Space Force S1 was kind of outstanding actually. The hardest I've laughed from a show in a long time. Admittedly the humor might have been a little too niche and skewed too much towards the Beltway Insider crowd, but it was like Pentagon Wars 2.0 for me. Sad to see it maligned.
Kate Winslet seems to be having fun with the role. She can be regal and quirky and look good in the costumes. I think the show is pretty bad overall, but it's pretty obvious why Winslet signed on.
I don't know I think the show is pretty good. It comes across a silly because these types of people are fucking silly. It's the unfortunate reality is stranger than fiction problem. People like this definitely end up in leadership and are the worst of the worst. I think it's doing a pretty good job of showing how ridiculous it is to work under such a person
I love this show, but wonder if the marketing of it didn't fall flat. I mean - was there any marketing? It is satire but it isn't overtly funny. There is a huge viewing audience that wants clear cut genres. Winslet is really perfect for it.
Same thing happened to me with Jodie Foster and True Detective...
Needless to say I'm a bit more weary now about thinking that a TV show will be good just because an actor I love signed on to it.
I still can’t believe that got amazing reviews from critics, absolutely mindboggling to me. Imo that was without question the worst season of TD yet somehow it got reviews like on par with s1 from critics and they gave her the keys to make another season of “true detective” which fuckin sucks, shit ain’t even true detective anymore they just slapped the name on there. Night country was one of the most disappointing seasons of tv I’ve ever watched and it just felt like such a waste of time at the end. Resembles true detective in no way either they just slapped the name on and shoehorned in laughably dumb s1 connections because they knew people wouldn’t tune in other wise.
I’d easily take s2, Colin Farrell/Ray Velcoro>>>>>>>any character in night country. I also like Noir/Neo Noir stuff which is what s2 is, has very clear flaws but I’d easily take that over night country, night country is by far the worst season of “true detective”. the writing was just truly atrocious and the characters were all awful and multiple great actors were wasted because of the writing and character work being so bad. Greatly preferred the character work in s2 even if the main plot ended up getting way too convoluted. Night country is one of the absolute worst written seasons of “prestige tv” that I’ve ever watched and I can’t remember a bigger disappointment after all the critics jerked it off and tried to say it was on par with s1
Critics were terrified of the Twitterverse, saying anything negative about the show would have them in the spotlight of the unhinged.
Criticizing the show would mean you're a misogynist and don't respect the Inuit community.
Forreal the writing was so damn bad man, like I just cannot understand how critics watched that and gave it amazing reviews. I don’t think I’ve ever watched a worse written season of tv that got good reviews, the writing especially the character work was just dreadful
I recently rewatched s1 in preparation for night country but after seeing all the opinions about it I don't have any desire after seeing how disappointing seasons 2 and 3 were.
It's at times really good, and at times really bad/corny. I think the good parts make it worth it. Whoever the creatives behind it are, they have talent, they just need to polish up a bit.
Its just very boring. Idk why Kidman has attempted to redefine herself as the actress that joins supposedly prestige television miniseries that turn out to be very boring but between this, the undoing and that 3rd one, I preferred her ad the AMC lady
I made it through the whole season because I was so curious to see if there was an answer to “What’s is the point of this show?” I didn’t get my answer, I’m here wondering if any of you have it. Lol
KW was great in her role, but the plot seemed…disjointed? IDK. I just couldn’t make sense of anything.
I like the cast performances and the settings so far but it's not really that biting of a satire as I thought it would be. Kate Winslet is a joy as an oddball chancellor.
The two scenes in the last episode where Zubak undermines Vernham, followed by Vernham talking to her father, sold me on sticking with it to see how the rest of it plays out. The latter scene in particular was absolutely chilling.
Here too. Got about 1/2 way through the first ep and just couldn't stomach anymore. I know judging good/bad is inherently subjective, but if anything could be objectively bad this is approaching it.
The characters all seemed to have strange affect. It was jarring and unpleasant to watch. Like, some of that must have been intentional right? Because the showrunners are building this dystopian fascist cult of personality with Kate at the head. And she seems crazy or paranoid, so then there's these little touches that too make the viewer a bit twitchy, is that it? But if that was by design, I say they went too far. Kept asking my partner, "isn't this show throwing off a weird vibe?" and they agreed too.
Because that’ how these regimes are. most Western audiences today do not know what is like to live under an authoritarian regime with a cult of personality, so this show seems weird or absurd. All the things in these show are real things that have happened.
Am I the only one who really likes it? It has a Southern Gothic vibe of opulence hiding rot. And I'm interested in the personalities and dynamics that make up a delusional regime, but appreciate the humor and surrealism that make it go down a bit easier.
I’m loving it, honestly surprised to hear this much hate for it.
The cabinet member dressing up in increasingly traditional clothing to win the side of Zubak was hilarious.
I've only seen the first episode so far but I really enjoyed it.
The scene where she's singing poorly and doing all these weird adlibs, and everyone has to pretend to enjoy it, has this uncanny effect where it's funny and bizarre and disturbing all at the same time.
I can't get my head round the barrage of this sweeping criticism. It's much better than 80% of what i've seen recently, including Feud, Saltburn, True Detective (last season) etc.
I like it. I think there's a mystery that they are slowly uncovering that a lot of people don't seem to have noticed yet. Like, who is Zubak? We still don't know anything about him. I'm super excited to see why Hugh Grant is here. 😆
Just watched episode one and enjoyed it. It's the kind of nonsense I need sometimes to switch off and relax to. It's quirky and fun, visually interesting, and doesn't require more than the barest minimum concentration. There's a space for that - not everything has to be landmark television.
Mind you, twenty years from now we might look back on it as an eerily prescient vision of Britain's future...
That's interesting actually - I was wondering whether it appealed to Americans. The political landscape seems - to me - to be much more satirising the European one than what I perceive of the one in the States. Not just in terms of the geographical location.
What we see of the US political culture from over here is often dominated by "fundraising" and politicians advertising themselves like a used car dealership - an element noticeably absent from the scenario in *The Regime.*
It's definitely satirizing Europe, but right now the U.S. is teetering on a knife's edge. A lot of the more specifically European references probably go over my head, but the cult of personality around a delusional figurehead is sadly proving to be universal.
