Diagonaldi Very well executed

Solemplex To me, this movie is perfection.

Dynamixor The performances transcend the film's tropes, grounding it in characters that feel more complete than this subgenre often produces.

Erica Derrick By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

Half_the_Audience Many actors say they got into acting because it's "like therapy." Just as many would-be's quit because the process hits too many nerves.I had never seen, or even heard of this show until after a three day search for something worthy on any of my 500 channels to watch, I stumbled onto it in my HBO "On Demand" fare. I figured I'd give it a shot and watch an episode. Well, I was delighted with the season opener, and went back for seconds. Completely addicted by the third, I viewed the entire season over a period of a week.I recognize nearly every character in the program as a stock personality that inhabits the cruel and unapologetic world of acting. I studied acting for five years in Washington, DC, worked a couple of paying theatrical gigs, and moved to New York. I continued with classes here and worked in four films and a play my first year out. Frank Langella's character is the male embodiment of one of my "most respected" acting teachers, (an abusive tyrant, but if you could get past that, you could learn a thing or two.) I agree with absolutely everything he tells his students. Goddard's anecdotes are real, his caveats to be heeded, and his teaching points valid.I have known more than a few "Krista Allens," pretty, sexy women who got boxed into a stereo-type early on and spent years trying to bust out of it. (Forgive the pun.) New York and L.A. are overrun with the likes of Jennifer--sweet, honest, naive young girls who want more than anything to act, make their mark, and be loved.Every actor in training will meet their share of "Brians." He IS talented. He IS basically a good guy. He IS self-absorbed. He WILL get a plum role. He WILL try to "keep it real," and he WILL tick off his buddies, use women, and charm who he needs to help him keep on course. Such is life.Anyone who has a remote interest in acting for film and/or television should watch this show. It might save them from being surprised or caught off guard at some point. Beyond being a quick course in thespian politics, it accomplished what most good movies, plays, or shows do-- Made me laugh. Made me cry. I don't really care if it's scripted, improvised, or fed to the players on cue cards. The resulting product is fresh, engaging drama. I am stunned by some of the hostile and negative comments on this thread. If this show "offends" you, look inside yourself. Or better yet, take an acting class. It really can be like therapy.

voncarp-1 Outright awful. A failed attempt at reality with real wannabe actors. Lets make this clear. This isn't reality show as it depicts. Not close. Its not a documentary, nor anything that will catch your interest.When you watch this show you are going to see a number of staged events. Naturally, since its not a reality show. But the staged events are too obvious, the acting is bad, and overall its just plain boring. Movies are good. Behind the scenes are good. Casting, not good. Wannabe actors not good.Back to the staged events. Your going to realize instantly that this is not a reality show when you see the wannabe actors start thinking out loud. Reality shows add speech to images, but it does so in a way set around a situation that makes it believable. Unscripted adds it to narrate and give you the thoughts of the wannabe actors because the wannabe actors aren't good enough to demonstrate their emotions in their acting. Want an example? See the futile efforts of one of the actors trying to play off their acting ability by portraying a stuttering character in a restaurant. Unknowingly, the waitress at the restaurant used to date him. Hmm. Coincidence? Sorry, too obvious. And these circumstances are too common with Unscripted.Hey, Hollywood is popular. Hollywood movies are popular. Even behind the scenes are popular as I mentioned before. Unfortunately, unless your an established actor or a Hollywood star and can see the inside jokes or experiences that Unscripted is talking about, your just not going to find this entertaining.

Ironboundfw Unscripted is a funny hybrid. I don't mean funny in that it makes you laugh. It's funny in that it thinks its audience is a bunch of morons. Part reality, part scripted, mostly improvised. The show takes a bunch of new actors, and a bunch of has been actors (someone please answer why is Frank Langella doing this?) The New actors --- mostly look like they should be in soft-porn movies in late night cine-max. And they should hope this show is canceled quickly because really, do they just want to be known as the actor who did that show where he got to play himself/herself... BADLY.The "has been" actors were never really that big to begin with, so I never really asked... oh, where have they been? more like... oh, why are they back?(EXCEPT for FRANK LANGELLA, again, begging the QUESTION... WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS?") The show is bad because well, It's a show about the ups and downs on ACTING... and I'm sorry, I've seen "Fame" once, and that was good enough for me --- YES, there is struggling, yes there is suffering, yes there is heartbreak, but guess what... YES, I DON'T CARE. I DON'T CARE because ACTORS are not the REAL HEROES OF THIS WORLD. I love to WATCH ACTORS play real HEROES or even IMAGINARY ONES... but who wants to see an ACTOR play himself... it's just not interesting. Because at the end of the day, ACTORS are self involved little sh*ts, whose suffering is self-inflected. They chose this life, live with it, please, please don't show me how hard it is. There will be no sympathy gained by it. If anything, I just wish the actors and people who "MADE" it and then decided to put this type of crappola on TV, will just "un-make" it so that I wouldn't have to be exposed to this. YES, George Clooney taking my order at the Broadway Diner in Manhattan would be a treat indeed. (sorry, GEORGE, but what WERE YOU THINKING! Ocean's Twelve and Unscripted in one year --- ouch.) and can the executive at HBO who green lit this be FIRED. Thanks! The show is also so similar to the other HBO show Entourage... which raises the question, IS THERE some RE-PRESSED ACTOR doing the HBO programming as of late. Entourage is not a good show either, but that one at least has Jeremy Piven's slimy agent to keep you entertained. HBO has created some of the best television in recent memory. But thanks to UNSCRIPTED it has proved that it can bull a FOX and create some of the WORST also.

cedric_owl This is an unusual show in that, while it is fictional, the actors are actually playing themselves. Which is a little strange, since occasionally they don't portray themselves in a particularly positive light (one actress, for example, sleeps with her acting teacher).Nevertheless, the show is very well acted and directed. The style is unmistakably Soderbergh--hand-held camera, sound overlapping silent shots, etc. The show incorporates celebrity cameos in a very real, organic way, rather than being jokey about it. Overall, a compelling watch.Problem is, the subject matter is so old, that I can't imagine this show remaining fresh for more than a season. You mean, the life of an actor is extremely tough and often degrading? I had no idea! Especially because the show takes place in LA, rather than New York. In NY, actors at least do interesting things while their miserable. LA is all about going on auditions for bit parts on second-rate sitcoms, a life which I find so pointless that I have a hard time relating to people trying to "make it" in Hollywood.Who am I kidding? Like I won't watch it compulsively ...