City on Fire

I didnt watch the trailer just saw the description on apple tv plus and started watching. I also searched up reviews before starting and saw metacritic and rotten tomatoes critics gave it a bad score so I was worried i was wasting my time but I kept watching and I finished the first episode and I really enjoyed it. I love the 2000s and the characters are pretty cool except for the socially awkward boy whose leading but hes not terrible terrible.

I think young people will enjoy especially if you grew up in the 2000s and i think people that didnt read the books would enjoy because i didnt read.

Update on 6/14: im still liking it! First ep was awesome then it goes downhill for 3-4 episodes but then around ep 5 it picks back up so if you give it a try make ur way to atleast the 6th ep!

This turned out better than I expected it to. "City on Fire" has engaging dialogue, solid character growth, and hardly any plot inconsistencies, which I found quite impressive given the number of things the show tackled story-wise. I can't comprehend that people think the writing is subpar. It's not perfect, but it consistently delivers and certainly has its great moments. Despite a few odd character interactions and representation, the writing is pretty airtight. And it only gets better as the show progresses.

While the busy plot focuses on multiple storylines simultaneously, the show never sacrifices one for the other. It will sometimes seem like two shows at once, but everything is connected brilliantly. This split focus between storylines is done tastefully to build relationships between certain characters and generally make the story more cohesive in the end. I also love that there are open ends, leaving the possibility of a return, but the main conflict is mostly resolved. It's all crafted very neatly, I'm confident I'm watching a decent adaptation without even having read the book.

The characters are mostly serviceable, and an amusing one pops up every so often. They serve their purpose in the story well and are played by competent actors. The dynamic between the two main characters is also great. Every scene with Chase Sui Wonders (Sam) is gripping. She breathes life into Oleff's character (Charlie), who comes into his own regarding honouring and defending Sam, which scored his character some points. I didn't think he was boring.

The production looks good, the cinematography is solid, and the score/soundtrack augments the dated feel of the show, given the setting. It's nothing revolutionary, but I found it very engaging and I might have teared up a few times during the finale. I think it's worth your time.

Having watched after reading negative riviews, I am surprise lots. This is an unique well crafted show. This is my genuine opinion. Not bad at all. Stories are not linier that interconnect each other. Each character has connected slightly. I can understand the connection as an episode proceeds. Music is also effective foreshadowing the each characters emotion and setting. Each actor shows quite good acting and persuasive. Why the negative opinions ?I presume that how the story is conved is preferrable. If you don't mind non linier way of story telling, you can like this one. Especially, if you like stories set on New York city. You can enjoy, I hope.

Writing this a day after Apple canceled this show. So naturally I decided to watch it. It's good. Couple of plot holes, but what show doesn't? Decent acting. Surprisingly the writing is ok. Seems like people can't understand why it was canceled. That would be because the story is told. They completely told the story of the book. There isn't anything else to say. So, should you watch it? If you're subscribed to Apple, then yes. You're paying for it. It's not good enough that you should subscribe just to watch it. Just accept it for what it is. An entertaining < 8 hours that could be worse. There's enough garbage out there. Watch this garbage.

This show is amazing. The storyline makes sense, it's beautifully told over multiple storylines that all come together in a very cohesive way. The artistic element is great, the characters are well developed and fun and you get to watch them develop further over the series. The pace isn't too fast and it isn't too slow, my attention was immediately grabbed wanting to know more. I know everything isn't for everyone, but I genuinely have a hard time understanding the bad reviews; I didn't notice any of what they mentioned and I definitely say give this a shot if you like mysteries - especially if you also enjoy art and rebellion.