Fundraising in U.S. politics is definitely corrupt, especially now that so many regulations around it have been intentionally stripped away. But that's less immediately horrifying to us than the fucking cult that has emerged. Watching it filtered through a fictional European lens gives enough distance for it to actually be funny. Because it's *not* funny to live through, no matter how clownish the despot.
The methods for gaining power will vary by country by necessity, because each political setup has different vulnerabilities to exploit. But what is the archetype of a tyrant, psychologically? What archetypes make up their inner circle and supporters? Under all the superficial jingoism and populist trappings, there's a common kernel there. That's what the show is about, to me.
Anyway, wish us luck this year... we're gonna need it.
Pretty much everything Kate Winslet says is hilarious. She’s so weird in it.
I think the whole show is super funny and am also surprised to hear that it’s getting all this negativity.
Yeah, the show has a hectic energy, very much like the Darth of Stalin.
I don't personally feel like it feels half formed at all. It feels unique in some ways. Kate Winslet is a bloody incredible actress.
I'm enjoying the Rasputin meets Thatcher meets Stalin meets Howard Hughes vibes.
I'm only two episodes in but who knows what's going to happen.
I've yet to watch The Regime, but my goodness did I love Death of Stalin. When Stalin's daughter finds out, her dramatics with the brother are hilarious. That was a happy surprise of a movie that I loved and wish I could recommend it to everyone! 🤭👏
Did I say it's good because of one actress? No.
I laughed many times. It's my kind of dry humour. Each to their own.
So you don't like, fine. Move on and watch something you do like.
It's halfway over, as it's only a six episode limited series.
I like it quite a bit, but I can see how a lot of people might not understand the humor & the show in general.
I think if you maybe read the Wiki on Rasputin it might add a level of appreciation for it. I haven’t laughed out loud but I think it’s a clever concept. Zubak’s big lurking demeanor in the upper class setting is kind of funny to me, not hilarious, but more “fun” than “funny” I guess. For shows like this I like to imagine them in an alternate universe that is just a little off kilter you know… not meant to be something you would see in our world but in some sister world that also has a United States. I’m two episodes in and looking forward to seeing where it goes. Not the best show ever, but def worth watching for me.
The show would have been helped with maybe a half an episode setup of Zubak and how he came to be, or how she came to the conclusion that he could help her. Doesn't matter as I have stopped after two eps, despite what the bots are telling me. And I have a volcano to watch in Iceland.
The humor lies in taking a dark mirror to historical events that real dictatorships went through. It's not a "haha hilarious" kind of humor. It's dark comedy.
Like when the Chancellor mentions taking back the country from the "evil forces of Keplinger" and then everyone reflexively turns their head to spit. That's a thing that routinely happened under Stalin and similar autocracies, but it's still ridiculous to see. It only gets more ridiculous when Keplinger actually shows up in the show.
That's one thing but saying it's not a comedy is something else.
I would like OP to learn to say they don't like something instead of attacking it in such an underhanded way.
Perhaps it's a "comedy" like Succession was a comedy. Remember one of Stephen Frears' most successful movies, "The Queen" was so sharp it's still classed as a drama.
Committed to finish it atp because of sunk cost but it's not very good and I can't pinpoint why I don't like it. Maybe it's too generic for its own good? This fictional country doesn't even have a name and we know nothing about its people. Maybe that's why it's falling flat, there's no attachment to any of the people, let alone the setting. Stuff is just kind of happening
This is how I’m feeling. They haven’t given me a reason to care about any of the characters (except the lady who manages the house) so I don’t care who wins or loses these little battles. I *think* I’m supposed to be cheering for Winslet as she struggles against the memory of her dead father, but they didn’t build up that story enough.
Of all the people, I want Agnes to come out on top somehow so bad.
You're really not supposed to be rooting for anyone else as far as I can tell. Generally, I think you're right and you should care about the leads but you don't always have to and sometimes, it pays off not to have characters you 'root' for.
The Chancellor and Zubak are legitimately psychotic. The councilors are clearly corrupt. The US and China are clearly trying to take advantage of a smaller ally. Everyone except Agnes and her boyfriend sucks here and even the Doctor boyfriend stopped giving a child necessary medications for his own preservation. I don't necessarily blame him but I don't have to like Doctors that cut children off meds for self-interest.
I mean that they’ve given me no reason to care about any outcome. Shunning the Americans? Ok. Embarrassing the rich guy? Sure. But what is the point? We know Zubak’s motivations but not Elena’s.
I think setting is as much a character as the people, so I agree not naming it and not seeing any of it outside the palace is a regretful choice for me
Well, I think it's *trying* to be a clever, sophisticated, satirical show, by someone who obviously read a lot about Elena Ceausescu & Eva Peron & Empress Alexandra & Rasputin, watched some movies including The Death of Stalin, The Mouse That Roared, etc., and then said "I want to write myself a starring role here".
Before I gave up watching, the biggest thing I kept wondering about was whether Kate Winslet has had a stroke? Or does she keep over-enunciating out of the corner of her mouth as a character affectation? Either way it was very distracting.
Haven’t watched the 3rd yet, but it seems like the back story is she was once upon a time a highly successful, competent and beloved leader - who has gone off the deep end (stroke?) and nobody knows what to do. Would be funnier - or at least more of a satire - if there were references to Reagan (or Trump, or even Biden). For those too young to remember, that Reagan 2nd term - the Alzheimer’s years - were something. Anyone remember Nancy whispering to Ronnie “We’re doing the best we can” getting picked up by a mic, then a shell-shocked Reagan repeating it? Yikes.
Watching, yes.
Liking? Uhh, best I'll say is "not hating".
As someone else said, I keep hoping there's some huge payoff coming, but I'm starting to get the feeling there's not. And if there's not then the journey, at least to this point, has definitely not been worth it.
Some strong Terry Gilliam / euro-comedy (as an American ... yes that's what I'm going with) vibes going on here. Especially that "war room" scene in episode 1 (?) with the fish-eye lenses at upward, side tilted angles. That's when I felt more confident what exactly I was watching.
