one of the best first seasons of a show ive ever seen. i never expected to like this show so much, but i was instantly drawn in from the pilot and my attention never wavered throughout the 13 episodes. the characters are all excellent and it is really impressive how easily each character is fleshed out by around the fourth episode. the show wastes no time in engaging you to each character and making each one relatable in their own way - something that makes the show very entertaining. i won't write lots about the characters since i tend to write more on my episode reviews, but i do have to mention that the fisher family is so perfectly cast that it's mind blowing. ruth and claire look so much like mother and daughter, and as the season progresses the dynamics between the family get more and more real and captivating. it's hard to choose the best character in the first season, but it's probably either david or nate, only because of their increased screen time, since each character is always developed when they're on screen. the themes of death, life, grief, acceptance, religion, sexuality and so many others are handled extremely well. the show never feels too pretentious, but instead handles each topic with a sense of realism that makes the show much more grounded than other shows that handle these themes. every episode revolves around one random death and they are all so wildly random that it makes each episode hard to forget because it's so easy to remember each death. the writing of each episode as well as the dark comedy aspects also help with the memorability of each episode. the cinematography in this first season is outstanding. the situations the characters are in are never these fictional or extreme situations where experimental camera work can be implemented easily, but the close up shots that create direct parallels between characters as well as interesting camera positioning make the show feel more fresh and prevents scenes from blending into one another. it's important to mention how amazing the dream sequences are. shows that include visions as a way of diving into a character's psyche always tend to have the best written characters and this show doesn't seem to be an exception so far. the surrealism of each scene also adds a slight supernatural touch to the otherwise realistic show, providing an excellent window into each character's thoughts without being as surface level as being able to read their mind. MILD SPOILERS finally, this first season has handled emotional scenes incredibly well. not one of these scenes feels forced and tear-jerker scenes are never overused. this makes them all the more special when they do happen and it succeeds in making the viewer much more sympathetic for many characters who otherwise weren't really developed (an example is federico and his scenes with the dead baby when his wife is about to give birth). in general, the show's emotional scenes serve as lessons to the viewer that actually have the potential to be life-changing to many people (death exists to make life all the more special). very high 4.5/5, an excellent introduction to the show