peterg11 This series strongly reminds me of the Singapore I grew up in and it it great for setting and atmosphere. The stories are interesting and wide ranging which keeps the attention. The lead male is a kind of D'Arcy figure with 60s hippy flaws. Too many long languid looks to be snappy and sharp so loses a star for that alone. Very good acting from everyone and surprisingly addictive. Where is Season 2 - it deserves it! As is common these days, there are some ongoing stories that run through the whole series and only conclude in the last episode, but while this provides great continuity each episode also has an independent story which concludes during the episode. My recollection of Expat life in South East Asia at this time tells me this is very well represented, in terms of style, contrast with the local community, and attitudes of the time between the Brits and Americans, Chinese and Brits, Aussies and Brits, Police and population, etc. The lead male appears to speak the local languages well despite being Australian, so all credit to Don Hany for pulling that off!

factgasm Given that the series is a co-production between HBO Asia and others, what a shame that HBO Asia's very own synopsis writer clearly needs some lessons in history: "The world is changing, the global balance of power is shifting . . ." This ignores the fact that the early to mid-sixties was the height of the Cold War - a tense stand off between the West and the Communist Bloc. Only one year before this series is set the world had been taken to the brink of global nuclear warfare in the Cuban Missile Crisis. Power wasn't shifting, rather an irresistible force had gone up against an immovable object."The colonial rule of the British has finally come to an end and independence is on the horizon." Actually, Singaporean independence wasn't on the horizon - quite the opposite. Starting as early as 1955, as a result of post war austerity the British had been handing over power to Singapore in an orderly and gradual withdrawal. Far from seeking independence, by 1964, when the series is set, Singapore, fearing the loss of British protection, had become firmly entrenched as part of the Malaysian Federation."It's an exciting time where the island state can finally forge its own identity." Again, untrue. In 1965 Singapore was, very much against its wishes, expelled from the Malaysian Federation. Singapore had independence thrust upon it, independence it had not sought. Singaporeans had not led some brave freedom fighting campaign in a bid to rid itself of evil oppressors, it had been stood up - twice.Perhaps it might be more prudent in future for HBO Asia to employ an historian to write its historical synopses rather than a Stepford Wife.

maryannupright33 This series is meant to entertain. It doesn't claim to be a documentary or factual history or personal experience. It's just entertainment - don't expect it to be anything else. Of course there are character stereotypes standard dialogue and familiar plot lines - after more than 100 years of filming, what movie doesn't contain those things? The actors are good and the scenery and background activity appear very authentic. I've spent considerable time in Singapore (in recent years of course!), and the backdrops look real enough to me, even given that the series is set in 1964. Chill out and be entertained for a while - or watch something else.

cheeftanz I live in Asia and was looking forward to this Singapore drama by HBO for months. Many of the finest programs come from HBO, expectations were high. The cast is good, the Asia backdrop inviting, and the premise engaging. Embarrassingly, this series could have been set in Saskatoon and named Saskatchewan road - there is none of the rich history of British colonization, no remnants of Japan's extreme brutalization are evident, no Indian element (though a major Singaporean class). Nothing for us Asian fans at all (except old radios and period dresses). Still, the idea of entire episodes being formulaic, predictable and riddled with bizarre and exasperating moral preachiness left everyone in our house deeply troubled... this is NOT daring work, not in any way insightful, the plots never bite into real issues. We have an absence of exhilaration or even titillation.Smoky bars and prostitutes galore (with transvestite darlings who get their testicles fondled as pivotal part of plot development?), check. Ridiculous fist fights from deeply into middle-age Sam who gleefully dives headfirst into rooms full of actively fit muscular young men serves only to prove that our protagonist is unable to think through even the most simplistic of predicaments - decidedly sloppy for a character who is purported to be wise. Bar brawls sprinkled in every 20 minutes is in all absolutes not an Asian cultural reality, quite specifically this must be a 'Western adaptation' as any Asians would label this behavior dense and unrefined at best. Forlorn broody looks from love interests that go nowhere, yep. And of course, all Americans and America are always evil, all Australians saints? Ahh yes, this is clever award winning stuff .... And the ONLY black person in the series is an innocent - falsely accused by the Evil Empire, check. Zero humor, zero twists, zero tension, zero... How, how did this ever get past quality control? HBO should be ashamed.. . Rrrrr, such hope...