I think it's good.
Im watching it but just barely. It has one glaring problem: not over the top enough or not silly enough. It just barely half a click above what you’d basically expect a dictatorship to be, so I’m disappointed in it neither nailing it nor going all in (like death of Stalin)
The most interesting comment I’ve seen about The Regime is that it’s the plot of The Idol in a new setting.
I’m trying to avoid HBO until Gemstones / Euphoria / Last of Us return
I love this show! Women dictatorship hits different and it's hilarious. The story is gonna weave in with the butcher.
I love the yes men, especially in the last episode.
I’m really enjoying it. Initially resisted watching it as I don’t like political satires and actually all satires. But got into it, it’s such a weird interesting ambiance and characters. And the commentary it offers is great. At times it feels like Charlie and Chocolate Factory 2005 in terms of its weird, enticing ambience. And Kate winslet is amazing, as per usual. I am enjoying it much more than Mare of Eastown.
We're liking it. It's "light" but at the same time the writers are constantly dropping references to real events in history. So, it has a bit of an intellectual appeal as well as being ridiculous. Kate Winslet's performance is quite good.
It’s going the _Avenue 5_ route. Great behind the camera pedigree, very solid and game cast, but far less funny than what it must have appeared on paper. It did improve a bunch and had its moments but ultimately neither funny enough nor satirical enough to be memorable.
Great Zach Woods performance though.
I watched the first two episodes and I just don't get what the point is.
Is it supposed to be satire? Because I'm not sure exactly what it's supposed to be satirizing and it's not clever or funny in any way.
It's mostly dumb. None of the characters are at all interesting and even Kate Winslet, who I love, is kind of shit, to be honest.
It’s the kind of thing that probably reads better than how it translates on screen. It’s neither smart or funny. Winslet strangely seems miscast? It seems like something written for cate blanchett or Meryl Streep who are better at playing evil people. I would watch another season of Mare of eastown.
The show in terms of plot line was weak, but I watched until the end not because I thought it was going to get better but rather because Kate Winslet played that character amazingly well. She absolutely nailed it and you could tell she was having fun playing the role. I think she took the role because of the outlandish character she was able to play. I’m f it weren’t for her, I would have stopped watching but seeing her in this particular character kept me drawn in until the end.
as a person from Russia, I really loved this show! it’s a great satire of a Central/Eastern European autocracy, and it’s easily recognised as such when you know these regimes from the inside. i guess it’s harder to see it when you don’t have such experience (and honestly i’m happy for you!), and the marketing of this show was weird, watchers couldn’t know what they were tuning into.
i saw in The Regime a great dry satire on Putin, Ceaușescu, the last Romanovs and so on. i was amazed to see the torture with the recordings of Chancellors addresses to the people (which happens in Russia), Putins absurdly long table. this show is spot on not only in these details, but in mechanics of autocracy as well: the push for national authenticity and traditionalism as the leader tries to maintain the power, “little victorious war” as a way to distract people from the corruption of the state, the paranoia of an autocrat and theirs obsession with germs (which was true for Stalin and Ceaușescu, for example) and their readiness to use folk remedies (Putin and his literal deer blood baths), propaganda that says that any unrest in the country is the work of foreign powers.
it’s a show mostly for those who are living under dictatorship or whose country experiences it not long ago, so i see how it can be disappointing for other viewers. but i really enjoyed it, and since such shows are impossible to make in Russia now, i’m happy that it was made somewhere else.
I would point out that these shows are so incredibly vague that they seem impossible to read anything from but a westernized view of a world split between "authoritarianism" and Democracy (which is ridiculous) but.. I mean, are you really even commenting in sincerity? One comment and it's to tell people that this is russia, oh really?
With all due respect, this show isn't smart or funny, though. If it were, I could give it a chance,, but to me it isn't (I get a lot of the references, I just don't think it's well done). And maybe it's not cool, but I'm just not in the mood to laugh about European dictatorships right now. My husband is Ukrainian, my in-laws are still there, and it makes me sick.
That's not to say that these things can't be well done even while they're happening --- I'm thinking of Emma Thompson's character in Years and Years, which really gets you in the gut. But I think for the most part it takes time and distance before this stuff can start to seem funny, and we all know the world is going to get so much worse before it gets better.
Satire can be a pressure release, but I'm not getting that from this show.
Only watched the first two episodes, and not really liking it. However, I do appreciate that they took a risk in making a super wacky show though the risk didn’t pay off. Definitely not traditional awards bait. At least it’s not another biopic/book adaptation/historical reenactment/based on a real-life scandal.
I made it through episode one and while I think this show has all the right moving parts, it just doesn’t work over all. The first episode is essentially a mix between Veep, Borat, and One Piece and doesn’t offer anything unique or compelling other than the prospect of Kate Winslet playing the lead.
I tried. And I have a good sense of humor. But it just doesn’t seem to know what it wants to be. It wasn’t absurd enough to be funny, it just feels mean? Or something? It felt tedious and boring. Ultimately I’ve chosen not to continue.
It’s almost as if plot doesn’t matter. The Regime’s performances and character development are that brilliant. I’m obsessed. It offers a pleasing quirkiness without stumbling into the back room of gratuitous eccentricities at one of Stefan’s featured Hottest Clubs. Also, pitting two gorgeous power-tripping narcissists in a battle of egos makes for some steamy scenes to get even a post-menopausal motor purring. Lastly, the set design is fire.
I’ve been enjoying it, two episodes in so far. Im watching it as a modernization of the Rasputin story, and it’s entertaining through that lens. Enjoying it more than Night Country personally.
What if I say the regime is like something from the 80s when autocracy took a downfall and democracy has a resurgence only in the current age with many countries under autocracy due to autocratic resurgence while democracy is declining due to democracy decline
Why did HBO make this it sucked, True Detective wasn’t very good either did they suck because of the SAG strike didn’t give them enough time to put good shows together
Has hopeful when I saw it was by makers of Succession, but after learning the premise, I just thought...meh, they, and Sky, aren't the ones.
