Emperor of Ocean Park

I watched this hoping for something new but as it went on I just thought this is simply formulated to keep me watching. That fine when the storyline grips you in that way but all this was is holes in a very simple story which only got revealed in the last episodes. If you hadn't already worked the full story out by around ep 5 then perhaps this show was aimed at you.

You know when a show has very little to sustain it when it has to keep flashing back and forward in time just make more suspense. If this had just been play in real time not many people would have though it worthy of more than 60 mins in length.

Poor acting and forced character interchanges mostly based on coincidence didn't help either.

And of course it's left it with an option of another series but please save us from that.

Implied message of series = White people evil, Republicans bad Actuality of series = Writing bad, Acting tolerable.

I really wanted this show to be enjoyable just because of what Forest Whitaker has accomplished in his storied acting career and brings to any project he takes on. Unfortunately this was not the case here. From the very beginning, this series draws strong racial and political boundaries, under the guise of a dramatic television project. It doesn't make the statement then lighten up, but doubles down on the rhetoric and ramps up on the hatred and vitriol.

For the viewers that can watch this and realize that it's just a television series (that was intended to entertain but falls short of that goal) it's mildly watchable and barely coherent. But for the easily triggered and politically radical viewers it is a blueprint to manipulated anger and even more racial and political division.

I'm writing after having seen the first episode, that aired last night. And, it's very good.

This show is about POWER & FAMILY--and a mysterious DEATH. Led by the always-good Forrest Whittaker as a very powerful judge, who appears modeled after Justice Clarance Thomas.

But "The Judge" (as he's frequently called) has a very extraordinary tv family--especially for an African-American family. They are ALL accomplished, very bright & competitive. They also are being drawn, unwillingly, into a possible murder.

The circumstances and "supporting" characters are all involved in government, business, and the intelligence worlds.

The future episodes may be subpar, but the premiere was a definite 10 out of 10.

BTW, this series on MGM+ tv had almost NO marketing; and lots of people who would enjoy it, don't know it exists.

Finally, a Hollywood TV series with black leads where, no one is selling drugs, no one is from the hood, no one is on welfare, in public housing or on government support and needs to be saved. It's a miracle. The casting is good, the actors have range, they're educated, well spoken and employed and actually own stuff.

Hollywood need to produce more TV shows like this. Here's a gentle reminder, that not all POC come from lower income backgrounds, are African American and have a connection to narcotics. More of this Hollywood and less of everything else. More recognition of the fact that your audience stretches far beyond people who like shows like snowfall, the wire, godfather of harlem and abbott elementary. It's about time that Hollywood ups it's game and widens the scope of its content in both TV and film.

This show is not perfect.

The pacing of the story is a bit off, and as other reviewers have said the constant time jumps are annoying and could have been handled more creatively without losing the plot.

It is a slow burn, purposely so, not just to build tension but to have the viewer invest in the characters. This pays off eventually.

One big problem is the script. It's not the best. Pace is erratic and content variable. I get the feeling this was a very hard novel to bring to the screen but so feel it could have been done better.

The good things, and there are plenty.

Great acting, especially from the three siblings and 'Talcott' in particular. Forrest Whittaker is a class act (I'll forgive him Battlefield Earth).

Very good delivery of a variable script, dialogue is clear and has emotion.

Production values are evident in every scene.

I do think this series is better than the sum of its parts and encourage potential viewers top give it a chance. Having said that, I also think it's a binge watch rather than an episode every night.