Aquarius

:

Season 1
  • Network: NBC
  • Series Premiere Date: May 28, 2015
Season #: 2, 1
User Score
6.1

Generally favorable reviews- based on 68 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 38 out of 68
  2. Mixed: 15 out of 68
  3. Negative: 15 out of 68
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User Reviews

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  1. Desert_Rat
    May 31, 2015
    0
    I only got through 15 minutes of the first episode before I gave up. It had every 60's cliche there is and a bunch of cardboard characters. Parents fighting, sweet innocent girl sneaks out of house, boyfriend takes her to party and ditches her. They meet all the supposed characters in 30 second flashes. I remember hearing about Charles Manson when it all happened and it was scary. ThisI only got through 15 minutes of the first episode before I gave up. It had every 60's cliche there is and a bunch of cardboard characters. Parents fighting, sweet innocent girl sneaks out of house, boyfriend takes her to party and ditches her. They meet all the supposed characters in 30 second flashes. I remember hearing about Charles Manson when it all happened and it was scary. This show made me laugh.… Expand
  2. alangee
    Jun 1, 2015
    1
    If you actually lived in the 60’s you could see what a joke this show is. One critic praised the show for its “stylish look.” I’m wondering stylish for what decade? The clothing, the dialogue and general ambiance seems more like someone was imagining what the 60’s was like and was way off base.

    Most hippies did not look like prep school students from the new millennium. They looked    If you actually lived in the 60’s you could see what a joke this show is. One critic praised the show for its “stylish look.” I’m wondering stylish for what decade? The clothing, the dialogue and general ambiance seems more like someone was imagining what the 60’s was like and was way off base.

    Most hippies did not look like prep school students from the new millennium. They looked like kids on welfare, red-eyed and messed up. Manson’s girls were raunchy looking to say the least. Manson himself was a butt-ugly little grunge bucket – nothing like the Hollywood Adonis portrayed in this show.

    David Duchovny is about the only redeeming feature on this show, but what a waste. Why anyone would want to base a series around a piece of dirt like Manson is beyond me, but if you’re going to do a period piece try to make it real.

    One critic got it half right when he said it was cleverly imagined. Take out cleverly and he got it right.    … Expand
  3. bshelton
    Jun 8, 2015
    1
    Synopsis: Dull, Dull, Dull. Very disappointed as I was looking forward to this series coming for quite a while. However, I have no desire to sit through another hour of stereotypical "hippie-trippie" statements from the supporting cast and "grand" pronouncements from the Manson character that simply don't make sense and add nothing to the plot as he is simply spouting faux-writerSynopsis: Dull, Dull, Dull. Very disappointed as I was looking forward to this series coming for quite a while. However, I have no desire to sit through another hour of stereotypical "hippie-trippie" statements from the supporting cast and "grand" pronouncements from the Manson character that simply don't make sense and add nothing to the plot as he is simply spouting faux-writer imagined-made up religion mumbo-jumbo. Maybe the real Manson spoke like this but as a viewer I found it irritating and distracting. It seemed way too forced and not natural. Also have no interest in watching a Law and Order rip off that has simply been set in the 1960's given that future episodes focus on solving other cases while the Manson story line continues as a way to "give character" to the series. Way better shows out there to watch.… Expand
  4. BogKid
    Jun 7, 2015
    3
    There is simply not much to "Aquarius". The writing is mediocre at best, Mr. Duchovny is basically expressionless, and the plot seems largely nonexistent. The show purports to be about the Manson gang before it has started committing its major crimes. The actor playing Manson, a total non-look-alike, projects very little of the hypnotic personality that presumably allowed Manson to holdThere is simply not much to "Aquarius". The writing is mediocre at best, Mr. Duchovny is basically expressionless, and the plot seems largely nonexistent. The show purports to be about the Manson gang before it has started committing its major crimes. The actor playing Manson, a total non-look-alike, projects very little of the hypnotic personality that presumably allowed Manson to hold his followers completely under his control.