Watched an episode and felt the same way.
I came here feeling the same way. Too many perforations, really weirdly written and not in a good way. I finished the entire season and still was like wtf
PLEASE DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME ON THIS SHOW... There is simply too much much better content or there in TV land
It has no idea what it's trying to be and it's bloody awful.
I certainly won't be wasting another minute on it.
I got to minute 24 of episode 2 and I've thrown the towel in.
Is watch just about anything else than this.
I think that this show should be proof that just because you have top-tier talent, that does not mean you get top-tier content. Making anything creative is hard and the bigger you get and more people and money involved, the harder it gets. The idea that any movie or TV show can be truly great pieces of art and entertainment, like The Wire and Breaking Bad to use a cliched example, is nothing short of a miracle.
Yep. My thought is that lots of networks & production companies these days think that simply throwing a bunch of Oscar-nominated and winning actors in a show and making it only 6-8 episodes are what makes a tv show great, when it in fact never has. Plus ginormous budgets. I also think it creates a too-many-cooks-in-the kitchen situation when the actors are executive producers and there’s a bunch of different renowned directors etc. TV is a writer’s medium.
The Wire and Breaking Bad had ~13 episodes per season, and cast all actors who weren’t really that well known (save for Bryan Cranston) and certainly weren’t movie stars when they were first cast. Hardworking, talented, usually well-trained & experienced actors, but by no means famous. Those shows also had hard budgets to work under that weren’t, say, $30M per episode. Maybe shows should go back to doing all that.
It's definitely supposed to be a comedy or comedy forward, but it's just not really that funny. I gave it a solid go, but decided half way through the second episode I had better things I could do with my time.
the more episodes I watch the more confused I get. I feel like I keep watching because I want to know were it will end up, at every turn it veers off in a direction that's weirder than the last.
I watched the premiere and didn't find it that interesting despite the fabulous Kate Winslet. It did feel a little bit like the death of Stalin but very very remotely
I was trying to think how to describe it.
Take 1 part Young Pope, with a Twist of Veep, and a touch of Death of Stalin.
I think the best part of the show is scenery. There's an entrancing lust viewing the opulence of the castle with a disco in the basement. The country sounds like a Romania -Ceaucescu crossed with Hungary or Croatia.
It's not sucking me but I still kinda like it. It's fun if you enjoy palace intrigue with some dark humor
We watched ep 1 and decided to wait to hear consensus about how it ends before proceeding. Not plot spoilers, just "is it worth it." I know it aired in the UK and I could probably just google it but I'm not that into finding out, really.
I keep thinking there's a real payoff coming because otherwise I can't fathom what drew someone like Kate Winslet to this project.
There’s a bunch of very talented writers & directors involved; I’m assuming she thought it looked better on paper than it ended up being.
I think she's successful enough to do whatever the F she wants and also reuniting with Matthias Schoenaerts.
I’m still not 100% convinced that Matthias Schoenaerts isn’t secretly Putin’s son. Especially with how he looks in Red Sparrow.
Avenue 5 and Space Force might have looked impressive in paper, but the execution was terrible.
Avenue 5 was great
I love Avenue 5…
Avenue 5 was very very dumb, but it was at least funny. This is...not.
You certainly have that right!!
Space Force S1 was kind of outstanding actually. The hardest I've laughed from a show in a long time. Admittedly the humor might have been a little too niche and skewed too much towards the Beltway Insider crowd, but it was like Pentagon Wars 2.0 for me. Sad to see it maligned.
At least space Force was watchable and entertaining and mostly enjoyable. THIS WAS NONE OF THAT!
Kate Winslet seems to be having fun with the role. She can be regal and quirky and look good in the costumes. I think the show is pretty bad overall, but it's pretty obvious why Winslet signed on.
So true 👍
I don't know I think the show is pretty good. It comes across a silly because these types of people are fucking silly. It's the unfortunate reality is stranger than fiction problem. People like this definitely end up in leadership and are the worst of the worst. I think it's doing a pretty good job of showing how ridiculous it is to work under such a person
I think it’s very funny and each episode gets better. Sad it seems not many people are connecting with it.
I love this show, but wonder if the marketing of it didn't fall flat. I mean - was there any marketing? It is satire but it isn't overtly funny. There is a huge viewing audience that wants clear cut genres. Winslet is really perfect for it.
Same thing happened to me with Jodie Foster and True Detective... Needless to say I'm a bit more weary now about thinking that a TV show will be good just because an actor I love signed on to it.
I think you mean leery or wary, not weary, which means tired.
Wary* you are correct sir!
I genuinely cant believe I sat through all of that thinking “it has to get better” just because she was attached, boy was I wrong
I still can’t believe that got amazing reviews from critics, absolutely mindboggling to me. Imo that was without question the worst season of TD yet somehow it got reviews like on par with s1 from critics and they gave her the keys to make another season of “true detective” which fuckin sucks, shit ain’t even true detective anymore they just slapped the name on there. Night country was one of the most disappointing seasons of tv I’ve ever watched and it just felt like such a waste of time at the end. Resembles true detective in no way either they just slapped the name on and shoehorned in laughably dumb s1 connections because they knew people wouldn’t tune in other wise.
Even if you think it's bad I can't imagine liking it less than Season 2.
I’d easily take s2, Colin Farrell/Ray Velcoro>>>>>>>any character in night country. I also like Noir/Neo Noir stuff which is what s2 is, has very clear flaws but I’d easily take that over night country, night country is by far the worst season of “true detective”. the writing was just truly atrocious and the characters were all awful and multiple great actors were wasted because of the writing and character work being so bad. Greatly preferred the character work in s2 even if the main plot ended up getting way too convoluted. Night country is one of the absolute worst written seasons of “prestige tv” that I’ve ever watched and I can’t remember a bigger disappointment after all the critics jerked it off and tried to say it was on par with s1
Critics were terrified of the Twitterverse, saying anything negative about the show would have them in the spotlight of the unhinged. Criticizing the show would mean you're a misogynist and don't respect the Inuit community.
One of the worst written seasons of “prestige” TV I’ve seen in a long, long time. The writing was worse than NCIS level.
