Patriota

I was stunned to learn this show was cancelled. It was truly original, funny, dark and clever. I can't believe Amazon is bringing garbage like Jack Ryan back and canceling a critic and audience darling like Patriot. What a shame.

This show is simply a masterpiece. It is one of the most well-produced and visually impressive shows in recent memory. It's witty, funny, serious, sad, and suspenseful all at once. The art direction is incredible. I never write reviews or share much about things I watch but I'm writing this, and I've told many friends/family that they really should watch this.

This is hands down one of the finest crafted stories I've watched in my 40+ years on this planet in any medium.

I really don't want to give spoilers as the plot is a journey that I hope you take in from start to finish with minimal knowledge of what it is to come. I'll only mention things in vague fashion and with information that you would find out from the intro/trailers.

At a glance this may appear to be just another spy thriller. But what lies beneath is a dark comedy wrapped in a drama/mystery/thriller. And the writers treat the audience with a level of respect rarely seen these days. They expect you to pay attention and follow along so they don't just spoon feed you every detail up front.

But they also don't leave you hanging too far out there either. The narrative has a back and forth ebb and flow around when the main events take place but isn't afraid to jump to the future and past on a whim to give you more depth and background.

Rarely do you see characters this well crafted, stories this deep and philosophical boundaries questioned with casual deference while juggling political commentary and still managing to toss in some laughs even in the darkest of moments.

Beyond the story being great there is also a solid cast. I don't think there was a single bad performance in this show. Every actor with even the smallest part was a brilliant casting choice that fit precisely into their role. And the leads shoulder burdens that would make Shakespeare proud.

Even from a technical standpoint this was a beautifully shot work of art. Despite the obviously minimal budget there are some simple gorgeous shots in a variety of interesting locations. From old world cities to industrial junk yards, to simple forest scenes. This was a director and cinematographer duo that know how to make the visual story just as interesting as the word play in the script.

I will caution you only that it does start out a bit slow. But the roller coaster you are about to embark on will pick you up and drop you soon enough, so please stay seated and pay attention.

If you have a brain you will laugh, you will cry, and you will wonder why TV and movies don't attempt to be this good more often.

Please let there be more seasons of this. The world really needs it.

Please order more of this show! I haven't seen such a fresh take on a genre--in this case, espionage--since I first saw "Raising Arizona" 35 years ago. My eyes and mouth opened wide at how unique and quirkily this show used the screen, characters, story, and imagery to toss James Bond into a Cuisinart every so often for a pulse.

The whole thing has the feeling, like the incredible camera/bull sequence, of being told as a narrative from the memories and imaginations of two goofy brothers lying out in a tent one summer night, taking turns killing off each other's characters and they hand off the narrative. The setup and pay off of the Asian gentleman and the security guard is brilliant!

I can't stop laughing to make breakfast.

I almost want to never see any more so as to preserve the mystery and perfection. This pilot is Rube Goldberg's Cleaning Closet with all the mops and brooms and buckets just barely kept from chaos by the door.

My one concern is the title, which is hopelessly dull and shares none of the grab bag charm of the script and acting. Even "NOC" is better because it conceals mystery but pays off. Nobody politically left of John McCain would give this a tumble with that name. It sounds like a Tom Clancy novel when it's a lot closer to Tom Robbins.

I'm sold on this writer/director and will now go look up his IMDb credits. Thanks for letting us review.

Patriot is in the comedy category, but it is a blend of drama and comedy, in nearly equal parts. It has many laugh out loud moments, but so does the Mad Men, to a lesser degree. Patriot is extremely personal, thought provoking, and touching.

This is absolutely the most artistic show of the new breed of excellent television in recent years. It's far above most of Amazon's offerings. I love this show. Every aspect is top-notch: the acting, the direction, the script, the cinematography. IMO this could be the best new show of the last year or two.

I sincerely hope Amazon renews for a second season.