Sugarwood

This show had exceeded my expectations.

I have putting this show down for a long time, now finally after watching this episode, I am amazed and I regret why I didn't watched it before.... This episode contain intense moments and that background music which build that tension.

It was slow paced, which wasn't the bad thing because it is crime/drama show.

I've never commented on a specific episode of a series, but I just saw the first of Ozark and I'm in awe. Jason Batman's directing work is magnificent. We'll talk about his performance when I get my pulse back. Wow!

Anyone burned by the slow stroll to nowhere of recent Netflix dramas had to be pleased with the pins-and-needles tension - and shocking payoffs - of "Ozark," Jason Bateman's new original series for the streaming giant. From the first episode to the ending, Season 1 was filled with shocking twists and intense familial strife. The importance of the premiere episode was its power. While that may go without saying, given the first hour's overall impact, it's important to remember how many dramas start slow. "Ozark" digs right in, and does so with great purpose: to alert you to what kind of show you're watching and prepare you for what's to come. Meet Marty Byrde (Jason Bateman): a financial adviser working for a small firm in Chicago with his partner, Bruce (Josh Randall). But making smart monetary moves isn't just Marty's business. It's his life. We learn as much by the penny-pinching tendencies on display when he denies another $10 donation to his daughter's friend - for charity. A shot that starts with his entire family gathered around the dinner table ends with Marty munching on chips alone. Clearly, his job is affecting his life. And it all starts with the massacre of Marty's business partners. Del (Esai Morales) suspects his money launderers are skimming money in the process, which we later find out is a bluff. He didn't know. He just presumed, and Bruce fell for it. What's important to note about all these deaths goes beyond simple set-up. Yes, Marty's last-second idea saves his hide and sets in motion the entire series - moving the family to Missouri, laundering more money than he ever imagined possible - but it also sets a standard: The worst can happen, and Del won't hesitate to pull the trigger. This lesson is reinforced again when Wendy (Laura Linney) tries to flee with her fling, Gary (a.k.a. "Sugarwood" - thanks for the episode title, P. I.). Just as you expect a conflict between an angry Marty and his wife's lover, down drops Gary's body with a sickening thwack, right in the middle of the street. Del found out what Wendy was trying to do and dealt with it before Marty had a chance. How he handles Gary - and Wendy - is memorable for all parties: exactly the response Del wants.

Everybody is different, some like comic cartoonish series, some comedic, some action etc. This series and this episode is exactly made for the kind of people who likes "serious drama", but wants constant excitement. It starts just like anything, but then, it puts the pressure on and on and on, and it's a rush of joy and tension watching it. As a pilot it could have been just a movie and i would have been more than happy, gladly we got more and i can say it's absolutely worth the watch, but the first episode really impress me. Have to add this before i forgot to mention it. The script, the writting in this series is top notch. Sometimes after some dialog so well written, i had to stop and concluded that was very well written. It's nice to see well written shows for grownups.

A really bold, highlighted pilot episode I've seen in a while, this episode doesn't hold any punches when showcasing the good and flaws sides of the characters. A bit tense, the plot setup paces really quick, a major plot point is reveal and sets the track for the rest of the season. The show is a gritty crime drama that I'd like to compare to Breaking Bad especially the integration of suburban family crisis in the central plot. The cast is pitch-perfect, the technical elements are of top-calibre, right from the first frame of this show, I knew I won't be watching the typical Netflix show but rather a sophisticated, well-made series. My only downside with the episode is that has a pacing issue and tries a bit hard to shock the audience, other than I think this show going to be a blast.