![]() ![]() The first character is written and performed to be emotionally flat and yet we are told to identify with him. ![]() ![]() It begins with a decidedly sinister narrator (or is that just the real life vibe of Richard E Grant?) telling us that they are going to break all the rules of storytelling in a limited series. I need to confess that I've put off writing a review of this limited series because I'm really conflicted about how it is crafted. The writing is ok, and the story is at least intriguing, the characters are somewhat cookie-cutter at this point, but hey Sally Fields is in it playing Sally Fields again, so there's that. I can't decide if that's a good thing or a bad thing just yet. It kind of reminds me of movies like The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, Brazil, and maybe even a little bit like a modern take of Alice in Wonderland thrown in. If you like off-beat fantasy type stuff you might like this one. But I'll watch the next episode and see where that leads. If the story delivers, or doesn't, I'll re-edit this review. I think I'll keep going a bit further and see where this leads. Do I turn back, or do I keep going? That's sort of how I feel after watching the first episode. Watching this, for me, is like making a wrong turn down a road I've never been and seeing some interesting things that are a bit off and make absolutely no sense. I hope it turns into something interesting and different, but I don't know right now. As to what star rating I'd give this, my place holder is a 7. So as of yet, I don't know what to think of this one. Innovative storytelling and intriguing, fully-rounded characters make it a must-watch. I'm excited to explore it more and to see where this quirky narrative is going. It's a whole lot of fun to enter into this world. ![]() There's Janice (Sally Field), a cheery retiree struggling to process her own problems. There's Fred Wynn (Andre Benjamin), an awkward genius with an eye for clues and patterns, but no understanding of people or social interactions. Jason Segel is perfect for the character of Peter, who has been plugging through the doldrums of life and "work stuff." Eve Lindley's Simone gives us an entry point more laden with anxiety. All around, Dispatches from Elsewhere is brilliantly cast. Granted, we don't know what, precisely, that thing is just yet. The story of four people brought together by something that's larger than themselves. But the ultimate effect of all this? A sort of narrative alchemy that leaves me wanting more, even as I admit that I'm not entirely sure what it is that I've been watching. It's difficult to even describe the series to someone who hasn't watched it in a way that even remotely encompasses what it's about. The main plot often feels impossible to pin down. Dispatches From Elsewhere is also extremely confusing and wildly unpredictable. I found it very moving, this idea that we could create the world we want.Now that I have had the opportunity to see the first few episodes, I must say I am properly hooked. But instead of tearing each other down, these four get together at night and make art and beauty. “To me it was the exact opposite of ‘Fight Club.’ It’s the same impulse - that there should be more in this life we’re living. “It’s based on a real art installation-immersive theater experience that happened maybe 10 years ago,” Segel, 40, began. Invited via fliers on the street to do something about it he meets three strangers with whom he plays an intriguing game. Moody, philosophical, funny, “Dispatches” has Segel’s character Peter looking for meaning in what’s become a dreary life. Sally Field as Janice, Eve Lindley as Simone, Jason Segel as Peter and Andre Benjamin as Fredwynn, from left – Dispatches from Elsewhere _ Season 1, Episode 10 – Photo Credit: Jessica Kourkounis/AMC That’s got to be the 10-episode “Dispatches from Elsewhere” series that he created, produced, wrote, directed and stars in opposite Sally Field and Andre Benjamin. Jason Segel is best known for comedic hits like “Forgetting Sarah Marshall” or “Bad Teacher” but his most passionate pursuit ever? ![]()
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