tahitilooksnice

This show epitomises the problem with our culture. Whether it's art, film, architecture or music, it's no longer about creating something beautiful and timeless. Instead it's all about celebrating huge egos who don't actually create, they collate, rehashing ideas much like AI. Every song here sounds familiar. A bunch of cliches sung to a beat. It's music made by a computer... and it sounds like it. The show does little to reveal a process, rather we get to see people trying to act cool and talking crap. I couldn't sit in a room with any of these characters for more than 5 minutes.

Having watched several series of the US version, it's difficult to avoid comparisons. What's similar is the format, the office, the supervisor and the city montages etc. Where it falls down is the absence of Orna. She listens, observes and is very present. Orna says little but is incredibly insightful. It's impressive, often surprising. The Australian therapist talks ALL the time, more than the clients, commenting, lecturing, interrupting to question details, interjecting and suggesting responses. Maybe she feels the pressure to perform (talk) because of the cameras.

There's something about Australian series... the characters are always exaggerated, as though the people of this country are all quirky, low IQ and one dimensional. That might work ok for comedy but in the drama genre it's almost embarrassing. I'm not saying this is a terrible show, mainly because I didn't get past the first episode. I just couldn't be bothered. It's impossible to feel for the characters because it's obvious in every scene they are actors. Actors trying really, really hard to pretend to be authentic but never reaching any level of sincerity. Some viewers might find it amusing but many like me will find it forced and awkward.