The acting is phenomenal and so is the writing. This series takes a look at what we consider normal, and it also looks at what hurts and heals. It is funny, dramatic, and honest. This is the best show I've seen in a long time. Also one of the most honest in regard to what it means to be a part of the capitalist machine. So damn good.

The A.V. Club named this the best series of 2013, beating out popular favorite Breaking Bad and angering many readers who had never even heard of this obscure HBO series. It aired its first, 10 episode season in late 2011. Its second, 8 episode season aired at the beginning of 2013. A third season was planned, but HBO canceled it. Watching the first season, I was a little perplexed at where the praise had come from. Laura Dern is good in the lead, playing Amy Jellicoe, a woman working at a high position at a pharmaceutical company who gets fired after having an emotional breakdown. She goes to a New Age-y treatment facility in Hawaii and, six months later, returns to the company in a much lower position. She is a bit of a hippie, harping on her company's lack of ethics, which immediately gets her in trouble. I must say, the first season seems all like set-up with no pay off. If I were watching it on TV, especially if I had to wait the whole year for it to air its second season, I probably wouldn't have continued with it. But I bought both seasons at once, so eight more episodes weren't much of a commitment. And, man, that second season. It goes from a series that was decent but fairly unnotable to something truly special, something remarkably potent. Here is the pay-off in spades. The second season is so emotionally involving, so insightful into the human condition. Amy Jellicoe is a bit of a pill, but you really understand her and I really appreciated a character like her, one who is far less than perfect. The two best episodes of the series have at their center a secondary character. "Higher Power" focuses on Amy's ex-husband, Luke Wilson, as he himself goes to Amy's treatment facility and tries to get clean. Wilson has always been an undervalued actor who is often misused, and he's never been better than in this television episode. In "The Ghost Is Seen," series creator and head writer Mike White (whose directorial debut, Year of the Dog, explored similar themes to this series), who co-stars as Amy's lonely best friend at work, falls in love with Molly Shannon (who starred in Year of the Dog), while he simultaneously betrays her trust. Diane Ladd also co-stars as Amy's mother, and I loved her relationship with her daughter. It was unique in that she's severely disappointed with her daughter and kind of distrusts her.

Very surprised by show's rating, gave it 10 to even score a bit. Lucky HBO did broadcasting it, otherwise based on IMDb rating shall had never watch it.This show starts slow, and, as others have written, a bit confusing, not knowing what bread it is. But it grows in me by each episode, becoming addictive by having an unique mix of creativity, human nature sincere exposure, and lot of common sense. Very much liked the non-intrusive way of telling a story of a personality which, although is not of my taste at all, manages to make me sympathize with, and perhaps understand and accept.Well done.

I wanted to see this series solely for Laura Dern. The first episode seemed okay. A woman has a meltdown at work after finding out that the boss she was having an affair with was transferring her out of her department. So she goes away to a retreat, fixes herself, and comes back to find that her old job has been filled, and she's got a new job...in the basement of the company working with computers.I thought that the story would develop as I got deeper into the series but that's where I was wrong. The series deals with Amy and her issues and we're left wondering if her Hawaiian retreat actually helped her or not. Each episode, with the exception of the second last one, deal's with one of Amy's hangups and I was starting to get frustrated with it.Laura Dern does a good job as a wacky person who just can't see past herself. She's her own worst enemy, choosing to ignore what's right in front of her face, deal with her predicament and move on and do something about it. I was getting fed up of seeing her continually go back to her old floor and try to confide in Krista, one of two characters (besides Janice) whom I found two faced and really despised.Thankfully, the last episode sort of made up for most of the series and I'm interested in seeing where Amy goes with her new found power. As long as the series gets another shot. Aside from Laura Dern, the whole cast that makes up the Cogentiva floor is well cast and funny, with each person contributing to the weirdness that makes up the DNA of a basement floor worker. Timm Sharp as the politically incorrect, nerdish, loutish, priggish head is very funny. Mike White also deserves a mention because he says a lot more with his quiet demeanour and smile than with any dialogue (but I had to laugh at his hack in password!).All in all, I'd recommend it but bear in mind that Amy is highly annoying and frustrating most of the times but there are lucid moments when she gets the picture and you think there is hope for her after all.