Aranyélet (2015–2018) User Reviews

I am so proud of this show

[dnielr · 10/10 · 1 January 2016]

Probably the best Hungarian series I ever watched. Thanks for the creators who dare dream big after Terapia.

The visuals are great, most of the pictures are colorful but still clear. They recorded on several locations with different tones so every time you can lost a little bit searching smaller things from your own experiences.

The story sometimes slow but it is never boring. Characters are unique and the worst actor is at least good, Renato Olasz is great, Zoltán Seress is amazing.

I am looking forward the next seasons hopefully they can keep this high quality for a long time. This is the first time I can recommend a home show without doubt. I think it can even be compared with any good American dramas. 10/10

"Golden Life" streaming in America

[tozzisoprano · 10/10 · 16 October 2018]

Well deserved 9 points on Imdb ! To my knowledge, this is the first hungarian series ever to be aired in America. Watch,- you won't be disappointed.

Extremely positiviely dissapointed

[bigdadi91 · 9/10 · 18 April 2018]

I'm Hungarian, and I'm the guy who just isn't interested in Hungarian movies/series at all in general. I started watching it because my mother insisted it's good, and let me tell you, it's extremely good. It's captivating from the first 5 minutes. I have a flatmate who also doesnt like Hungarian stuff, but he came in the room while I started it, and he also watched a whole episode! It's just full of action, full of drama, full of twists. The acting is really good. The emotions come through. I enjoyed EVERY minute of it, there is no filler content, it's a ride all the way. I can seriously recommend it to anyone who likes action/drama. This is literally the first review I do ever I think, because it's just so damn good. I'm shocked how good it is. From the first to the last minute, no boring part, just straight to the point. Maximum satisfaction in 1 hour. This is the epitome of good series, oh my god. Just watch the first 5 minutes, I will put my hand in the fire if you are able to stop. I'm just shocked that I only heard about this not so long ago, and I'm extremely critical about Hungarian shows, but this just blows my mind how good it is.

Edit: Watched season 2 as well. It just gets even better. There were multiple really tense situations. If you live in Hungary you can relate to those well, so it hit home with me. The acting is just brilliant, they got some extremely authentic criminal figures. So again, I'm really hard to impress, but this series just wins the cake.

Reality of Hungary

[zozkatka · 9/10 · 21 May 2016]

This show is the best hungarian show ever. And I think currently one of the best shows in Europe. Why?

Because this series is brave to show the hungarian reality. Which is a brave move. It reveals all of the crimes, life-hacks,lies, nonchalance that happens every day, down the streets, and up in the luxury apartments.

It shows what is the life feels like in East-central-Europe. You live rightfully and poor or you do live with cheating, lying and perhaps, you get rich. Or you can go to a foreign country, and the people of the country exploit you. The truth seems like that way.

The morality is so strong point in the show. Attila, the father, who gives up his criminal career (like an anti-Walter White), but his past and his environment always pull him back. Janka, the mother, who never wants to give up her luxury lifestyle. She wants her lifestyle, want her family's livelihood, doesn't matter what it takes. Márkó, the son, wants money and money so he join to his godfather's gang and taste the darkness of the crime and power. Mira, the daughter after she finds out his father's crime she starts drink and party hard and escape from her family. A family will tear apart.

The series makes it with style, with tension. Great performances, spectacular cinematography (too much drone shot in the pilot, maybe).

So professional, if I were an American I wouldn't believe it's not an US's HBO product. So professional, so European, so hungarian.

I cannot wait till the second season arrives.

I LOVE THE WHOLE CAST

[attilaszamosvari · 10/10 · 15 October 2018]

Honestly this is the best Hungarian siries of all time. I would like to recommend it to everybody to watch it! Great script, great acting, great directing, great directing of photography, great music, great everything.

Thank you for making it.

International quality standards with English subs

[gaborbartal · 10/10 · 2 November 2018]

I'm also very proud of the show, as it sheds light on the corruption in politics in my country where freedom of press is heavily suppressed, media is bought up by oligarchs close to the ruling party, and as such, government propaganda is everywhere.

