Satisfaction

Sure there are tons of shows in prime time and elsewhere where adultery happens, but a show whose very premise is based on something that most of us, in our personal lives, find ugly goes a bit too far. And tit-for-tat infidelity is just wrong. To walk open-eyed into extra-marital relationships just because a marriage is unsatisfying is easy but at heart, lazy. Either work on the marriage or get a divorce. But as my mother used to say, "Don't land another plane until you've cleared the runway." The funny thing about us humans is that even though we are 21st century hip, we still, thank God, cannot jettison our morality and our emotions when we are on the "victim" end of violations of that morality. Wrongness wrapped in beautiful sets, rocking bodies, and decent acting is still wrongness. So low marks to a show that tries to make us forgot our moral compasses in exchange for cool.

What can I say for the new USA series "Satisfaction" it's a show that teases you watch it week after week and nothing really big happens true their is plenty of skin and love scenes still the story still does frown you with it's drama and discovery. Still it's a guilty pleasure as a plot about a husband Neil Truman(Matt Passmore) and wife Grace(Stephanie Szostak) who have an open marriage of sleeping around with escorts to spice up their love life is interesting. And the series has good eye candy in the form of pimp business lady Adriana(the sexy Katherine LaNasa). Overall it's a sexy series with lust, fun and intimate feel certainly a different kind of series for USA network.

Satisfaction has very interesting and unusual plot. Even though scenario is little bit annoying, chain of events are amazing and addictive. Especially secrets between Grace and Neil also Neil's question about his relationships are real power of this TV show. Actually, Satisfaction show us consequences of very common problem in the world that is Married Couples' monotone lifestyles with unusual storytelling and incredible acting. Nonetheless, I have some doubts about continuation of Satisfaction, because when secrets between Grace and Neil are revealed, What would happen, after the revelations unless there will be strong scenario like previous episodes, ıt would be messy. I hope after the sharing or revealing secrets TV show does not lose its unique atmosphere and original storytelling, because everyone knows that TV series like Satisfaction includes clichés at some point. Anyway I am just waiting to find out what will be going on next eagerly and gladly.

USA would like you to believe that this is their Thursday night sexy and erotic soft-core porno about marriage dissatisfaction. The commercials made me (an early 20s male) not want to see the show at all. If not for a friend's recommendation I would not have watched one of the best pilots I have seen this year.

Satisfaction is not afraid to ask the hard questions. What is the point of the American Dream? What is living a worthwhile life? Neil Truman has reached the pinnacle of the working mans dream. He has everything a man could want and yet he still can't see the point. Why work so hard making money, when you don't get to spend any of it with the ones you love? His wife is living the "perfect woman's life". She has nice things, a daughter, and a job. The one thing she wants is more attention from her husband. Their daughter Anika, goes to a great school, has a family with money, and everything society says will make her happy. And she too is dissatisfied. It is sad that all three just want each other and instead go elsewhere for satisfaction. Funny enough the highly paid male escort is the only person who seems happy. The pilot goes on to be full of twists and turns as each character fights to find satisfaction in their own way.

I connected with satisfaction because I too ask the question, am I content with the "perfect" life society sells us. Why am I going to college? I am getting in debt just so that I can get a piece of paper, which allows me to get a job. So that one day I will make money, have a family, retire, and die. What is the point?

Are you satisfied with the life you are "supposed" to live?

Matt Passmore, Blair Redford, and Michelle Deshon were fantastic. Each had several scenes that I enjoyed. Matt Passmore plays a strong lead character; Blair Redford played a male escort that I found myself rooting for on more then one occasion. Michelle Deshon had a brilliant scene at her school talent show. I unfortunately cannot say the same for Stephanie Szostak. For some reason she never seemed believable to me, and her performance annoyed me.

Writing 8/10 Cast 8/10 Directing 10/10 Production 10/10

I look forward to seeing if they can keep as high a production value for the following episodes.

The pilot of Satisfaction was very good. In its 65' feels more like a movie than an episode of a series.

Neil, a successful investment banker and a family man, has an epiphany and thinks he's living a life without meaning. He decides to do something about that, to speak the truth, to take matters in his own hand, but... the results are far from what he might expected! After the end of the pilot everything seems completed though. Most of the characters did their circle and any farther reference to them anymore seems futile. But it's a show, not a movie! So these characters keep coming back. Their story didn't end but now they seem totally unnecessary.

Just finished watching the second (42' this time) episode and now my initial good review is changing to the worst. The editing is now avoiding crucial parts of what is happening. The script is making the characters more wooden and predictable. I, as a viewer, now care less about them.

The show unfortunately turns into a sitcom. There are even some elements of comic relief, like with a Buddhist "Monk" (another character who completed his circle in the pilot, but he is still present in the 2nd episode) who's pickpocketing a cellphone to send a SMS.

Also in the second episode we get to see the title sequence, with a nip-tuck version of Satisfaction (by the Rolling stones), that I really truly wished not to be the music theme of series, but in vain.

Overall: See the pilot. If you question yourself after, "Where the show goes from here?" skip the rest of the series.