I came late to this series and have just finished binge-watching 4 seasons. The cast is one of the attractions here, but New York is the other. A lot of the grit behind the scenes of the world of classical music has been scrubbed. Show me an oboist that resides in an apartment like the superb Debra Monk's. A lot of the eccentricity of classical musicians is also tamed, but there's Malcolm McDowell delightfully representing that contingency as well as Gael Garcia Bernal who both make the madness of musicians more attractive than it actually is. The camaraderie is also put forward, and the jealousies and back-biting shoved in the wings. What's left is a series full of Romanticism, mysticism and the thrill that classical music can bring. A brief segment showing the children's orchestra sawing out Beethoven's 5th is the more familiar experience we have in concert halls. This is a show that puts classic music on the altar it deserves, omitting the sacrifice and hard work that produces it. It makes us believe that all of us could raise a baton transport ourselves and an audience to Nirvana, and that's okay with me. As well, the production itself is superb. When we leave New York for Venice, Mexico and Japan, nothing is lost. But there's nothing better than watching Bernadette Peters strutting through the Guggenheim like she owns the place (she owns just about any space she inhabits). And spending time in Venice with Ana Maria Martinez is all too brief but the farewell episode with her floating on a barge down the canals of Venice to collide with Placido Domingo was epic. I was smitten by Lola Kirke's awkward portrayal of Hailey Rutledge. But compared to Bernal's extravagant performance, as well as the rest of the cast (peppered with New York's glitterati), she gets a little lost in the swirling magic that producers Coppola, Schwartzman, et al., have bravely assembled. They deserve our thanks. This was a long shot that has a grand pay off for viewers..

I binge-watched the entire four seasons over a period of three days, and at the end of season four I wanted to express myself to someone, anyone, about how unsatisfying the ending of season four was! I was sucked in at the beginning of season one with the characters: the naive ingenue oboe player, her cool offbeat best friend, the charismatic and unpredictable Mexican Maestro, and it was clear from the beginning that the inexperienced young musician and the brilliant Maestro belonged together, and that through the seasons they became closer and closer until they became an item. Then, in the last season everything goes to pieces. The talented oboe player decides to become a conductor, which is a more ridiculous ambition than being a member of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra, and when she fails due to her own psychological problems she ends her relationship with the charismatic conductor and he goes completely insane. A spiteful ballet choreographer convinces him that he is participating in a conceptual art performance with no audience, no music, and no other dancers, so the Maestro dances around Central Park all by himself in the throes of total madness. Meanwhile somehow his former girlfriend gets to contuct the New York Philharmonic in a new piece by a famous composer which ends with a long standing ovation. It is as if the entire series was written by a deranged feminist whereby what is happy about the ending is that the underdog character grows throughout the seasons as her hair gets shorter, and her genius partner sinks deeper into madness as he becomes more dependent on her presence in his life. The series had me at hello, and then led me deeper down the rabbit hole to a horrible ridiculous ending almost as if the writer had had her heart broken by a Mexican maestro and this was her revenge!

No season ever failed me before but season 4 is my favorite. they bring a great reminder that the essence of art is a pure joy from doing something just for the sake of it, not for money or anyone else.i love many details especially the beautiful pond with Hans Andersen statue where Rodrigo finally found back "Mozart" in himself. Highly appreciated Hai Lai for her efforts to make break through and the courage to break up to find her own way. i think they'll find the way back to each other somehow in next season :"> a million thanks sent to everyone involved in production.i'm deeply grateful for your work!

Well, just like every other person - I like music- but I hate musicals.Had nothing else to watch and just played the first episode on prime - didn't stop till I finished all the seasons in just 3 days.This is an excellent series, light hearted and extremely well acted and directed - except for just one filler episode - the whole series was fun to watch.Can't wait to see season 4.Don't miss it.