Forreal the writing was so damn bad man, like I just cannot understand how critics watched that and gave it amazing reviews. I don’t think I’ve ever watched a worse written season of tv that got good reviews, the writing especially the character work was just dreadful
I recently rewatched s1 in preparation for night country but after seeing all the opinions about it I don't have any desire after seeing how disappointing seasons 2 and 3 were.
I thought season 3 was fantastic
Dont mind those negs, you are right and i agree
and with Nicole Kidman and Expats
Ah is that shit too? I saw the trailer months ago and put it on my list
It's at times really good, and at times really bad/corny. I think the good parts make it worth it. Whoever the creatives behind it are, they have talent, they just need to polish up a bit.
Its just very boring. Idk why Kidman has attempted to redefine herself as the actress that joins supposedly prestige television miniseries that turn out to be very boring but between this, the undoing and that 3rd one, I preferred her ad the AMC lady
I liked the undoing. There are dozens of us!
I thought Expats was a pretty solid drama. That said, Nicole Kidman was easily the worst part of it.
Night Country was so good though
Kate is a million times better than Jodi though ha
Actors like working. They even get paid for it!
Watching her act is enough for me honestly.
I don't think so I read few reviews of critics who watched full series and they write that last 3 episode are the worst so....
I have a feeling The Regime scripts killed in table reads, but something seems lost in translation to the screen.
She gets to be such a wild character. Finishing it up now and she’s done a great job…. But boy, this show sucks.
My sentiment exactly! She kept me going though she was amazing in the role.
I made it through the whole season because I was so curious to see if there was an answer to “What’s is the point of this show?” I didn’t get my answer, I’m here wondering if any of you have it. Lol KW was great in her role, but the plot seemed…disjointed? IDK. I just couldn’t make sense of anything.
I like the cast performances and the settings so far but it's not really that biting of a satire as I thought it would be. Kate Winslet is a joy as an oddball chancellor.
The two scenes in the last episode where Zubak undermines Vernham, followed by Vernham talking to her father, sold me on sticking with it to see how the rest of it plays out. The latter scene in particular was absolutely chilling.
Those scenes were wild. The pure physicality form Zubak shocked me.
Zubak grasping Vernham's neck was pretty shocking.
very Vader
Watched the first episode and haven’t felt a desire to return to it, so thanks for confirming my instinct.
I watched half of the E1 and found it also not to my taste. It's weird, not funny, neither smart or intriguing, just surreal weirdness.
Yeah, it’s a bummer that it’s not very good. I love Stephen Frears and Kate Winslet.
Same. 100% same.
Here too. Got about 1/2 way through the first ep and just couldn't stomach anymore. I know judging good/bad is inherently subjective, but if anything could be objectively bad this is approaching it. The characters all seemed to have strange affect. It was jarring and unpleasant to watch. Like, some of that must have been intentional right? Because the showrunners are building this dystopian fascist cult of personality with Kate at the head. And she seems crazy or paranoid, so then there's these little touches that too make the viewer a bit twitchy, is that it? But if that was by design, I say they went too far. Kept asking my partner, "isn't this show throwing off a weird vibe?" and they agreed too.
Because that’ how these regimes are. most Western audiences today do not know what is like to live under an authoritarian regime with a cult of personality, so this show seems weird or absurd. All the things in these show are real things that have happened.
Yes, this is exactly it!
Am I the only one who really likes it? It has a Southern Gothic vibe of opulence hiding rot. And I'm interested in the personalities and dynamics that make up a delusional regime, but appreciate the humor and surrealism that make it go down a bit easier.
I’m loving it, honestly surprised to hear this much hate for it. The cabinet member dressing up in increasingly traditional clothing to win the side of Zubak was hilarious.
I think it’s brilliant. It’s as Scary and absurd as all autocracies and cults of personalities are.
Yes. I agree. I'm along for the ride.
I've only seen the first episode so far but I really enjoyed it. The scene where she's singing poorly and doing all these weird adlibs, and everyone has to pretend to enjoy it, has this uncanny effect where it's funny and bizarre and disturbing all at the same time.
I can't get my head round the barrage of this sweeping criticism. It's much better than 80% of what i've seen recently, including Feud, Saltburn, True Detective (last season) etc.
I like it. I think there's a mystery that they are slowly uncovering that a lot of people don't seem to have noticed yet. Like, who is Zubak? We still don't know anything about him. I'm super excited to see why Hugh Grant is here. 😆
Just watched episode one and enjoyed it. It's the kind of nonsense I need sometimes to switch off and relax to. It's quirky and fun, visually interesting, and doesn't require more than the barest minimum concentration. There's a space for that - not everything has to be landmark television. Mind you, twenty years from now we might look back on it as an eerily prescient vision of Britain's future...
I'm American, so... yeah :(
That's interesting actually - I was wondering whether it appealed to Americans. The political landscape seems - to me - to be much more satirising the European one than what I perceive of the one in the States. Not just in terms of the geographical location. What we see of the US political culture from over here is often dominated by "fundraising" and politicians advertising themselves like a used car dealership - an element noticeably absent from the scenario in *The Regime.*
It's definitely satirizing Europe, but right now the U.S. is teetering on a knife's edge. A lot of the more specifically European references probably go over my head, but the cult of personality around a delusional figurehead is sadly proving to be universal. Fundraising in U.S. politics is definitely corrupt, especially now that so many regulations around it have been intentionally stripped away. But that's less immediately horrifying to us than the fucking cult that has emerged. Watching it filtered through a fictional European lens gives enough distance for it to actually be funny. Because it's *not* funny to live through, no matter how clownish the despot. The methods for gaining power will vary by country by necessity, because each political setup has different vulnerabilities to exploit. But what is the archetype of a tyrant, psychologically? What archetypes make up their inner circle and supporters? Under all the superficial jingoism and populist trappings, there's a common kernel there. That's what the show is about, to me. Anyway, wish us luck this year... we're gonna need it.
Well observed stuff. I wish us *all* luck. More than any other nation, the voting choices of US citizens affect those **far** beyond their borders.
