Mythomaniac S1-S2

It's hard to add to what the above reviewer wrote ... I'm almost in complete agreement. I would stress that it builds nicely so don't be put off if you're not 100% hooked after E1. The only thing I'd add is that you don't have to watch the dubbed version. You can (as I did) watch in original French with English subtitles turned on. So, not one to return to again and again like the classics; The Sopranos, The Wire or (dare I say) GoT but a pretty entertaining series, if a tiny bit lightweight ... but hey, sometimes that's exactly what you want.

First, this is a "French" series. It is dubbed. That alone can make it uncomfortable for USA audiences. That being said, this was an important series that I wish was more widely watched. The story concerns some of the most selfish people in the world and their poor put upon mother who finally, after years of abuse, tells them a lie so they will be nice to her. I would say about 90% of current mothers in the world are this woman. It is a brutal mirror to society and cautionary tale for most young women starting a family. The main character has three insanely self absorbed and bratty kids. At every point in this series, everything that happens is viewed in how it will effect them. Their father is a such a selfish moron that he can't even be bothered to marry the mother of his children, is having an affair, and runs a photo shop -- an indulgence - while his wife holds a real job with an abusive boss to make sure they have money. As she makes clear in a speech with them at the end, it is like nothing she does is important, like no reason to ever do anything with her. Eventually she tells them she has breast cancer. The change in behavior is so wonderful she can't bring herself to tell them the truth and has a plan to just tell them she is cured. But is found out before. The reaction? No compassion for mom. No, husband gets to work right away with his lover on figuring out how to get evidence of the lie for any court case, he tells the kids so they will be sure to hate her - of course, they do. Immediately it is all about them. They even have the guts to state that they "never asked her" to do things like the laundry or work -- so clearly it is her fault. All her fault. What BS. No one should be made to turn selfish to keep other selfish people from taking advantage of them. The ending was a little odd and I am not sure what to make of it but... it makes me interested in a season 2.

I really enjoyed these series. I have always had a thing for french movies. They seem so more real than American ones. It tells the story of our modern life and all the typical characters we meet in life or read about .

After watching so many series on Netflix, it was great to finally find one that I looked forward to watching the next episode. I nearly didn't continue after episode 1, but it got better each episode thereafter. I can't comment on the references to cancer or how correct the facts in the story line are, but felt able to relate to the lead characters role in regards to motherhood and struggles with everyday life and mental health. I was shocked to see it only had 2 stars on Netflix, please don't let that put you off! Well filmed, good cast and characters. Just a shame it was dubbed, as maybe some of the depth is lost in translation.

Thoroughly enjoyed this series and whilst the storyline is somewhat quirky it builds to an intriguing climax. The acting, casting and script are all solid - in fact Marina Hands shines and I'll watch out for her other films. I'd recommend this and would watch again when my goldfish memory has done its usual trick.

I'm a TV snob. I normally know within the first episode whether a show is a hit or a miss. I immediately liked all of the characters in this programme. None of them grated on me; I felt something for all of them, and the lead actress is superb in this role. I'm actually surprised how believable this series is. I think that it achieved this by everyone fulfilling their individual parts so well, which in turn means that the end product is cohesive. Completely surprised by this find.

Not only they did not cast a trans woman to play a trans character, but there are many instances where sam's identity is depicted as a "lie", and equaled to the lies other characters tell. It is really offensive, and I kept waiting for the series to show how wrong it was for somebody to hit her because of her genitalia or just that it was not her fault if she had suffered violence, but it never did. Just do better, it is not that hard to a) cast a trans actor to play a trans role 2) consider people's identities as valid.

I gave this a "9." It probably deserves a "10." First, the bad: the series begins with actors doing "cute" too much, a fault I find with many French dramas. Repeat--DRAMAS. The term "meet cute" is why I'd rather have teeth pulled than watch American comic romances. But with "Mythomane," we're talking DRAMA. I was actually repelled by the first two episodes and the breezy infidelity, the "quirky" and unfunny minor characters, the politically correct transgender stuff. Now, the great (feminist) stuff. Marina Hinds is magnificent in her role of someone who may be a psychopath but whose psychopathy-if indeed it is that-is caused by abuse. She is taken advantage of by her common-law husband, father to her three children, treated like a maid by all three of her odious millennial kids, regarded as something to be gotten rid of as quickly as possible even by her gynecologist. And worse. Watching "Mythomane," you wonder why more twenty-first century women in Elvira's situation don't become even more lawless. The scene that sold me on "Mythomane" comes at the climax in the sixth episode, where Marina's loneliness and humanity are laid low by absolutely everyone in her family. The humiliation of being rejected by one's own children and judged by these brats is just a devastating scene I'll remember a long time. The point of "Mythomane" is that we are all liars, not minor league. We are all in our own ways major league sociopathic traitors. The transgender son, the cruelest to Marina of all-who lies like a rug about his sexuality to the extent where an innocent German boy is traumatized maybe for life-has no problem telling his mother, his staunchest supporter, he would have preferred she had died rather than shame the family. The star of the family, a little girl obsessed with Anne Frank, ends up lying like crazy to her huge, presumably YouT*be audience about her mother's problem. A tough teenage daughter dares a friend to risk a jump that makes him fall into a coma-but joins a Scient*logy-like cult. With a mom who lies even about her name (it's not "Elvira"), and a father who treats two women-Elvira and an Asian mistress-like disposable toys, maybe apples don't fall far from trees. But everyone is revolting. So when everyone is revolting, there's no choice but to look for what is redeeming. I loved--and hated--"Mythomane." The one thing I didn't feel was bored. This is *not* an easy series to like. It will not appeal to American audiences who judge too easily the French sense of humor. But for those who appreciated "Desperate Housewives," this may just be what the doctor ordered. Life is hard for women on whatever the French words for Wisteria Lane are.