A big part of the show, in fact its main theme, is showing the lives of such a family, where the father has (and gets) ties to various political and financial characters which enables him to further increase the quality of life for his family members - wife and two kids.

It's displayed in a very entertaining way however, as the other part of the show is about character development, interpersonal relationships, etc.

Thanks to HBO the production quality is excellent and it stands its ground as an international program enjoyable by anyone in the world. Even the local streak (the corruption) can be easily understood by anyone and they can assimilate with it as corruption is in any country to various degrees.

The 3 seasons show drastic changes in the characters in every possible way. It's dramatic and exciting.

A side note: HBO GO allowed watching the full final series on the day of ep1 release, which is unique to HBO GO, as HBO itself shows one ep per week. It was a great touch and rewarding the fans of the series allowing them to binge-watch the final season in one go if they choose to.

I can only recommend it wholeheartedly. 10/10

Shrinking world of petty swindlers

[Kelet-szeil · 8/10 · 30 October 2018]

10/10 in the Hungarian league, 8/10 in international level.

I have to admit i have seen only season one, but i do not see it as the depiction of the "Hungarian Reality" as so many reviewer does. But rather as an enormously good satire of the Hungarian swindlers who had their gold age in the turmoil of the 90's, they kind of got addicted to their routines, and they fail to realise, that the world in which they flourished shrinks to be a petty one. Like commit a life endangering, prison worthy crime for 1M Huf? (3000 Euro) In 2015? Serious?? Or parking the car everywhere, with a disability certificate, and it all serves as a status symbol? (For any possible reader from outside the postcom region: it is a status symbol, as it shows you managed to pay off the medical staff) Hillarious. So originally East European, so sourly funny. Why still 8 instead of 10? Because it resonates too well with the "you cannot make it in the right way" postcommunist worldview. And it is rather harmfull, here in Hungary. It is not realistic, and i even dont think, the series is about it. But it still conveys this message for almost all.

Does not lack talent at all! Great effort shaped in amazing series

[playstrong · 9/10 · 10 October 2019]

Storyline is quite good, it gots sense, acting of the majority is good... It's quite slow as well, too much time wasted on dull dialogs, while the final of the seriers is AMAZING! overall 9/10 But also. .. Mira acts indecisive in the beginning ,so irritating, then she becomes a star! Atila is quite soft on acting, then wakes up, Mark was quite harsh, then he explodes in emotions, nobody expected that, i am sure. GOOD GAME WELL PLAYED HBO AND CAST!

EXCELLENT

[tamas_szundi · 10/10 · 19 June 2019]

THIS IS THE BEST HUNGARIAN SHOW EVER!!! Amazing cast and characters and story. Everything is on point. Highly recommend it to everyone to watch it.

Shockingly good

[wonder0007-685-838436 · 10/10 · 14 February 2017]

I'm sorry, but my English not too excellent.

Flawless as story, screenplay and in terms of implementation. The characters before and actors are gorgeous, captivating , riveting real feeling HBO series. You can feel it in the quality and planned very well. Great! I hope to live many seasons of the series.

and hold perhaps it is a little piece of Doug Ellin to this Hungarian real gem!

Hungary is not yet at a series of patriotic life like it so much that you can do it seized.

Only I can only recommend to everyone!

Just watch it

[locilokk · 10/10 · 16 October 2018]

The third season surpassed all the shows I've ever watched.

Good actors, exaggerated plot

[ssalbcita · 7/10 · 14 February 2020]

The actors are pretty good and the serie has great potential, but I often find the action itself and the plot to be over exaggerated, so much that it becomes annoying. The misfortune the characters gain from their own actions should be natural, but often it seems too much, somewhat forced.. to make events more dramatic. At first, I was kind of "Wow! Such a good production!", but overtime I became gradually annoyed by the constant exageration. Anyway, I enjoyed the actors' performances, and the show.. to some point.

