But Sophie is growing impatient for Anushka to die; despite her high blood pressure and occasional fainting spells, Anushka is still in excellent health, and Sophie is furious that the woman won’t just kick the bucket already. Set in Paris, an ancestral home holds the key to a family’s future. Grade the series premiere in our poll below, then hit the comments to back up your choice! Video availability outside of United States varies. The apartment has been in the Romanoff family for decades, and when Anushka passes, it will belong to Greg, who is her only remaining family member. But Hajar is incredibly patient with Anushka, brushing off her hateful comments with a smile and thoughtful gestures for the woman. Naturally, Sophie is incensed upon hearing the news, leading her and Anushka to exchange horrible words with one another before vowing to cut each other out of their lives. Sigh. With Diane Lane, JJ Feild, Aaron Eckhart, Louise Bourgoin. As for the use of Tom Petty's "Refugee" - oh, ha ha, i see what you did there! Over a single day in New York City, a woman is confronted with every lie she ever told. The male characters were sex-crazed and crass and the writing and direction was just horrible in terms of sexual cliches. “And we both know it can’t happen again.”). By Refugee....get it? As time passes, the women grow closer and develop a special bond. Because, like, the surviving Romanov family members were exiled, so, like, they and their descendants are refugees? Boasting a star-studded cast — including some familiar faces from the Mad Men world — the series spans eight episodes, the next six of which will roll out weekly following Friday’s two-installment debut. A movie star and a director go head to head in a battle over what is real. I have to say I am very glad I did. Simpson-Style…, Google Steers Into DOJ Antitrust Suit Ahead of a Potential Biden…, Joe Biden Delivers Victory Speech With Promise to Unite the…, 'Rock & Roll Hall of Fame 2020 Inductions' Review: A Series of…, 50 of the Best Beauty Gift Sets And Stocking Stuffers Everyone…, Copyright © 2020 TVLine Media, LLC. What to Watch: IMDb's New Fall TV Series Guide, October TV Calendar: Series Premiere and Return Dates. All rights Yes, I am gushing... After reading reviews, I was not sure if I should watch The Romanoffs. Ep 1 was watchable enough to get me to watch episode 2 (even though the ending of Ep1 was a bit pat as well as far-fetched) - As for Ep 2? I loved all the actors, especially Aaron Eckhart. And the lovely walk leads Hajar to trip and scrape her knee. Because if that was a joke made by a guy I had just met, I'd try to get away from him as fast as possible. Over a single day in New York City a woman is confronted with every lie she ever told. Created by Matthew Weiner. Rebecca Iannucci / ), The real focus of the premiere, though, is the relationship between Anushka and her new in-home caregiver, Hajar Azim, a young Muslim woman who is studying to be a nurse. The two of them co-manage a hotel in Paris, where they also live — but Sophie has her eye on a lavish apartment owned by Greg’s hypochondriac aunt, Anushka. In a story that circles the globe, a man tries to escape a family curse. A trusted friend under suspicion tests the loyalties of a tightly-knit community. Before you give us your thoughts on Episode 1, let’s recap the events of “The Violet Hour”: The series premiere takes place in Paris, where Romanov descendant Greg (Aaron Eckhart, The Dark Knight) lives with his (highly unlikable) girlfriend, Sophie. The Romanoffs Episode 1: “The Violet Hour” by Lindsay Stamhuis October 15, 2018, 10:00 am Our coverage of the 8-part Amazon Prime series The Romanoffs from Mad Men creator Matthew Weiner begins with two back-to-back roundtables between Caemeron Crain and Lindsay Stamhuis. While he and Anushka are playing cards in the apartment, Sophie angrily bursts in, accompanied by Hajar, Hajar’s mother and a major announcement. (“We both knew what we were doing,” Hajar says afterward. The night that Hajar and Greg slept together? The story slowly unfolds around you, punctuated by the beautiful scenery and music. 