Ray Donovan

After Season 1, I'm pretty happy with the series overall, even though I originally expected something else. I thought the creators would focus more on Ray's work than on his family relationships, so I was slightly disappointed. But my disappointment faded away over the course of the last four episodes. I was very pleased with the casting, especially Liev Schreiber, Eddie Marsan and Jon Voight were very convincing. (13.06.2018)

The pilot episode was a hit. I loved the concept — Ray Donovan essentially does the same job as Mr. Wolf in Pulp Fiction, which means I’m bound to enjoy this series. The first episode didn’t just focus on Ray’s work; it also gave us a glimpse into his complicated personal life. (10.06.2018)

The pace slowed down a bit. Ray’s work took a backseat, and the story focused more on family and relationship issues, which made it less exciting. 4*- (10.06.2018)

This episode didn't blow me away either. After the pilot, I expected the story to go in a different direction. Ray's work is still sidelined, with too much focus on relationships and analyzing feelings (especially Abby’s). The season isn't bad so far, but it could use a bit more excitement. 4*- (10.06.2018)

This episode was slightly better. I really enjoyed the family day in Bel Air — it clearly showed that the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. Ray Donovan and Stu Feldman wouldn't need paternity tests for their sons. Jon Voight's performance is excellent; his character gets on my nerves, which is exactly what the creators intended. (10.06.2018)

The show is steadily filling up with more or less (mostly more) disturbed characters, like the stalker who was after Ashley and seemingly passed his obsession onto her:-) I still have an issue with the creators focusing too little on Ray’s actual job and too much on his family relationships. (12.06.2018)

Just my luck — in my review of episode five, I complained about the show's deep dive into interpersonal relationships at the expense of action, and now we have Bunchy's housewarming party. I appreciate characters with depth, but we really need some excitement to break up the tangled relationship drama. 4*- (12.06.2018)

The plot was more lively this time, with Ray's trip to Boston giving the story a nice boost. Abby's adventure and its aftermath were entertaining, but the storyline with Marvin and Bridget didn’t do much for me. (12.06.2018)

The couple is really getting on my nerves and ruining the overall vibe of each episode. However, Ray’s attempt to get a refund for Bunchy’s house and Mickey’s misunderstanding of the situation were pretty entertaining. (12.06.2018)

The main character's family troubles took a backseat to a dark comedy about transporting a wanted criminal from Boston to Los Angeles. On top of that, Ray’s efforts to help someone who attracts trouble like a magnet were hilarious. Even Mickey had some funny moments this time. (13.06.2018)

Looks like the series is finally picking up steam. Episode ten had the same great pace as the previous one, focusing mainly on Mickey and his reunion with an old friend. I had a great time watching it. (13.06.2018)

For the third time in a row, I’m giving an episode five stars. The plot had been stagnating, so I didn’t expect such an improvement. Bunchy, who used to be a pretty dull character for me, finally did something noteworthy. (13.06.2018)

A solid end to the first season. The creators focused on the intriguing storyline around Sully, and surprisingly, the developments in Ray’s family fit in really well too. "Is he dead?" "I think he's sleeping. Don’t wake him." (13.06.2018)

Season 2 started off excellently, but it soon lost momentum. Some of the characters started to get on my nerves and I was getting concerned about the future of the show. The eleventh episode managed to restore my hope and the finale was simply amazing. Just like in the previous season, I wasn't too amused by Ray's disagreements on the home front. I wished that there were more action scenes, which are one of the strengths of the series. This was confirmed in the final episode, and it was a blast to watch. (16.06.2018)

Season two picked up right where the last season left off, sticking to what worked in the previous episodes. Family issues were still there, but Ray's professional life took center stage. Plus, Ed Cochran (played by Hank Azaria) is a much more charismatic character compared to the lackluster Van Miller. (14.06.2018)

Once again, the focus shifted back to Ray's family issues, and the plot centered a bit too much on Mickey. The sudden change in the probation officer was interesting, but it wasn't enough to earn a full five stars from me. (14.06.2018)

The weakest episode of season two so far. Nothing really significant happened. The only thing that lifted my spirits was Feldman’s shoot — that was really well done. 4*- (14.06.2018)

A pretty good episode. Tiny nearly blew his engine in the first hundred meters, and his storyline continued to be excellent. However, the pace slowed down towards the end, which was a shame — it was close to earning five stars. Hopefully, the next episode makes up for it. (14.06.2018)

I was entertained throughout, and Ray's domestic issues complemented the other events perfectly. The story had a great pace, and things got even more complicated — in a good way. (15.06.2018)

The quality dipped a bit this time. The plot wasn’t as dynamic, and the pacing wasn’t as smooth as in the previous episode. Mickey and Bunchy's storylines didn’t really grab me and were even a bit boring at times. The new character, Steve Knight, hasn't impressed me much yet either. (15.06.2018)