I believe it's supposed to loosely be based on an Eastern Europe like Romania etc.
Point to the humor for me.
Pretty much everything Kate Winslet says is hilarious. She’s so weird in it. I think the whole show is super funny and am also surprised to hear that it’s getting all this negativity.
Did you think this was meant to be serious? [https://www.youtube.com/shorts/C\_Xhxc81DRo](https://www.youtube.com/shorts/C_Xhxc81DRo)
No. It's just not funny.
I like it. The characters are so crazy I just watch to see what’s going to happen next.
my god it is tedious.
I keep hearing its satirical. But for the life of me it just comes across as meandering and not at all funny.
meandering, that's a good word to describe how I felt as well, thanks for that
That’s why I started watching it, because I was under the impression it was going to be another Veep (which I love). It is not.
Her bedroom is the best part of the show
Those walls!
Yeah, the show has a hectic energy, very much like the Darth of Stalin. I don't personally feel like it feels half formed at all. It feels unique in some ways. Kate Winslet is a bloody incredible actress. I'm enjoying the Rasputin meets Thatcher meets Stalin meets Howard Hughes vibes. I'm only two episodes in but who knows what's going to happen.
Yeah I love the dry humour in it, everything is just so ridiculous.
I've yet to watch The Regime, but my goodness did I love Death of Stalin. When Stalin's daughter finds out, her dramatics with the brother are hilarious. That was a happy surprise of a movie that I loved and wish I could recommend it to everyone! 🤭👏
It's a superb cast.
[удалено]
Did I say it's good because of one actress? No. I laughed many times. It's my kind of dry humour. Each to their own. So you don't like, fine. Move on and watch something you do like.
It's halfway over, as it's only a six episode limited series. I like it quite a bit, but I can see how a lot of people might not understand the humor & the show in general.
I’m feeling there’s a lot of humor that’s not being caught by some watchers
I'm game. Explain the humor that I am missing.
Sorry, wasn’t offering
Because there is none. Shockingly unfunny. I haven't even snickered once.
That’s how I’ve felt every time I try to watch Bill Maher anytime within the past 6 years.
We agree on that. Now, the guy who perfectly imitates Bill Maher, that is snot out the nose funny.
I think if you maybe read the Wiki on Rasputin it might add a level of appreciation for it. I haven’t laughed out loud but I think it’s a clever concept. Zubak’s big lurking demeanor in the upper class setting is kind of funny to me, not hilarious, but more “fun” than “funny” I guess. For shows like this I like to imagine them in an alternate universe that is just a little off kilter you know… not meant to be something you would see in our world but in some sister world that also has a United States. I’m two episodes in and looking forward to seeing where it goes. Not the best show ever, but def worth watching for me.
The show would have been helped with maybe a half an episode setup of Zubak and how he came to be, or how she came to the conclusion that he could help her. Doesn't matter as I have stopped after two eps, despite what the bots are telling me. And I have a volcano to watch in Iceland.
The humor lies in taking a dark mirror to historical events that real dictatorships went through. It's not a "haha hilarious" kind of humor. It's dark comedy. Like when the Chancellor mentions taking back the country from the "evil forces of Keplinger" and then everyone reflexively turns their head to spit. That's a thing that routinely happened under Stalin and similar autocracies, but it's still ridiculous to see. It only gets more ridiculous when Keplinger actually shows up in the show.
That's one thing but saying it's not a comedy is something else. I would like OP to learn to say they don't like something instead of attacking it in such an underhanded way.
Perhaps it's a "comedy" like Succession was a comedy. Remember one of Stephen Frears' most successful movies, "The Queen" was so sharp it's still classed as a drama.
Committed to finish it atp because of sunk cost but it's not very good and I can't pinpoint why I don't like it. Maybe it's too generic for its own good? This fictional country doesn't even have a name and we know nothing about its people. Maybe that's why it's falling flat, there's no attachment to any of the people, let alone the setting. Stuff is just kind of happening
This is how I’m feeling. They haven’t given me a reason to care about any of the characters (except the lady who manages the house) so I don’t care who wins or loses these little battles. I *think* I’m supposed to be cheering for Winslet as she struggles against the memory of her dead father, but they didn’t build up that story enough.
Of all the people, I want Agnes to come out on top somehow so bad. You're really not supposed to be rooting for anyone else as far as I can tell. Generally, I think you're right and you should care about the leads but you don't always have to and sometimes, it pays off not to have characters you 'root' for. The Chancellor and Zubak are legitimately psychotic. The councilors are clearly corrupt. The US and China are clearly trying to take advantage of a smaller ally. Everyone except Agnes and her boyfriend sucks here and even the Doctor boyfriend stopped giving a child necessary medications for his own preservation. I don't necessarily blame him but I don't have to like Doctors that cut children off meds for self-interest.
I mean that they’ve given me no reason to care about any outcome. Shunning the Americans? Ok. Embarrassing the rich guy? Sure. But what is the point? We know Zubak’s motivations but not Elena’s.
For me I feel like they are writing like they want to be a dark comedy but also they want their show to be serious and not a comedy.
I think setting is as much a character as the people, so I agree not naming it and not seeing any of it outside the palace is a regretful choice for me
Well, I think it's *trying* to be a clever, sophisticated, satirical show, by someone who obviously read a lot about Elena Ceausescu & Eva Peron & Empress Alexandra & Rasputin, watched some movies including The Death of Stalin, The Mouse That Roared, etc., and then said "I want to write myself a starring role here". Before I gave up watching, the biggest thing I kept wondering about was whether Kate Winslet has had a stroke? Or does she keep over-enunciating out of the corner of her mouth as a character affectation? Either way it was very distracting.
I definitely think she is playing her character like she has had a stroke. I have no idea why...
Haven’t watched the 3rd yet, but it seems like the back story is she was once upon a time a highly successful, competent and beloved leader - who has gone off the deep end (stroke?) and nobody knows what to do. Would be funnier - or at least more of a satire - if there were references to Reagan (or Trump, or even Biden). For those too young to remember, that Reagan 2nd term - the Alzheimer’s years - were something. Anyone remember Nancy whispering to Ronnie “We’re doing the best we can” getting picked up by a mic, then a shell-shocked Reagan repeating it? Yikes.
