Manhattan

{review based on the Pilot + scenes from the 2nd episode}

This a semi-fictional depiction of what happened in Los Alamos, New Mexico during World War II. As you probably know the Manhattan Project was a research and development project for the first Atomic Bomb, thus the name of the show Manh(A)ttan with the middle A stylized as separated.

The series follows the lives of the families living in a strict, military controlled, village in the middle of the desert. In that place paranoia rules. Because of the big secret (the development of the "gadget" as they call it) everyone is considered a possible leak or a suspect for espionage. Their correspondence to the outside world is controlled, the army makes random checks to them and their belongings, they even have to take polygraph tests if they seem more suspicious than others.

The production has nothing to envy from a feature film. Attention to detail. Countless extras and above all a remarkable cinematography. The way they make you feel the "space", the atmosphere of this place is extraordinary.

I hope it will continue in the same fashion and not consume itself in many subplots and little dramas that will make it tiresome. (If it does, it wouldn't be the first time a great pilot is followed by mediocre episodes). But for now...

***Highly recommended.

{{{UPDATE after having seen 9 episodes}}}

Unfortunately my fears have been realized. The show is full of pointless subplots and is now boring and far from entertaining.

Oppenheimer's screen time is measured in ...seconds in the 10 hours I wasted to watch this.

The race for the atomic bomb and WW2 is almost absent.

It's all about the lives and the little dramas of the wives, the mistresses and the ..$2 prostitutes who live in the camp. Who gets high with what, who is screwing whom etc.

Maybe they should change the title to MANHATTAN HOUSEWIVES.

***Overall: Avoid it. I'm changing my rating from 8 to a (very generous) 4.