Review Detail

I have watched ALL episodes of this fantastic 11-episode series. I wrote most of this enthusiastic review after seeing only 3 episodes, but I stand by it, and have added just a little more at the end.
After watching the first 3 installments of this, my enjoyment level is off the charts, so I am leaving a review now. THIS IS FANTASTIC! I don't know why putting these into 45(ish) minute episodes makes these work so well, but so far, this is better than any of the Craig movies have been on their own. Now it feels like a big budget HBO, Netflix or Amazon Prime series. Except it is vastly superior to most of those too. I'm really blown away. I used the word Flawless in a recent review, but still gave that one less than 10 stars. This one gets all 10 stars. I find this easier to follow than the movies as well. The thru-line feels clearer. And the episodes end perfectly--the ending of ep2 is such a perfect ending.
When an edit is as perfect as this, there just isn't much to say. Everything simply works. Every episode has an excellent cold open, the opening titles and theme are exactly the right look and length... there is just nothing wrong here! This has been the best experience I have had with watching 007 since seeing The Living Daylights in a movie theater when I was still in High School. I am utterly blown away. It saddens me that most Bond fans will probably never see this because every one of them would be floored by it. Mind you, there's no gun barrel and it isn't bursting with classic Connery-era music. In fact it is not nostalgic in the least--it is a thoroughly modern feel. And it f**king works! It surprises me, being one of those old school 007 fans who usually wants more classic music or gadgets, etc. But they aren't needed here, and it still feels like Bond. That is the real shock; it feels exactly like classic James Bond despite many of the tropes not being there. Despite the near non-stop action, I get a much stronger sense of character in these. This is just the very best of Daniel Craig as James Bond. This absolutely, easily replaces every movie used as the source material. This would replace the entirety of the Craig era if not for No Time To Die not yet being released.
(I may edit this review after seeing the full series, but no matter what, the first 3 episodes deserve this review alone. **minor edit to say---NOTHING can make Skyfall good. This format makes it more forgivable, but in many ways it's plot is worse than even Day Another Day. It has no business in the franchise at all. Poor Daniel Craig has suffered the same fate as Pierce Brosnon---he's a great Bond if they can just get the movie around him up to his level [BTW, the Brosnon era would be awesome in this format] This still gets my Highest recommendation. I cannot bring myself to detract points based on the Skyfall source material being drivel.)