Magic City

:

Season 1
  • Network: Starz
  • Series Premiere Date: Apr 6, 2012
Season #: 2, 1
User Score
7.4

Generally favorable reviews- based on 39 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 30 out of 39
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 39
  3. Negative: 4 out of 39
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User Reviews

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  1. mdefil232
    Apr 30, 2012
    10
    I love this show. I live in Miami Beach and most of the residents here know about Magic City and like it. It has me captivated. Ben Diamond is my favorite character. This is the first show I've regularly watched since the Sopranos. I like the time period element a lot! Very surprised to see some negative reviews. Everyone I know loves it.
  2. NoahCoward
    Apr 5, 2012
    5
    This show is OK. It's enjoyably splashy to look at, plenty of beautiful naked woman and other attractive romanticized images....

    Everything about the plot seems vaguely familiar: a little bit of Godfather 2, Hiram Roth; a lot of the recently cancelled LUCK from HBO and a lot of Boardwalk Empire... Bottom line is that STARZ doesn't seem able to get it right. Their shows are too broad,    This show is OK. It's enjoyably splashy to look at, plenty of beautiful naked woman and other attractive romanticized images....

    Everything about the plot seems vaguely familiar: a little bit of Godfather 2, Hiram Roth; a lot of the recently cancelled LUCK from HBO and a lot of Boardwalk Empire...

