Enlightened: The Complete First Season

An Uncharacteristic HBO Dramedy That Features One Of TV's Most Complex And Underrated Performances
One of the lowest rated programs on HBO's 2011 roster, "Enlightened" (created by stars Mike White and Laura Dern) was both fascinatingly unpredictable and practically impossible to describe succinctly. It's closest cousins are probably the Showtime line-up of wacky female-centric comedies--such as Nurse Jackie, The Big C, Weeds, and United States of Tara. But that comparison is mostly about tone and viewpoint as "Enlightened" has a distinctly unique voice that is unlike anything else on the TV landscape. Some episodes play rather seriously, others highlight slapstick mayhem, while others are incisive and filled with awkward humor. Is it a comedy? Certainly. Is it dramatic? You bet. Is it one of the most pointed character studies on TV? Absolutely, and this, more than anything else, is "Enlightened" strongest asset. Spiritual enlightenment and striving to create a more perfect world are usually topics handled with a startling lack of subtlety in comedy. They are almost always the...

Quiet and Beautiful Desperation
I randomly caught the first few minutes of this show when switching between channels and it immediately dawned on me to set up my DVR for the season. I'm so happy I did, with a virtually perfect performance by Laura Dern, it seems apparent why she was so passionate about the show being made she produced it herself. The portrayal of a central character who, to me anyway, sends the viewer in between moments of complete admiration and love for the character to moments of complete horror and complete discomfort. Casting a character who causes such varied states of emotion in a view is risky at best, as evidenced by the lackluster ratings of the show, but Dern's much deserved Golden Globe win may give this understated and ultimately beautiful show the second chance it deserves. I'll sure as hell be there for season two.

Amazing series- this will blow you away
I LOVE this series- it's my hands down favorite show! It is written so well and the mood of the series is wonderful- I cannot wait for more.

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Life's Too Short

Life's Too Short Really Is Too Short.
The only bad thing about this series is it only has seven episodes. If you like Ricky Gervais and his type of humor, you'll like this fictional account of Warrick Davis's life as a little person actor. The cameos are hysterical and amazing considering how famouse these people are. It's cleverly written and has a cast of supporting characters who are all well done. I recommend it for an afternoon of laughs. There are no plans to continue the series at this time and that's a shame, becuase it is hysterical.

If you don't like the British version of the Office or Extras, etc. Don't watch this, it isn't for you. If you do like those shows, jump on this one, it's right up there.

Misunderstood and very good
This short (no pun intended) series focuses around Warwick Davis (Willow, The Leprechaun, Return Of The Jedi) and Ricky Gervais (Stardust, Extras) as fictionalized versions of themselves and mainly the struggle of being a little person in the world of cinema. This series is light hearted and yet meaningful in regards to what it's like to work in main stream film making as a little person and trying to break out of the typical type cast roles. This BBC series has great cameos by Liam Neeson, Johnny Depp, Sting and many more. If you've ever seen any other Ricky Gervais shows (like Extras) then you'll know what to expect with the style of writing and comedy in this series. It is funny, cringe-worthy and smart. Received fairy negatively because of its social fuax pas and unpleasant scenarios, I think this show is just not understood by most audiences. This isn't supposed to be some message riddled show about the life of a little person, but more of a fictionalized stereotypical look at...

life's too short
some absolutely hilarious scenes, especially the ones with liam neeson and johnny depp......
sorry it's one and done for this show....

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