If you want better rewatch value
Choose Every Year After, Season 1. It scores 4.8 vs 2.0 for rewatch value, with a 3.6 overall score.
The Season, Season 1 Review
Bottom Line
Choose The Season if you want glossy Hong Kong high-society scenery, light summer intrigue, and some engaging cast dynamics. Skip it if stiff dialogue, familiar revenge plotting, thin character work, or weak suspense will ruin the yacht-soap appeal.
Best for
Best for viewers who want glossy Hong Kong high-society escapism, yachts, social scandals, and a light revenge hook. It works better as breezy summer soap than as a demanding thriller.
Not for
Not for viewers expecting sharp satire, deep characterization, natural dialogue, or sustained revenge-thriller tension. The most critical reactions found it derivative, underwritten, and unsatisfying by the end.
Verdict
The Season, Season 1 works best as a glossy summer soap: critics repeatedly admire its Hong Kong setting, polished skyline views, and brisk enough plotting to keep the next episode tempting. Its strongest moments come from the setting, the Carrie/Cola and Carrie/David dynamics, and a handful of twists that add momentum. The tradeoff is that the revenge engine feels overly familiar and often underpowered. Multiple reviews call out stiff or clunky dialogue, thinly sketched characters, convenient plotting, and suspense that rarely becomes truly thrilling. For viewers who enjoy rich-people scandals and scenic escapism, the show can be a pleasant distraction; for anyone expecting sharper satire or a gripping revenge thriller, it may feel frothy, derivative, and forgettable.
Feature Scorecards
Summary
43 reviewed features-
Very positive 4.5-5.03 (7%)
-
Positive 3.5-4.410 (23%)
-
Neutral 2.5-3.416 (37%)
-
Negative 1.5-2.414 (33%)
Pros
-
Visuals are the clearest consensus strength. Even negative takes praise the gorgeous Hong Kong setting, yacht-party glamour, and scenery that sometimes outshines the script.
-
Hong Kong is the show’s richest asset. Reviews praise the way the series uses elite yachts, restaurants, markets, apartments, and city vistas to make the setting feel specific and immersive.
-
The strongest chemistry sits in the relationship pairings rather than the revenge machinery. Carrie and Cola, Carrie and David, and the long-married Hexts all drew praise for adding warmth or lived-in tension.
-
Jessie Mei Li’s Cola gets the most consistent acting praise, especially for balancing charm, calculation, and uncertainty. Some broader performance concerns remain, but the lead work is one of the steadier elements.
-
Twists are one of the better-liked story tools here. The plot can be predictable, but surprise turns and midseason momentum give the final stretch something to work with.
-
The Hong Kong setting gets more texture than a generic rich-people backdrop. Cantonese-English movement and a lovingly rendered city give the show a welcome sense of place.
Cons
-
The premise is repeatedly described as familiar, borrowing from revenge dramas and wealthy-society soaps. Its Hong Kong setting freshens the package, but the underlying beats rarely feel new.
-
The ending left some viewers frustrated rather than satisfied. The season’s closing setup and last-episode payoff were criticized for feeling disappointing or not fully working.
-
The finale appears to push toward another conflict, but it did not land cleanly for the more critical reviewers. The final episode left at least one viewer disappointed and another unconvinced by the next-season setup.
-
Dialogue is a repeated weak point. The show is described as leaden, stiff, and overwritten, with characters often sounding like they are explaining the world instead of speaking naturally.
-
The season can feel overloaded, with too many storylines competing for limited space. One viewer called out unexplained situations and plot holes, making the revenge arc harder to follow.
-
Several episodes rely heavily on announced backstory and crowded subplots. That structure makes the world easy to understand, but it can feel mechanical rather than lived-in.
Compared With Category Average
Compared with other TV Shows, this product is above average in episode length, world-building, cultural representation, near average in humor, season length, below average in season finale quality, acting quality, rewatch value.
