The comparison with The Leftovers is apt, since this is the type of show where, even when the plot is dawdling along, there is so much to enjoy on screen in terms of the dialog, the acting and the cinematography. I also love the touch of magical realism that is weaved through the series — not too much, but enough to…

The young pope's autocratic impulses and narcissist insecurities are Trumpian, even if, as you say, much of the rest of his personality is different. Indeed, we are lucky that Trump doesn't have half of Pius XIII sharp intellect and Machiavellian tendencies.

There are plans for a second season. Either way, the series is well worth watching.

Much worse has gone and still goes on in private prisons in the US, believe me. There is good reason why the Justice Department recently announced they would end the use of private prisons in their system.

Police mishandling of the mentally ill is an extremely serious problem in this country. Many have died completely unnecessarily as a result.

There was a full scale breakout and a full scale walkout at the same time. There wasn't even anyone manning reception to receive Judy King.

Heh, I've been reading some of the comments in the reviews of the episodes I've been binge watching these past few weeks, and there was one point when everyone was speculating about how Pipes was going to be a female Walter White…

Two words: Rikers Island. No, it's not in the federal system, but the kids on remand have been known to rot in jail for years before even getting a trial. What happened to Ruiz, and worse, has almost certainly happened many times in the last 30 years in the US federal prison system.

She had a northern accent, like her father. Sounded Yorkshire to me.

If this means there's a better chance that some of the thousands of original scifi ideas that must be kicking around in the studio vaults get made, then I'm all for it. it's not as though Abrams is the only director who can make reboots.

The nearest well known US equivalent is Penn State coach Jerry Sandusky, who actually set up a charity for underprivileged children to give him unfettered access to especially vulnerable kids.

"Cameron is my one true TV love"

If the third season ends up being as good as the second, they can take all the time they need.

Pretty easy solution available if you want to keep up with all the various shows on the major streaming services — rotate your subscriptions. Pick four of the big ones — e.g. Amazon, HBO, Showtime, and Hulu — and signup for three months at a time. Binge on the series you enjoy then move on to the next - all for around…

It's an uneven show, undoubtedly, but many of the critical comments seem to stem from people's misplaced expectations for the show.

Yep — The Office is a prime example. A lot of Americans who watched the US version found it too hard to stomach, and that was toned down considerably from the original.

Good television is never boring, and I never found season one of Westworld boring, no matter how slow paced it seemed to some.

Not sure about the once a week thing. Season long story arcs are a relatively new phenomenon in US television, because network TV has long since been dominated by the requirements of 20+ episodes a year — i.e. episodic TV.

More likely the other way around — he created a replica of himself to carry on and complete the work he started.

So are the Rowdy Three just, like, waiting around for Amanda to have an attack?