Watching Mozart in the Jungle.

I've been curious about the series Mozart in the Jungle.  My interest mainly stemmed from the participation in the show by British actor Malcolm McDowell.  I've always been a huge fan of his work and he's been mentioning Mozart in the Jungle during his latest convention appearances.

Usually it doesn't take me long to check out McDowell's performance in anything I'm aware of.  But Mozart in the Jungle is a production of Amazon - available at this time only via streaming and I'm not much into (what I deem) new fangled viewing methods.  The show's second season premiered weeks ago and the recent Golden Globe Awards gave a victory to Mozart in the Jungle for best comedy or musical series.  With the win fueling interest, Amazon made Mozart in the Jungle available for free streaming over the weekend and I decided to indulge.  Each of the show's two seasons are comprised of ten episodes running at an average of about twenty five minutes.  I watched all but one segment of the show.  The result left me a bit bleary eyed (but not nearly as badly as McDowell from undergoing the ludvico treatment in A Clockwork Orange) and a huge fan of Mozart in the Jungle. 

Mozart in the Jungle revolves around the New York Orchestra.  The major players in the show's storyline include a young female bassoonist looking to make the grade to perform in the big time, the orchestra's unconventional new maestro who has arrived on the scene amid a whirlwind of fanatic attention and Thomas, the former conductor who attempts to accept the new situation as an agent of change even if he is not a hundred percent favorable to it.  The episodes are highly enjoyable as independent entities, but there are continuing story arcs which provide additional substance to the series large cast of characters.  My favorite supporting character is the aging percussionist who hasn't seemed willing to give up a single hippie trait.  Secret politics play out in the board rooms funding the orchestra while romances weave throughout the lives of the musicians.  I had sort of feared when approaching this show that it would be filled with young angst amid dating frenzies and adherents to the show biz saying of "Let's put on a show"!  Instead I was entranced by clever scripts concerning the life efforts of the musicians of various ages.  The new orchestra conductor's methods (such as breaking into an abandoned lot in the middle of a city block to get in touch with the city's soil and spirit) at first befuddles the orchestra.  But the orchestra warms up to his actions, as I did.     

Overall I would say Mozart in the Jungle is a charming series with a magnificently quirky attitude. 

For me, Malcolm McDowell is the highlight.  He plays Thomas, the orchestra's former leader.  Thomas is an eccentric.  You can never be sure of what he has in mind.  That makes for a lot of fun and McDowell acts with great gusto.  He played a similar highly esteemed eccentric of grand ideas most recently in Franklin and Bash, which ran for several seasons on TNT.  Here's hoping that Mozart in the Jungle runs for more outstanding seasons!

Myself & Mozart in the Jungle star Malcolm McDowell at Horrorfind.