Comparison summary
43 compared features-
Above average 0.4+ pts higher4 (9%)
-
Same as average within 0.3 pts7 (16%)
-
Below average 0.4+ pts lower32 (74%)
Largest category differences
| Attribute | This product | Category average | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| season finale quality | 1.8 | 4.0 | -2.3 |
| acting quality | 2.4 | 4.4 | -2.0 |
| rewatch value | 2.0 | 4.0 | -2.0 |
| cliffhanger effectiveness | 2.0 | 4.0 | -2.0 |
| costume design | 2.5 | 4.4 | -1.9 |
| finale satisfaction | 1.8 | 3.6 | -1.9 |
| dialogue quality | 1.9 | 3.5 | -1.7 |
| suspense | 2.6 | 4.2 | -1.6 |
Consider This Instead
If you want better season finale quality
Choose Half Man, Season 1. It scores 5.0 vs 1.8 for season finale quality, with a 3.6 overall score.
If you want better acting quality
Choose Virgin River, Season 7. It scores 5.0 vs 2.4 for acting quality, with a 4.0 overall score.
If you want better screenplay quality
Choose It’s Not Like That, Chapter 1. It scores 5.0 vs 2.0 for screenplay quality, with a 4.5 overall score.
Compared in Reviews
Products reviewers directly compared with this model, grouped into quick takeaways.
Crazy Rich Asians
- Better: glossy dynastic soap writing Collider says the show aims for Crazy Rich Asians-style gloss but falls short in the writing.
- Better: ending satisfaction The ending is considered less satisfying than Crazy Rich Asians’ conclusion.
- Better: luxury fantasy The wealthy glamour is described as less convincingly luxe than Crazy Rich Asians.
The White Lotus
- Better: eat-the-rich bite Collider says the show aims for The White Lotus-style bite but lands in shallow water.
- Better: upstairs-downstairs class theme The class theme is considered less sophisticated than The White Lotus.
- Similar: rich-people ensemble feel Decider says the show has a very similar feel to The White Lotus.
Industry
- Better: critique of the upper crust Its critique of elite wealth is considered weaker than Industry’s sharper approach.
FAQ
Is The Season, Season 1 worth watching?
It is worth trying if you want glossy, low-effort Hong Kong high-society escapism. It is less rewarding if you need sharp writing or strong thriller tension.
What is the show’s biggest strength?
The Hong Kong setting is the clearest strength, from skyline views and yacht parties to restaurants, markets, and polished interiors.
What is the biggest weakness?
The most repeated weakness is the writing: stiff dialogue, heavy exposition, familiar revenge beats, and characters who can feel thin.
Is it similar to Crazy Rich Asians or The White Lotus?
Several reviews compare it to those glossy, wealthy-world stories, but most direct comparisons say it does not match their sharpness, luxe polish, or bite.
Does the season have good twists?
The twists are one of the better-liked parts. Even mixed reviews mention a twisty plot or turns that keep the final stretch moving.
Is the finale satisfying?
Finale reaction leans negative in the available reviews. The ending and next-season setup left some viewers disappointed or unconvinced.
Is it easy to binge?
Yes, the six-episode format and frequent plot turns make it easy to keep watching. The tradeoff is that the short season can make characters and storylines feel rushed.
Sample Expert Reviews We Analyzed
These are a few of the reviews included in our analysis.
variety.com
- Review score
- 3.6
decider.com
- Review score
- 3.1
Top TV Shows to Consider
Choose The Pitt Season 2 for a gripping, realistic medical drama with superb acting and emotional depth. Skip it if graphic procedures, unresolved arcs, or slower character-driven pacing bother you.
Pros: episode structure, main cast performance
Cons: age appropriateness, plot clarity
Choose Kylie for a heartfelt, candid music documentary with rich archives, sharp editing, and big emotional payoff. Skip it if you need a fully exhaustive career chronology or dislike authorized...
Pros: episode pacing, season finale quality
Cons: episode structure, season pacing
Best for heartfelt family drama, strong performances, natural faith themes, and an easy binge. Skip it if you need fast pacing, strict doctrinal portrayals, or a satisfying romantic resolution.
Pros: season finale quality, screenplay quality
Cons: character consistency, continuity
Best for exceptional performances, heartfelt family chemistry, and a humane take on motherhood and sex work. Skip it if you need gritty realism, fast setup, or perfectly cohesive tone.
Pros: episode structure, dialogue quality
Cons: plot twists, season finale quality