American, not quite British, but takes the best elements of both. I was spellbound by it, unable to recall what the original 'plot' was, as the story flew off it multiple tangents, each more surreal and ridiculous than the last. Try it, you won't regret it.

This is a sketch comedy show of how Julio's brain works. It's about his "profession" and how he is not any "one thing" in life. He is an artist that struggles with the question, "so what do you do?".

These sketches go far down a rabbit hole of fleeting ideas, with stunning makeup, costumes, and set design. Sketches range from bizarre sitcoms to reflective narrative moments on what it means to be an artist or creative person in the modern world.

For those who do not know Julio Torres, he is often associated with the term "magical realism". I'm assuming that if he ever wanted to be confined to a genre that would be appropriate.

Julio Torres never presents a cliche' subject. Go with the flow, and enjoy every delicious moment. Surprises around every single corner awaits. Stories within stories, within stories. He packs each half hour segment like a can of sardines with his enchanting plots. His wardrobe and background settings are done with an artist's vision of both beautiful colors and unique geometric shapes. He may have changed his hair color of choice from blue to orange, but his signature creativity is still woven in the wickedly absurd vignettes. The new characters that he introduces to us like Chester the driver, played by Tomas Matos or Steve Buscemi, as the unforgettable Q, are hysterical! I can't wait for the next episode to come an take me into his magically twisted dreamland of delight.

I felt like I needed to give this a rating even after 2 episodes. From the set design and costumes to the multidimensional characters and stories they tell all within a world that can only make you think of things like Alice in wonderland or any novel by Vonnegut. I don't want to give anything away but the show does have a story that is certainly absurd at first glance but wholly satirical on every detail it presents about certain mundanities in our day to day lives that really are ridiculous when given further consideration.

Excited to see more of that this world is like. Expect to be weirded out at times, but please give it a shot if you're at all interested.

Lots of bright colors, lots of silly/ridiculous skits and stream of consciousness themes of toddlers. Clean up the penis jokes and jump around more and you have a children's tv show. I tried, really tried. I just had to bail after 18 minutes. I don't get it. It's really not that funny and it seems the writers and directors intent is to just throw weird crap after weird crap at the viewer with no real point or plot. Kind of like "Lost" or anything JJ Abrams does except without the explosions. It's almost like watching someone's dream on the screen. Nothing makes sense. There's a lot going on but not enough to pull anything together.

The title of this review might sound like I'm writing off the show, but the reality is when it comes to Julio Torres I think you really don't need much more. More to the point the worlds that live within him are so big in size and number they don't really leave too much space for anything else. His work is both hyper specific and so vague it could be and is about everything. If you've seen his stand up special where he plays with toys and tells you about them while being disarmingly charming and funny you'll have some idea what to expect. Ultimately his work isn't for everyone, but those who like it will really, really like it.

Lovely use of color and obviously very creative, but having seen one episode, I am unlikely to see any more of them. It's surrealistic and quirky, with some characters that are trying to be perfectly normal and Julio Seeming to be puzzled by life.

But he's a consultant to various companies starting with Crayola where he advises them to create a crayon that's transparent. He points out that a glass of water is transparent so how would you color it? Of course, the very glass of water he points to has blue edges to it, and anybody who's ever, painted a glass of water and blues that work quite well for it.

He has a robotic creature who keeps house for him and nags in the other things, including the eviction notices he's been getting. He's too busy trying to find a lost earring and apparently that's going to be the theme of the whole series.

Well, good luck, Julio. I hope things work out for you and for the TV show.

Having seen "Los Espookys" and "Problemista," I'm a fan of Julio. His offbeat humor, quirkiness, fantastical, surreal elements are woven through all, and "Fantasmas" is so far my favorite.

I love satire, and I'm really enjoying all the commentary on a wide variety of challenges and flaws of modern day society. This is often expressed through a ridiculous, exaggerated situation, which shines a comedic light on how truly dystopia some things are.

Each character is offbeat, and some are straight out of a fever dream.

In order to really enjoy this, you'd have to be along for the ride and not overthink or question a lot of the absurd, nonsensical things that happen, or be wanting a strong storyline structure.

This show feels weird for the sake of being weird, and it will continuously surprise you.

"Fantasmas" on HBO is a must-watch! Julio Torres has created something really unique and hilarious. The show follows him in a strange version of New York City where he refuses to get a Proof of Existence card, leading to all sorts of quirky adventures.

The humor is a mix of absurd and thoughtful, making each episode a delightful surprise. The characters are fantastic, with standout performances from Emma Stone, Steve Buscemi, and Aidy Bryant. The visuals are amazing too, with colorful sets and great costumes that add to the show's whimsical feel.

What makes "Fantasmas" special is how it naturally includes diverse and queer characters, making it fresh and inclusive without being forced. It's a perfect blend of funny and meaningful moments that keep you engaged.

Overall, "Fantasmas" is creative, visually stunning, and full of memorable moments. It's a great pick if you love smart, weird, and wonderfully crafted comedy.

