Smoke

This show starts out slow and builds into something that is worth watching. The characters are not anything to captivate you from the beginning but the main villain becomes a great example of the rot in society, in a provocative way. It needs to be said that Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine is a genius in this show and delivered the most impactful roll of a villain I've seen since Blackbird. Speechless at how great his performance was. This show is worth watching if only to see what he does.

Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine delivers an EPIC, ICONIC, SURREAL PERFORMANCE that is, by itself, AN OUTSTANDING REASON TO WATCH.

I am from São Paulo, Brazil, love tv shows and had not seen him on screen before.

WHAT A PERFORMANCE. He turned a secondary character into a OUTLIER. His delivery is as solid as Christoph Waltz in Inglorious Bastards, less verbal of course...but its a league of its own. Accent, tone, non verbal, alternating tones of voice in a extremely disturbing performance.

Saw him this week on Dexter Ressurection. ANOTHER OUTSTANDING PERFORMANCE, SO GOOD and DIFFERENT it seems like a completely different actor.

THANK YOU SIR.

I've watched the first two episodes of Smoke on Apple TV+ and so far, I'm enjoying it. The atmosphere is dark, tense, and moody, with the Pacific Northwest setting really adding to the overall tone. The story is slowly building tension, and the performances by Taron Egerton and Jurnee Smollett are strong and believable. The pacing is slow but feels deliberate, like it's setting up for bigger twists to come. The characters seem layered and complex, and the mystery around the fires is keeping me hooked. I'm definitely curious to see where the story goes next. Right now, I'd rate it a 7/10.😊😊😊😊😊😊😊

The woman in this series is pretty much invincible and never held accountable for any of her actions. She's the smartest, strongest and baddest character in the whole series. Everything is catered towards her and there are no consequences for her actions. Everything goes her way all the time. Taron Egarton plays the lead and the psychological twist keep you in suspense. Meanwhile Smolletts character trots around the plot doing whatever she wants whenever she wants and nobody seems to care. She's just the most intelligent corrupted cop to ever exist.

Dennis Lehane and Taron Egerton's follow-up to Black Bird is ambitious, uneven television that succeeds as psychological thriller whilst failing as conventional crime drama.

The Good: Egerton delivers a masterfully unnerving performance once Dave's true nature emerges. His portrayal of wounded masculinity and narcissistic delusion is genuinely compelling. The supporting cast - particularly Ntare Guma Mbaho Mwine's tragic Freddy and John Leguizamo's bitter ex-partner - provides excellent dramatic weight.

Ep 6-7 represent television at its finest, with psychological warfare that's properly riveting.

The Bad: Severe pacing issues plague the series. Ep 1 feels generic, Ep 4 descends into ridiculous territory, and Ep 8 tests patience as obvious setup. The finale prioritises character revelation over narrative closure, leaving frustrating loose ends. The series suffers from identity crisis: never quite deciding whether it's procedural or character study.

The Verdict: When "Smoke" embraces its psychological complexity, it's genuinely brilliant. Unfortunately, structural flaws and tonal inconsistency undermine its overall impact. The series works best as an actor's showcase for Egerton, whose performance alone justifies the journey.

Bottom Line: Compelling but flawed... worth watching for the psychological depth and exceptional performances, but temper expectations regarding satisfying resolutions.

Ambitious television that doesn't quite achieve its considerable potential.