I don't know exactly what it is, I can't put my finger on it, but something is missing from this series. In general, the concept is unique as the breadth of it is amazing, covering so many aspects of the Jewish experience in WW2, with settings ranging from Poland to Siberia to Kazakstan to Brazil, to Palestine, to Dakar, to Spain to Italy. It is admirable to cover so many areas that are not normally explored-like Jewish people having to decide if and when to move, difficulties in travelling, the different attitudes between the Russians, the German and the exiled Poles.
But that may be it's weakest aspect, by covering such a broad spectrum of experiences, each one feels a little diluted. While it is one family, there are so many stories going on. I think the series would have benefited from focusing more on one or more of the stories, but then I think it would have missed the point of the series-the wide experiences.
While I found the acting good, not great, not bad, and there were a few moments of touching drama, most of the stories seemed off, and again, I can't put my finger on exactly why. The Holocaust is an inherently dramatic tragedy and it is important to tell and retell the story and this series does it justice and is quite respectful, but the emotional beats just don't land as hard as they should.
It might be that often the series doesn't go far enough with showing the tragedy and the horror seems distant. There is one scene where a mother and daughter are digging their own graves-a horrifying and terrifying scene that is undercut by just letting the mother escape. The series wanted its cake (the horrible scene) and eat it too (allowing the mother and daughter to survive). This happens a few times where the tragedy SHOULD occur (story wise) to hit the viewer in the feels, but the show undercuts those beats.
All in all a decent production, costumes, setting all quite solid if standard. Acting was solid if not special. The series felt PG-13 when the story needs an R rating to truly express itself.
But that may be it's weakest aspect, by covering such a broad spectrum of experiences, each one feels a little diluted. While it is one family, there are so many stories going on. I think the series would have benefited from focusing more on one or more of the stories, but then I think it would have missed the point of the series-the wide experiences.
While I found the acting good, not great, not bad, and there were a few moments of touching drama, most of the stories seemed off, and again, I can't put my finger on exactly why. The Holocaust is an inherently dramatic tragedy and it is important to tell and retell the story and this series does it justice and is quite respectful, but the emotional beats just don't land as hard as they should.
It might be that often the series doesn't go far enough with showing the tragedy and the horror seems distant. There is one scene where a mother and daughter are digging their own graves-a horrifying and terrifying scene that is undercut by just letting the mother escape. The series wanted its cake (the horrible scene) and eat it too (allowing the mother and daughter to survive). This happens a few times where the tragedy SHOULD occur (story wise) to hit the viewer in the feels, but the show undercuts those beats.
All in all a decent production, costumes, setting all quite solid if standard. Acting was solid if not special. The series felt PG-13 when the story needs an R rating to truly express itself.