Where is the soul?

david-569

I really struggled with whether to even write anything because also working at the highest level of ballet, dance, in the USA, as some others have said too... this Flesh and Bones could be, should be, would be, an insult to the senses of anyone who has been at high levels of dance. Hence the critical reviews by those who have been in the trade. But then that is what cracked it for me... Flesh and Bones is not about ballet. Or a ballet company. Or professional dancers working at the penultimate levels that are required to sustain as a dancer. This is not about ballet. It is about TV. And self indulgent writers. And clichés. And... you get the idea. It is about drama. And conflict. And the creation of. In addition to dance, having written some screenplays too, the first time I ever pitched one I was shocked and dismayed when during the pitch meeting, my first, the questions focused on "where is the conflict". It initially ruined me, until I realized and accepted story and reality and believability and so on were secondary to.... captivation. Conflict. That is Flesh and Bones. I too really REALLY wanted to see some dancing. I was disappointed. So I lowered my expectations after the second so called dance scene and then things almost became OK. Except they didn't. Because after I accepted the fact this was not about ballet, I was waiting to be interested in the characters, the people, a story, themes. I am still waiting. Their is more than enough conflict to go around in people's personal lives without having to manufacture as someone else articulated, incest, sodomy, drug addiction, prostitution, rough sex, harassment, masturbation. It's just not gripping. Any part of this. Gratuitous comes to mind. So I lower my expectations even more and am left with production value. How it is shot, direction, you know... the stuff you are left with. I'd examine this level too but... why? What I am left with is... I really would like to know about the people who are "acting" in this because that is all I am left with. Not the episodes, but the performers. So I guess I will wait for my missus to let me know when they see so-and-so on a talk show so I can watch to see what they are like in pseudo real life. Because I am left empty. And there it is... what I was searching for to describe Flesh and Bones. It has no soul. I really really REALLY suspended my personal experience which could be extremely critical of the non reality of all this, and waited for it's soul. That never came. If there is a second season of this, for crissakes sakes, if anyone from that production team group is reading this... find its soul.

score 2/10

david-569 19 November 2015

Reprint: https://www.imdb.com/review/rw3357424/