A passion project for "Downton Abbey" creator Julian Fellowes this HBO Max series boasts a lot of stars and definitely makes you think. It's a paradox. You hate a character for focusing on nothing but social climbing, then love her for calling out the old biddies who won't let her into the club. You love her husband for his work ethic and devotion to family, then hate him for his ruthless business practices. You hate the snobby "old" set but then appreciate the times they are able to show compassion and give freely. It's a credit to the producers that these are complex people in a complex time, even if the surface story seems predictable. Unlike "Bridgerton" this is not race-blind casting and some nifty points are made by the single storyline focusing on a Black actor. There isn't a lot of new stuff here but it kept me watching. I blasted through the whole first season in three days. Yes, you hate the entitled rich people. Who cares about rich people being mean to other rich people? But then we are a culture which embraced "Dynasty", so ... In any case, this is very well made and opts for the subtleties rather than hitting viewers over the head. Take the time and enjoy it. Flawed humans and all.
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