This show was hilarious to me. The line delivery of the actors just kill it. In less experienced hands some of the ideas could have waffled completely flat, but this ensemble just nails it (even when they are making fun of people from the Midwest like me who love NYC Pizza).

The way Vanesja delivers her lines is great. She's an amazing character. Every time Bibo interrupts Julio it cracked me up (I want a Bibo action figure). Chester has a moment that I guffawed maybe a bit too loud at... there wasn't an episode that went by that didn't make me laugh out loud.

This is all mixed in with a season arc that has Julio trying to be himself without being pigeon-holed in a stereotype. I don't know why, but by the end I was crying (I AM human?).

I've never watched anything from Julio before except the sketches on SNL (Wells For Boys is a standout), but I will have to track down Los Espookys now.

I really hope this gets a 2nd season. It's a quick 6 episodes in a surrealist absurdist universe and there's really nothing else like it in tone that I can think of. It reminds me a little of the Mighty Boosch or even when I was a kid watching Peewee's Playhouse in the way that it presents a unique voice without compromise. Will it ruffle a few feathers from haters? Probably. Will there be people that scoff at it and don't understand the humor? Absolutely. But those people probably aren't fun to be around anyway.

Now, I am not the type to gravitate towards surrealist narratives, since often times I think they're masturbatory and rely on shock value or randomness to make up for a lack of authenticity or point.

This show, however, defies that and creates a universe that, surrealist and shape-shifting as it is, makes perfect sense to me. It is risky in form, since it'll give you protagonist whiplash, but the main character's struggle is one I understand and can extrapolate to real life, as well as a lot of the pressures that the subplots encapsulate metaphorically or, sometimes, even too literally. I find myself wanting the return of these side characters. Some resonate, some don't, but they're all a large swing.

Perhaps it's because I have seen Torres' previous work, and I have a sense of his preoccupations and themes of interest, but to me this is a perfect encapsulation of his world.

This show has made me laugh and has left me mouth agape several times in three episodes. It is TV's most interesting show at the moment, and it is my favourite trip to go on lately.

Ps. If for nothing else, this show is fun enough just because of the cameo lalapalooza of pop culture icons.

Premise: been forced to watch this stuff by a group of friends. Had no idea.

Do not waste your time.

Opening scene somehow promising: "maybe we are getting into Zoolander territory?" I asked myself. You know, full on farce, clear over exaggerated characters who become a caricature of themselves and hysterical dialogues.

Well, the illusion evaporated quickly.

The whole thing is a step below the surreal stories kindergarten kids create when bored.

Our writer-director-protagonist gets into one senseless situation after another (+ pitiable characters who take the spotlight) with the explicit goal of taking himself seriously in the search of an earring and pretending to make the audience laugh (or at least giggle). The egotism is too intense for my brain and I had to (mentally) check out.

Seeing Steve Buscemi made me sad, but I guess the paycheck was alright.

Out of curiosity I had a look at some critic reviews. One pathetic sentence after another meant to elevate what i think are the author nightmares written once he woke up.

High-concept mania; dream logic-fueled sketches ; nihilistic remark ; loose, over-arching narrative ; digressive vignettes ; outsized characters

Must say would love to be a fly on the wall in the producer's room when the marketing folks are discussing the different ways to present this colorful scam to the HBO audience.

Just watched the first episode of "Fantasmas" and wow, it's crazy funny! 😂 It's kinda like Family Guy, with cutaways from the main story, but the cutaways are more like the early Family Guy episodes - super cool and hilarious. Those cutaways really make this show a gem!

The episode starts off with this weird plot about the letter "Q" and a pink teddy bear. I know, sounds random, right? But trust me, it works! 🐻 The characters are all over the place, but in a good way. Their conversations had me laughing out loud for real.

There's this mix of old-school vibes and really out-there comedy that keeps you watching. Some of the sketches are just bizarre, but in a fun way. If you're into weird humor and stories that don't make sense (in a good way), you should totally check this out!

I'm not usually good at writing reviews, but I had to share how much I enjoyed this. The first episode was so random and funny, I can't wait to see what happens next. It's definitely not your average show, but that's what makes it awesome.

Not sure if everyone will get it, but if you like offbeat stuff, give it a try. It's got this unique vibe that's hard to explain, but it's totally worth watching. Can't believe this is my first IMDB review, but this show deserved it! 😄👍

The series poster looked promising, tempting with a dive into a world of fantasy.

Expecting a disappointment I dived in and oh dear...

After a half of the first episode I thought:

• There definitely will be people hyper-analysing and decoding the "symbolism", disappointing.

As if it has read my mind and followed up with a story of a teacher hyper-analysing a penis drawing on a wall of a toilet. From there I lost it.

I binged through all episodes in one breath. It is so bizarre, that it almost makes sense. It is so silly, that it's almost profound. I didn't even have time to laugh, I was in awe.

• Who are those people who made it?! No one in their sane mind could do this! And no one not in sane mind could have managed to do that.

Every single detail of each episode makes perfect non-sense, yet being very believable. A psychedelic trip through your screen, the "Black Mirror" in reverse. Pure magic of Fantasy.