Owning Manhattan

This was less about real estate and more about drama.

After watching the full series, I wondered if any of the personal situations in this so-called "reality" were actually real, as they seemed very fake and scripted. I went into the Serhant website and found that, with the exception of Chloe, who is a former actress, NONE of the supposed realtors in the series are actually working for Ryan, so they are likely actors playing a role, an unconvincing one at that. Maybe I could have overlooked a few, but for the most part, I saw two familiar faces: Ryan and Chloe.

I wonder what was the point of the series. Don't recommend it.

If you need any evidence that Ryan Serhant is likeable only in small doses, look no further than this Netflix series. Serhant sets the tone early on. His opening anecdote is that his grandfather once told him that cemeteries are full of wasted potential. This very odd introduction made me wonder what exactly Serhant was trying to tell us with this opening line. That he himself comes from a toxic family? That despite his massive financial success, he's only comfortable taking a shot at the dead, not the living who can still compete with him? Or that his perspective as a child was so warped by his family environment that it only stands to reason that he ended up choosing NYC real estate as a profession.

As grandiose and blustery as Serhant is, the employees of his brokerage, even the elite brokers, are for the most part, vastly more sympathetic and relatable than he is. Most of the people who work for him seem like hard-working, ambitious people who just want success in a big way. I just wonder how in the good God they could stomach working for him. As a New Yorker who's watched this city transform radically and become less and less affordable each year, this series is only educational and does not whet my appetite one bit to learn more about the high-flying super wealthy. I look at this series and am happy to still be common and ordinary. I'll take that life over this frothing, preening circus. Recommended only if you need a good laugh.

More selling and less with the scripted reality show nonsense. I would have preferred just Ryan but instead we got these model/actors that frankly just ruin everything. I loved the originality of the first show he did but this one just lacks any substance. Scripted reality tv hit its peak and it's going downhill fast. It's fine for mindless watching when there's nothing else but this didn't hold my attention and found it more interesting to just scroll on IG.

A more interesting premise would be learning sales techniques from Ryan and what it's really like running his own shop minus the fake reality actors they got for this one.

Having followed Ryan Serhant for the past 10 years by watching Million Dollar Listing, reading his books and following him on social media, it's safe to say I'm a big fan! When I saw he was going to have his own Netflix show however, I was slightly worried it would turn out to be another Selling Sunset. I was more than happily surprised that the show was much more real than all the other shows, with the emphasise on real estate. The agents are a lot more authentic, despite the occasional drama. Ryan is as lovely, hard working and inspiring as always. A big thumbs up, and we're rooting for you!

I was hesitant to give this show a shot after losing brain cells from watching a few episodes of Selling Sunset, but I was pleasantly surprised. For a reality tv show to have a rating higher than 7 on IMDB, I figured that's a good sign that it's at least decent. And it is indeed a fun watch. Chloe is obnoxious at times, but there's a good mix of characters and personalities. I like that the show is mostly about real estate with a little bit of drama mixed in.

Good insight into Ryan running his brokerage and how he manages the different personalities of his agents. Feels mostly genuine. Disappointed this season was only 8 episodes.. could've easily watched 8 more.