100 years is still "too soon" to depict this historical event with any sense of amusement. — verbally eviscerate the poor girl before firing her from the caregiver job. The next day, a guilty Hajar politely tells Anushka that she can’t accept the apartment, leading Anushka to — you guessed it! Hajar, who is perhaps the only level-headed person in the premiere, calmly tells Greg that she didn’t ask for Anushka to change her will, and she has no intention of giving up the apartment. The premiere wraps up with a two-month time jump: Anushka and Sophie are still not on speaking terms; Hajar has not returned to Anushka’s apartment since she was fired; and Greg is getting tired of Anushka forcing him to choose between his aunt and his girlfriend — but it’s quickly revealed that he has an even bigger decision to make. Anushka ultimately develops such a fondness for Hajar that she rewrites her will while Greg and Sophie are on vacation; in the new version of the document, Hajar will be the one inheriting the apartment when Anushka dies, instead of Greg. And the lovely dinner leads to a lovely walk around Paris. This is a drama rated MA, with excellent writing, acting, and an underlying theme that ties these descendants' stories together, but we won't know for sure until the series has completed itself this season. (*eye roll*). With their marriage in a rut, a couple finds their own temptations. But wait. When Hajar first shows up at the apartment for her new job, Anushka is terribly cruel to her. The acting is wonderful. What did you think of The Romanoffs‘ first episode? It's the same question: WHY. The Romanoffs Season 1 (1,333) ... with at least 1.5 hours to spend per episode, when you're in the mood for a deep, intimate, inside look into the dark and perhaps disturbing shadows that run through the Romanov blood line and how they are healed/integrated with … On a trip abroad to pursue their legacy, a couple faces destruction. A movie star and a director go head to head in a battle over what is real. It also analyzes reviews to verify trustworthiness. If the creator was trying to achieve an absurdist tone as some type of homage to Russian literature, it's a total fail. On a trip abroad to pursue their legacy, a couple faces destruction. Set in Paris, an ancestral home holds the key to a family's future. There's a problem loading this menu right now. To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. reserved.PMC Entertainment. When Anushka collapses again and gets sicker than she has been in the past, Hajar stays by her bedside through the night and holds the woman’s hand; Anushka, for her part, begins to reveal a more vulnerable side, sharing with Hajar that all of her family members (including her husband and son) are dead, which has contributed greatly to her prickly personality. Oh, and Hajar is in love with the guy. Reviewed in the United States on October 13, 2018. Later in the episode, Greg takes Hajar out to dinner with the intention of persuading her to reject the apartment offer and let Greg and Sophie have it. “I wish you the best in your life as a servant,” Anushka says, coldly. If you like TVLine, you'll LOVE our weekly newsletter. Starring Aaron Eckhart, Diane Lane, Isabelle Huppert, Christina Hendricks, John Slattery, Amanda Peet, Jack Huston, Kathryn Hahn, Noah Wyle, Paul Reiser, Andrew Rannells and more. Anthology of eight stories about people who believe themselves … Reviewed in the United States on October 14, 2018. OK, your turn. Hajar’s mother, who was previously ashamed of her daughter for sleeping with an unavailable man, is now beaming at the couple’s decision to be together. Really? A movie star and a director go head to head in a battle over what is real. Resulted in a pregnancy. In a lovely bit of karma, though, it turns out the egg is a fake, as Anushka had revealed to Hajar earlier in the episode. In Mexico City, an idealistic reporter falls in love with his mysterious subject. Select the department you want to search in. (It’s like playing Prestige TV Mad Libs!). Quickly browse titles in our catalog based on the ones you have picked. In a story that circles the globe, a man tries to escape a family curse. Were we supposed to sympathize with ANY of these characters? Very sophisticated, polished TV, from the writing to the acting and the loaded subtle takeaways- I really can’t believe how lucky we are to get this kind of entertainment. This show raises lots of questions. She’s horribly xenophobic and racist, telling Hajar upon meeting her for the first time that she should “take her bombs and go home.” (And that might rank among the nicer things she says to the girl.). SUMMARY: This is an anthology series (each episode is like its own movie at about 90 minutes long) with a new descendant as its feature star and we get an intimate look at this descendant's shadow/dark side and how s/he deals with it, with subtlety and nuance, beauty and family, love and even some surprising comedic affects in episode 2.