    I think I will have to instruct my DVR to find something better to do with its time while "Aquarius" is on.    … Expand
  5. Knighthawk81
    May 29, 2015
    3
    I like David Duchovny, but this feels like the wrong vehicle for him. This feels like a very slapped together piece of nostalgia. The first two episodes, which aired in a single block Thursday, used the most cliched music from the period over the top of a somewhat unsettling, constantly uninteresting story. Charlie Manson is notorious and gross, so why NBC wants to build a show around hisI like David Duchovny, but this feels like the wrong vehicle for him. This feels like a very slapped together piece of nostalgia. The first two episodes, which aired in a single block Thursday, used the most cliched music from the period over the top of a somewhat unsettling, constantly uninteresting story. Charlie Manson is notorious and gross, so why NBC wants to build a show around his (fictional) mythology is beyond me. The failure of this show will be even more evident next week when "Hannibal," a brilliantly done series about a monster, is paired with "Aquarius" on NBC.… Expand
  6. propesrl
    May 29, 2015
    0
    ABSOLUTE FILTH. Unacceptable and unnecessary sewage ruins what could have been a good show. We waited for months to see this and were so disappointed. :(
  7. Bo33y
    Aug 21, 2015
    0
    More psycho babble we must have a lot more psycho babble, about what in the hell who in the F knows? What is this series about, I could not even begin to say?

    Supposedly there is a bunch of trendy kids, these are playing dress up as something from the late 60 's, or those hippies found in their communes. But they aren't on acid and they aren't all that colorful or pychedelic. Where is    More psycho babble we must have a lot more psycho babble, about what in the hell who in the F knows? What is this series about, I could not even begin to say?

    Supposedly there is a bunch of trendy kids, these are playing dress up as something from the late 60 's, or those hippies found in their communes. But they aren't on acid and they aren't all that colorful or pychedelic. Where is the music, what music, I really don't want to see pretend strumming of a guitar. Most of this shows themes are all over the place. Although missing a closer representation of the era, or of that psychopath. Lead by a tired Duchovny, he looks like he is lierally asleep, yawn. He is supposedly, or suppose to be investigating somebody else that was called Mansen. Did Mansen sign off on this, I really doubt it.? After the first 3 episodes seen there is little expectation here outside of seeing somekind fake **** or through counting all of the numerous mistakes found in each episode..    … Expand
  8. brentwshelton1
    Jun 28, 2015
    0
    Synopsis: Dull, Dull, Dull. Very disappointed as I was looking forward to this series coming for quite a while. However, I have no desire to sit through another hour of stereotypical "hippie-trippie" statements from the supporting cast and "grand" pronouncements from the Manson character that simply don't make sense and add nothing to the plot as he is simply spouting faux-writerSynopsis: Dull, Dull, Dull. Very disappointed as I was looking forward to this series coming for quite a while. However, I have no desire to sit through another hour of stereotypical "hippie-trippie" statements from the supporting cast and "grand" pronouncements from the Manson character that simply don't make sense and add nothing to the plot as he is simply spouting faux-writer imagined-made up religion mumbo-jumbo. Maybe the real Manson spoke like this but as a viewer I found it irritating and distracting. It seemed way too forced and not natural. Also have no interest in watching a Law and Order rip off that has simply been set in the 1960's given that future episodes focus on solving other cases while the Manson story line continues as a way to "give character" to the series. Way better shows out there to watch.… Expand

Awards & Rankings

70
#70 Most Discussed TV Season of 2015

Critic Reviews

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Metascore
58

Mixed or average reviews - based on 36 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 16 out of 36
  2. Mixed: 17 out of 36
  3. Negative: 3 out of 36
  1. IndieWire
    Reviewed by: Ben Travers
    May 29, 2015
    83
    Some of the language and structuring is too labored, but the unique blend of serialized and procedural writing makes the cop drama feel fresh.
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  2. Denver Post
    Reviewed by: Joanne Ostrow
    May 29, 2015
    70
    Duchovny is eminently watchable.... At times the music is more involving than the acting, and appears a useful cover for some lame dialogue. But creator John McNamara ("In Plain Sight") successfully layers sociology, crime story and period music in an involving semi-historical drama.
    Read full review
  3. Reason.com
    Reviewed by: Glenn Garvin
    May 28, 2015
    85
    The epic battles over race, gender, drugs, and the Vietnam war are all on display here, without any phony Let It Be soundtrack muffling the shrieks of the wounded.
    Read full review
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