So I started the first episode. I was interested, but not hooked at all. I'm sure you've read many times that this show starts out slow in relation to how big it gets. The situations are things that any of us could face in our daily lives. Then something happens that changes the course, even still, remotely. A couple murders, an investigation, I didn't think it was that big of a deal. I didn't expect it to be a typical murder mystery.
But then the restraints on the story snap, and things start moving. You start to get a feel for why this show is called Monster (ignoring the fact that it's being pushed at you). My one possible complaint that I had was: "I'd hate how much this show sidetracks if it weren't so awesome". Even when you feel the story couldn't stray anymore, you know that everything that is happening is absolutely applicable. Everything comes together in the end, I don't know if there was a loose end by the finale.
If you're getting into this show, I would really urge you to keep going. I was considering turning it off a couple times, it just felt a bit dry in the beginning. As I said, it was interesting, but I didn't feel much substance to it. I think it was intended looking back.
One of my favorite aspects about this show are the characters. They were very well developed, and even the ones who were purposefully made out to be no more emotional than a rock, one of them in particular ended up being my favorites out of the show. Some of these characters didn't get the glory of being introduced with a huge back story, and they were still really interesting. Their contributions weren't their past, but what they did during the story, which was really great. Even one of the people I absolutely hated at the beginning became to be someone I really enjoyed seeing on my TV. The characters and how they develop are no doubt the strongest aspect of this series.
Interestingly enough, a lot of the time while I was watching it, I kind of lost focus. Some conversations do kind of go on for too long, and I took a couple breaks from it as I went. The immediate enjoyment factor is there, but not as much as you'd like. It's definitely not a steroid-fueled experience, which is good, but don't go into it under the assumption that every moment is going to be tense, they replace that with a slight sense of paranoia instead. I wasn't always thinking to myself "I need to see the next episode right now or I'll lose my mind", but I always kept coming back to it wanting to know overall where everything is going, and where it will end.
Apparently this show is very acclaimed, and rightly so. I hadn't heard of it until very recently. If you're put off by the hype around it, understand that it lives up to it. I would recommend you watch this.