    Bottom line is that STARZ doesn't seem able to get it right. Their shows are too broad, not subtle enough, and not as smart as AMC or HBO. Maybe they cater to a less sophisticated audience but they don't seem able to produce a smart or original product.    … Expand
  3. matt897
    May 1, 2012
    10
    I never thought anything out of Starz would ever be considered 'good'. This show surpasses that however with it's authentic feel, great story line, and gorgeous cinematography. It truly is a joy to watch, and I think it really has a future. Anyone thinking about giving it a shot should, as it is something worth your time.
  4. TJF
    Apr 7, 2012
    8
    I grew up in this period of history and spent a lot of time in Miami Beach in this very milieu....MC is extremely true to the details of the period, right down to the Henry Mancini Mr. Lucky Goes Latin knock-off opening theme music, which I love. The hero, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, is stellar as the lead guy--over-40 sexy, sharp, ambitious, kind and believable. He is drop-dead in a whiteI grew up in this period of history and spent a lot of time in Miami Beach in this very milieu....MC is extremely true to the details of the period, right down to the Henry Mancini Mr. Lucky Goes Latin knock-off opening theme music, which I love. The hero, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, is stellar as the lead guy--over-40 sexy, sharp, ambitious, kind and believable. He is drop-dead in a white sports jacket. Danny Huston, who plays Ben Diamond, his scary bad gangster- partner, is also excellent as is Alex Rocco, who plays Ike's dad. The predictable Cain and Abel sons are drawn too thin and I am not impressed with the actors--they were very flat, not interesting enough and somehow don't look like they would be Ike's kids. When watching the first episode, it was fun to be immersed in that world again, but the pace was slow and the story line predictable, so I was disappointed. However I stuck with it and now I have seen three episodes, the plot has thickened, and it has become a beautifully done night time soap opera. I will continue to watch, although understanding that this ride will never be the Sopranos. However, that Jeffrey Dean guy is HOT HOT HOT in a seasoned man of the world kind of way. This guy could be the new hotttest-guy on TV in my opinion.… Expand
  5. timram45
    Apr 9, 2012
    7
    A good nostalgic-mob drama, but donâ
  6. stormD23
    Mar 31, 2012
    8
    It's a good show with a lot of promise... The depiction of the era is as spot on as your gonna get, from the Cadillacs to the great musical score, from the style to the setting, everything seems to come together nicely to form a solid idea of what it was like to live in the late 1950's. The acting is as good as your gonna get and the premise of Mad Men meets Sopranos is compelling.It's a good show with a lot of promise... The depiction of the era is as spot on as your gonna get, from the Cadillacs to the great musical score, from the style to the setting, everything seems to come together nicely to form a solid idea of what it was like to live in the late 1950's. The acting is as good as your gonna get and the premise of Mad Men meets Sopranos is compelling. Unfortunately, though, critics and viewers will probably not be able to get past the Mad Men comparisons, since everyone seems to be one sided when it comes to period dramas. Its a shame cause it really is a great show, but i'm almost certain that it's dead on arrival.… Expand
  7. analrapist
    Apr 8, 2012
    10
    Brilliant new series. Looks great and is superbly acted. Can't wait for more episodes. Magic City setting is fantastic - Great music selection, Cadillacs, 1959 Miami. It's no Mad Men rip-off - it's a series that deserves to be judged on its own and is set in this era for a reason - not to cash in on Mad Men's success.
  8. PitMom4
    Mar 31, 2012
    4
    Huge let-down....very dissappointed....not anything like the coming attractions....it sorta just fell flat on its face....I kept waiting for the excitement to happen, and waiting, and waiting.....in fact I am STILL WAITING!!
  9. houdini
    Jun 29, 2013
    0
    Boring, turgid, NO pacing and I can't keep the dark haired young boys apart......You would think they are 1 guy playing several parts and I PAY attention. HUGE disappointment since I love Jeffrey Dean Morgan. The visuals are stunning but this is SO formulaic that I stopped at 6 minutes into the season premiere and won't waste my time again. The writers have thrown everything at theBoring, turgid, NO pacing and I can't keep the dark haired young boys apart......You would think they are 1 guy playing several parts and I PAY attention. HUGE disappointment since I love Jeffrey Dean Morgan. The visuals are stunning but this is SO formulaic that I stopped at 6 minutes into the season premiere and won't waste my time again. The writers have thrown everything at the wall, The Godfather, Chinatown, LA Confidential, Fidel, JFK and tried to appear relevant. But it's beyond boring and has no life. The visuals are great, the story is been there, done that and not worth my time.… Expand
  10. ev63
    Jun 18, 2012
    10
    This show is so visually well done and beautiful_ I love this show. It deserves at least another 2 seasons- I can see so many story lines from the first season...keep it coming- Bravo to Mitch Glazer!!!
  11. Huntresa
    Jul 27, 2013
    7
    This show is really good and S2 so far has not been a let down. Acting, scenery and the story has all really evolved from S1 and are really coming into their own right now. Hopefully we get a S3 so we can all keep watching this show.
  12. crispyzebra
    Jan 1, 2014
    9
    The 60's! Cuban missile crisis! The suits! The girls! The best TV baddie for years, and they CANCEL! Just as we're getting to the REALLY brutal stuff, Starz lose their bottle. Shame on you Starz, shame on you...

Awards & Rankings

98
#98 Best TV Season of 2012
68
#68 Most Discussed TV Season of 2012
29
#29 Most Shared TV Season of 2012

Critic Reviews

All reviews »
Metascore
56

Mixed or average reviews - based on 27 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 12 out of 27
  2. Mixed: 10 out of 27
  3. Negative: 5 out of 27
  1. New York Magazine (Vulture)
    Reviewed by: Matt Zoller Seitz
    Apr 9, 2012
    20
    The show is so enervating and undeservedly full of itself, and such an altogether depressing combination of brilliant production values and subpar drama, that I can't muster the necessary bile.
    Read full review
  2. The Huffington Post
    Reviewed by: Maureen Ryan
    Apr 6, 2012
    20
    Everything about Magic City shows a lack of depth, and the pacing is almost glacial.
    Read full review
  3. TV Guide Magazine
    Reviewed by: Matt Roush
    Apr 6, 2012
    30
    The writing telegraphs every trite and derivative twist, whether violent or sexual or some combination of the two to remind us this is pay cable and not some musty rerun.
    Read full review
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