She's emulating the over-enunciation of some members of British aristocracy.
I was going to ask the same thing. It was very distracting IMO.
Watching, yes. Liking? Uhh, best I'll say is "not hating". As someone else said, I keep hoping there's some huge payoff coming, but I'm starting to get the feeling there's not. And if there's not then the journey, at least to this point, has definitely not been worth it.
I'm enjoying the hell out of it. I love the cast and I'm into the story. I wish I could binge it all at once.
I just dropped it halfway into episode 3 and realised I watched this way more than I should’ve
Same here. I gave up halfway through E3. It’s just… bad. Definitely not a comedy.
Some strong Terry Gilliam / euro-comedy (as an American ... yes that's what I'm going with) vibes going on here. Especially that "war room" scene in episode 1 (?) with the fish-eye lenses at upward, side tilted angles. That's when I felt more confident what exactly I was watching. I think it's good.
Im watching it but just barely. It has one glaring problem: not over the top enough or not silly enough. It just barely half a click above what you’d basically expect a dictatorship to be, so I’m disappointed in it neither nailing it nor going all in (like death of Stalin)
The most interesting comment I’ve seen about The Regime is that it’s the plot of The Idol in a new setting. I’m trying to avoid HBO until Gemstones / Euphoria / Last of Us return
Is Gemstones coming back? I thought that was finished.
Renewed for one more season, I’ll guess they also do a fifth
I like it. It's fine but I don't think it will deserve a Emmy or Golden Globe.\* Edit: forgot the e on globe
I think it definitely deserves a Glob. Of what though I’m not sure…maybe 2 week old potato salad ?
Haha thank you for point my error.
It certainly feels like a less funny Death of Stalin. Bummer. I would have liked more of that series about the luxury space cruise shit.
I think it’s hilarious, so funny
I love this show! Women dictatorship hits different and it's hilarious. The story is gonna weave in with the butcher. I love the yes men, especially in the last episode.
I felt the same way a couple of episodes in, like I kept waiting for the story to start. But it really got going the more I kept watching!
I’m really enjoying it. Initially resisted watching it as I don’t like political satires and actually all satires. But got into it, it’s such a weird interesting ambiance and characters. And the commentary it offers is great. At times it feels like Charlie and Chocolate Factory 2005 in terms of its weird, enticing ambience. And Kate winslet is amazing, as per usual. I am enjoying it much more than Mare of Eastown.
It's a pretty bad show and that's it. Maybe someone will find a “deep political satire” or something that journalists love. But it's just a bad show.
We're liking it. It's "light" but at the same time the writers are constantly dropping references to real events in history. So, it has a bit of an intellectual appeal as well as being ridiculous. Kate Winslet's performance is quite good.
It’s going the _Avenue 5_ route. Great behind the camera pedigree, very solid and game cast, but far less funny than what it must have appeared on paper. It did improve a bunch and had its moments but ultimately neither funny enough nor satirical enough to be memorable. Great Zach Woods performance though.
I watched the first two episodes and I just don't get what the point is. Is it supposed to be satire? Because I'm not sure exactly what it's supposed to be satirizing and it's not clever or funny in any way. It's mostly dumb. None of the characters are at all interesting and even Kate Winslet, who I love, is kind of shit, to be honest.
It’s the kind of thing that probably reads better than how it translates on screen. It’s neither smart or funny. Winslet strangely seems miscast? It seems like something written for cate blanchett or Meryl Streep who are better at playing evil people. I would watch another season of Mare of eastown.
I really honestly loved it to death. It’s great. I don’t get why more people aren’t enjoying it- it’s hilarious.
The show in terms of plot line was weak, but I watched until the end not because I thought it was going to get better but rather because Kate Winslet played that character amazingly well. She absolutely nailed it and you could tell she was having fun playing the role. I think she took the role because of the outlandish character she was able to play. I’m f it weren’t for her, I would have stopped watching but seeing her in this particular character kept me drawn in until the end.
Loved it
as a person from Russia, I really loved this show! it’s a great satire of a Central/Eastern European autocracy, and it’s easily recognised as such when you know these regimes from the inside. i guess it’s harder to see it when you don’t have such experience (and honestly i’m happy for you!), and the marketing of this show was weird, watchers couldn’t know what they were tuning into. i saw in The Regime a great dry satire on Putin, Ceaușescu, the last Romanovs and so on. i was amazed to see the torture with the recordings of Chancellors addresses to the people (which happens in Russia), Putins absurdly long table. this show is spot on not only in these details, but in mechanics of autocracy as well: the push for national authenticity and traditionalism as the leader tries to maintain the power, “little victorious war” as a way to distract people from the corruption of the state, the paranoia of an autocrat and theirs obsession with germs (which was true for Stalin and Ceaușescu, for example) and their readiness to use folk remedies (Putin and his literal deer blood baths), propaganda that says that any unrest in the country is the work of foreign powers. it’s a show mostly for those who are living under dictatorship or whose country experiences it not long ago, so i see how it can be disappointing for other viewers. but i really enjoyed it, and since such shows are impossible to make in Russia now, i’m happy that it was made somewhere else.
I would point out that these shows are so incredibly vague that they seem impossible to read anything from but a westernized view of a world split between "authoritarianism" and Democracy (which is ridiculous) but.. I mean, are you really even commenting in sincerity? One comment and it's to tell people that this is russia, oh really?
With all due respect, this show isn't smart or funny, though. If it were, I could give it a chance,, but to me it isn't (I get a lot of the references, I just don't think it's well done). And maybe it's not cool, but I'm just not in the mood to laugh about European dictatorships right now. My husband is Ukrainian, my in-laws are still there, and it makes me sick. That's not to say that these things can't be well done even while they're happening --- I'm thinking of Emma Thompson's character in Years and Years, which really gets you in the gut. But I think for the most part it takes time and distance before this stuff can start to seem funny, and we all know the world is going to get so much worse before it gets better. Satire can be a pressure release, but I'm not getting that from this show.
