Episode Guide
Episode 1 is a review of the first four episodes of the show. Episode 2 is a review of the second four episodes. Episode 3 is a review of the third four episodes. Episode 4 is a review of the fourth and fifth episodes. And finally, episode 5 is a review of the fifth and final episode.
The series follows the story of Giuliano and Elisabetta, a married couple who are struggling to find their way in life. Giuliano is a successful lawyer and Elisabetta is a stay-at-home mom. They are both struggling with the question of what they want from life and how to live their lives together. The series is set in Rome, where the couple live and work. It follows their daily struggles as they try to find ways to balance love with work and family. The series is full of heartache, laughter, and love.
The early on incident in question soon spirals out of control, leading to a fractious series of decisions that swing between keeping the couple in question together or dividing them.
The ensuing result is a series that largely falls by the wayside without much of an impact or interest.
The most obvious comparison is going to be HBO’s Scenes From A Marriage, but this show takes a much more linear and somewhat predictable turn, despite an ambiguous ending.
The couple seems to have everything figured out. They have a beautiful home in Milan. Carlo is a well-respected professor at a school in Milan. He’s well-loved by his peers and students alike. He also moonlights as a writer, although he clearly has writer’s block. However, their happiness seems to be short-lived. The couple is soon divorced after only two years of marriage.
Meanwhile, Margherita is a realtor who falls in love with the apartment she’s supposed to be selling. ..
In the first episode of the new season of “The Office,” an incident involving boss Carlo and one of his employees, Sofia, sets off a chain reaction of distrust, lies and ambition. ..
Carlo and Margherita are both struggling with what they want in their lives. Margherita is unsure if she wants to stay in Italy or move to the United States, while Carlo is undecided about his future. The show splits the run-time between both characters and their respective journeys, providing a unique perspective on the issue.
While Carlo and Sofia spend more time together, Margherita ends up befriending her massage therapist, Andrea. It’s a pretty obvious set-up and the show has glimmers of brilliance, that all too often is squashed by a strange directional choice that takes away from the drama.
In episode 3, Margherita and Carlo have a heated argument at home. The camera pans out and shows a window between them, overlaying that with a pop track as we watch them argue with exaggerated hand movements.
The author feels that a book like Scenes from a Marriage would have had more impact than what is here.
The show has problems with its pacing, especially during some of the middle chapters. Episode 4 in particular is a big culprit. Some of the subplots and storylines could have been tightened up a bit.
The music chosen for montages in this piece is a big issue. The music is a hindrance to the message of the piece, which is about marriage, unfaithfulness, desire and anger. The dissonance between the subject matter and some of the tracks chosen for montages makes it difficult to follow the story.
Despite some moments that don’t work, the show has many shining moments. Late in the show, Carlo and Margherita say that their situation is like “musicians on the titanic playing while going down” and this quote accurately portrays what the show is about. The writers deserve credit for including it. ..
Ultimately, Devotion is a show of moments. There’s a lot of drawn-out melodrama and wasted potential, propped up by a few cracking moments and standout scenes. ..
This show is enjoyable, but it’s not something that will stick with you after the credits roll.
