Flesh and Bone

The series deserves a standing ovation, it's a masterpiece.

Each episode got better and better, the final episode was breathtaking. It's a dark, disturbing story on all fronts, but so compelling. The acting is very good, the characters are fully developed - faults and all. The score is amazing, the sets are beautiful and it's filmed in such a way that you feel you are there watching. I didn't expect the show to be so captivating, and it actually took a couple of episodes before I felt invested in the series, but each episode built upon the prior, and the series will drawn you in. While watching the final episode, I began to understand the story itself was like a ballet performance - beautifully executed in a tragic sort of way. The final ballet is amazing, and worth watching the entire series just for that.

It seemed some critics panned the series - but in my opinion, it's a masterpiece - the best of the best. If you liked Black Swan, Fame, Flashdance or other similar themed movies, I think you'll find Flesh & Bone as amazing and enjoyable as I did.

There are very few shows that do something so rare that to capture it on camera is dazzling. This is one such show. In most shows acting is enough, and of course it's an art all in itself but nothing like this. This is a true ballet show where they don't fake the dancing. It's breathtaking in its complexity and a beautiful masterpiece when it all comes together.

The thing that makes this such a fantastic show besides the dancing is the story behind it. They incorporate a level of darkness which you almost never see on the screen. And when you do it's almost instantly fleeting. Not in this show though, they made it perfect. It's got such a resounding Janus feel to it, that it can be best described as daunting. Hat's off truly 10/10.

Ballet is like an obsession. If Black Swan did teach us one thing then it clearly was that. And the show that ran for a season on Starz is clear in its intentions to be a somewhat spiritual successor or at least in the same ballpark. Having one of the dancers from that movie playing the main role here is a start. And Sarah Hay learned Ballet as a young girl, something you can tell by watching her move (though I'm not sure if you can tell more as the teacher/director and some others seem to be able to).

So with a limited knowledge of the art itself, I can say that it is riveting and it looks phenomenal. But the show also dares to explore darker themes and backstories of the characters. You may be able to guess the connections between them (or rather their relationship), but there will be surprises along the way.

If you don't mind complex characters, blood (sweat) and nudity (including lewd acts as some might proclaim), this is really interesting. The character journey is really something and while you can guess to a certain extend where this is heading, the performances make it more than worthwhile

This is so bad that it's literally laugh out loud funny. The dialogue of the Ballet director queen is predictably ridiculous and unreal. Every aspect of this show is predictable because all you have to do is just picture the dumbest direction the scene could possibly take and there it goes.

People writing bad reviews based on their dance past may have a point, but might be viewing this from the wrong perspective. Yes the show is about a ballet company, but it tells a story, more than one actually and even if there are clichés in it, that's called dramatizing the story.

What is being told here could have used any background. Look at 'Mozard in the Jungle', that setting could have fit too. Yet, finally someone takes courage in making a beautiful show with ballet as background. Shouldn't you people be proud of that instead of pissing on it?

For me, I love ballet, but that's not only the reason why I'm watching and I never really leave reviews here, but reading from 'ex-dancers' I thought it felt unfair how the show was being reviewed. The acting is very good, esp. from the lead, the dancing imo is good enough to fool the audience and it's the whole vibe of the show (the way it's shot, the music) that sets a really pleasant tone to watch it. I am kinda sad there aren't more episodes, yet.

So, watch it, don't judge too soon and enjoy it. It's like reading a good book!