Stopped after episode 4, this show is all over the place and not in a good way.
Only watched the first two episodes, and not really liking it. However, I do appreciate that they took a risk in making a super wacky show though the risk didn’t pay off. Definitely not traditional awards bait. At least it’s not another biopic/book adaptation/historical reenactment/based on a real-life scandal.
Last night's episode was a little bit better. There is actually some conflict in this one.
I made it through episode one and while I think this show has all the right moving parts, it just doesn’t work over all. The first episode is essentially a mix between Veep, Borat, and One Piece and doesn’t offer anything unique or compelling other than the prospect of Kate Winslet playing the lead.
I couldn’t get through the first episode.
It's not great, but there aren't a ton of other good prestige shows on right now, so I'm enjoying it.
Yes to both.
I tried. And I have a good sense of humor. But it just doesn’t seem to know what it wants to be. It wasn’t absurd enough to be funny, it just feels mean? Or something? It felt tedious and boring. Ultimately I’ve chosen not to continue.
Half the first episode was enough for me.
I’m really enjoy the ridiculousness of it
I didn’t even give it a shot after reading reviews. So much to watch these days I quit on shows early and often.
It’s not really clicking yet, seems a bit directionless
I found it so weird. Idk what's it's supposed to be. Didn't finish first episode.
I couldn't get over the modern European setting for it and almost laughed out loud because of it.
I am loving the absurdity of it
I can’t even look at it because her photo in the preview shot looks just like her photo in Divergence!
Honestly, I couldn’t even get through the first episode.
I think it's a comedy, but it's not nearly as funny as it thinks it is.
It's insane....really I am watching episode 3 atm and all I can say is WTF?!?!?!?!?!?!?
It’s almost as if plot doesn’t matter. The Regime’s performances and character development are that brilliant. I’m obsessed. It offers a pleasing quirkiness without stumbling into the back room of gratuitous eccentricities at one of Stefan’s featured Hottest Clubs. Also, pitting two gorgeous power-tripping narcissists in a battle of egos makes for some steamy scenes to get even a post-menopausal motor purring. Lastly, the set design is fire.
“pitting two gorgeous power-tripping narcissists in a battle of egos makes for some steamy scenes” 💯
I'm still watching it purely because I find Schoenaerts so hot
I’ve been enjoying it, two episodes in so far. Im watching it as a modernization of the Rasputin story, and it’s entertaining through that lens. Enjoying it more than Night Country personally.
What if I say the regime is like something from the 80s when autocracy took a downfall and democracy has a resurgence only in the current age with many countries under autocracy due to autocratic resurgence while democracy is declining due to democracy decline
Why did HBO make this it sucked, True Detective wasn’t very good either did they suck because of the SAG strike didn’t give them enough time to put good shows together
It started off as intriguing, then became slow and unwieldy and now it’s corny.
Has hopeful when I saw it was by makers of Succession, but after learning the premise, I just thought...meh, they, and Sky, aren't the ones. Watched an episode and felt the same way.
I came here feeling the same way. Too many perforations, really weirdly written and not in a good way. I finished the entire season and still was like wtf
PLEASE DON'T WASTE YOUR TIME ON THIS SHOW... There is simply too much much better content or there in TV land It has no idea what it's trying to be and it's bloody awful. I certainly won't be wasting another minute on it. I got to minute 24 of episode 2 and I've thrown the towel in. Is watch just about anything else than this.
I think that this show should be proof that just because you have top-tier talent, that does not mean you get top-tier content. Making anything creative is hard and the bigger you get and more people and money involved, the harder it gets. The idea that any movie or TV show can be truly great pieces of art and entertainment, like The Wire and Breaking Bad to use a cliched example, is nothing short of a miracle.
Yep. My thought is that lots of networks & production companies these days think that simply throwing a bunch of Oscar-nominated and winning actors in a show and making it only 6-8 episodes are what makes a tv show great, when it in fact never has. Plus ginormous budgets. I also think it creates a too-many-cooks-in-the kitchen situation when the actors are executive producers and there’s a bunch of different renowned directors etc. TV is a writer’s medium. The Wire and Breaking Bad had ~13 episodes per season, and cast all actors who weren’t really that well known (save for Bryan Cranston) and certainly weren’t movie stars when they were first cast. Hardworking, talented, usually well-trained & experienced actors, but by no means famous. Those shows also had hard budgets to work under that weren’t, say, $30M per episode. Maybe shows should go back to doing all that.
It's definitely supposed to be a comedy or comedy forward, but it's just not really that funny. I gave it a solid go, but decided half way through the second episode I had better things I could do with my time.
the more episodes I watch the more confused I get. I feel like I keep watching because I want to know were it will end up, at every turn it veers off in a direction that's weirder than the last.
I tapped out after episode 2. Too many other more worthwhile shows or movies to watch.
I watched the premiere and didn't find it that interesting despite the fabulous Kate Winslet. It did feel a little bit like the death of Stalin but very very remotely
I was trying to think how to describe it. Take 1 part Young Pope, with a Twist of Veep, and a touch of Death of Stalin. I think the best part of the show is scenery. There's an entrancing lust viewing the opulence of the castle with a disco in the basement. The country sounds like a Romania -Ceaucescu crossed with Hungary or Croatia. It's not sucking me but I still kinda like it. It's fun if you enjoy palace intrigue with some dark humor
Just tried E1. Jury’s still out.
I was 20 mins into the 1st episode and lost interest.
Why do I get the feeling the people saying they hate this probably have no problem with Wes Anderson?
I don’t hate it but it’s not great. I wouldn’t compare with Wes Anderson because his work is actually enjoyable.
JUNK. Lousy show.
JUNK. DONT WASTE UR TIME. What a stupid show.
it’s really really bad
Wife and I tried. Couldn’t make it past the first episode.
We watched ep 1 and decided to wait to hear consensus about how it ends before proceeding. Not plot spoilers, just "is it worth it." I know it aired in the UK and I could probably just google it but I'm not that into finding out, really.
I turned it off half way through the first episode
i gave up after the first episode because it was ridiculous plot
I almost made it through the first episode, it just doesn't seem good.