chaos-rampant This was cancelled early, it's unfinished work, so that even after 9 hours of narrative time it feels like only the first few pages have been turned; but were we any better for having seen six seasons of The Sopranos rather than two, did it enrich that much more?I came to it for Mann, one of the preeminent makers of the alert eye in our time, the finished thing turned out to be in the template of The Sopranos and Deadwood where the actors and word are the vessels for drama. It is complex plotwise and immersive enough because colorful characters articulately snarl at each other; but complex expression is not deep intuition, immersion is not concentration. So it might seem like complex work if you get caught up in the schemes for money and ownership and here is where the lack of resolution will disappoint, it ends just as the stage has been set for conflict. But if you don't get tangled up in them, you can discern all that matters. The racetrack as the stage of drama with desperate souls caught viewing by the sidelines at what they have chosen to have a stake in. The Jewish mobster who wants to buy off the racetrack will win against his rival but at what cost to his soul? Loved ones will perish, it could be a grandson or a horse, so that we finally awaken at what had been valuable all this time.It's all in the horses and what they exemplify, magnificent creatures that everyone should spend some time with. Characters of course ignore the horses as anything more than ticket slips that buy them a seat in that arena of spectacle where their presence can be rewarded with the anxiety of winning or losing. To what purpose? So they can carry the drama with them in unfulfilled lives until another scheme the next day.So this is the insight to leave this with, it's in Mann's pilot and the last episode. The horses race marvelously simply for having the exhilarating capacity to do it, there is no "horse race" for them and only running, doing without ego. The viewers watch from the sides transfixed. Would any of this have meaning for them had they not hedged a bet that imbues the beauty with the anxiety and drama of winning or losing? Would they be at all there? Would you?So if you're disappointed that we don't get to find out how any of the schemes pans out (Turo's race fixing, the old man's legal trouble), you become like they are, bogged down in meaningless schemes. Meanwhile what has the capacity to enrich had been right under your nose all this time, simply being there to take care of something for its capacity to be what it is; the woman who arranges the horse caring program for inmates inserts this notion in the small portion we have. But with the caveat that it will not always be there for you to postpone it. A horse might have to be put down. A show might be cancelled.

rusty-26 I watched two episodes and that was enough. I simply did not understand anything! Not that I have much grasp of horse racing in the first place, but most TV series that takes on a little "quirky" subjects tend to present this in a way that the uninitiated understands. Here there has not been enough focus on telling an understandable and captivating story. Nolte and Hoffman speaks incomprehensible, mumbling to a degree that it seems distracting, despite the subtitles. Have they learned from Marlon Brando? A pity because on papers this series looked very interesting with a lot of good actors.

Right-Wing-Man This was pretty much the best mew show out there... incredible story, directing, acting, writing, producing the whole lot of it. Dustin Hoffman, was so brilliant in this role it was mind-blowing. The whole cast was just perfect as actors, I enjoyed every moment of this. It seems these days that anything Michael Mann touches is really, really good. I think if this show would have got higher viewer ratings they would have fought the animal rights groups, but instead opted to pull the plug rather than fight the fight. The Human Society and PETA are two organizations that I do not like nor appreciate. They only want attention for themselves, but rarely do anything good for the actual animals themselves, which is sad, but true. Sue, sue, sue... is the only name in their games. Anyhow, don't want to veer to far off topic. Once again hats of to an incredible show.

sagei In the casting at least.Actors you would have thought had long been put out to pasture.But these are aging heavyweights. They have class that guys in Twilight can only dream of.They come together to provide an intriguing look at the underbelly of horse racing.The language is ugly but natural. Characters speaking instead of actors abusing on cue.No inexplicably nude women.No spoon feeding either. Characters don't take the time to explain insider terms. You will have to educate yourself if you care enough to follow the show.No shock and awe opening which is then strung out into interminable episodes. Start is discouraging. Story seems aimless. Show looks like a dead end. But as you sit bemused, it sneaks up on you. By the end of the pilot you will know if you are hooked or not.Cgi was obvious but injury to horse was still ghastly.Mainstream is pathetically shallow. So anything different is often blindly credited with depth it does not possess.Was this the tip of the iceberg ? Will there actually be hidden depths ? Only time will tell. Or this review, if it is updated.Definitely watching.Wish them well.Thank you.Cancelled due to 3 horses dying during shooting.