Terrible characters, plot holes

[vanjadolphin · 1/10 · 3 October 2021]

Don't wast your time on this garbage! Shallow, violent, stupid, boring!

The real Hungarian life

[zolszabo-87597 · 9/10 · 30 July 2019]

If You want know what is the real life in Hungary, you have to see this serial. This film will be present how you can open the door to yours first million. The next mill will be automaticly.....

I could watch 10 more season.

[stefaniantonello · 10/10 · 31 July 2019]

So far, the best series I've seen. I would like to thank for HBO, you guys are amazing, the first top class series in Hungary. Please, do some more good stuff, we really appreciate that🙏

very good serie. the best

[mityu-88994 · 10/10 · 30 July 2019]

I love this movie. i see it over and over again. omg.

Thriller series for the mid-europians and the hungarians that actually works

[botrytis · 9/10 · 31 October 2018]

The nationally colorful team behind Aranyélet did a wonderful job for all three seasons, creating a fun product that actually was made for international view, and that quality is apparent pretty well; it's huge, it has depths realised with a wonderful cast, exciting storyline crafted to maintain attention from A to Z. People in Hungary surely wanted this kind of quality that represents the good worksmanship of this country.

However, do not let people fool you. As many mistakenly states this series being "THE HUNGARIAN REALITY" they either nationally radicals and don't know other countries are also besides Hungary or just plain don't know what "reality" means. This series - although based on real, historical elements came after the change of regime in Europe and political reality up to date - it's still just a colorized story, that is down to earth and paints extra brushstrokes there where it needs a bit of a classic "make it exciting no matter what".

But as story goes right to the end of the SEASON 3, it is also apparent that it don't really wants to show a story that is 100% realistic. And here comes the folksy side of the production. Especially in the last season things will happen that brings mystical levels to the story, that which is the tool of expressing sorrow and judgment on the whole family prior the series. Making it not a realistic, but a bit of a folksy, fantasy-like thriller/drama.

Hungarians are also known for being clever reminding people all around the world about their existence, and this show is no different from that intention; stating home cuisines, pig slaughter, hungarian bands playing international music and also songs with homelanguage, and some of that quality which may be too cheesy for other nations. But, these are implemented in a way that it is pleasing and overall not making any harm to the whole masterfulness or the quality of this show.

The soundtrack is mostly alright, it has that globalized vibe we get from the west culture, but it is handled so generic in places, especially in SEASON 1; there are some tracks that holds the quality of a generic TV soap opera, like it was taken right from "Barátok Közt" or something. And I still don't get it who got that cookie-cutter idea to put Tankcsapda to the end of the season finales; it is out of place, nothing to do with the rythm of the series, just cringeworthy.

The cinematography holds up pretty well, it is really beautifull, especially I like the scenes set back in the 90's. Simply powerfull stuff.

Story, besides all that I have already stated above, is well crafted, it builds up perfectly till the end with every plot having its own evolution, and every question being - kinda - answered, with which we will feel mostly satisfied. It's only 3 seasons though, but fortunately this prompted the writers to make a well thoughtout story without any plotholes that would bug the viewers, so props to the whole team of Aranyélet, this was a really enjoyable run.

Riveting

[andyaszabo · 10/10 · 31 July 2019]

Me and my wife were glued to the screen watching 2-3 and once even 4 episodes back to back on a rainy day. The story and the characters suck you in from the set go, and that is the most important attribute a series should have,--to keep the viewers, even get them addicted.

As far as the "Hungarian reality" part mentioned by many, I rather think of it as "Hungarian reality based or influenced" just as for example no US western series ever showed the reality of the taking and populating the West, but they had elements based on some more or less factual events documented in a more or less sensationalized way.

I really liked the subtle satire present all the way through the series including in the action scenes, and perhaps this was setting it best apart from most of the in-the-face Hollywood style satires or the non-stop action movies. Its rhythm worked most of times alternating melodrama and high-hearth-rate action spiced with some of the reality based events of the Wild-East of the 1990's and the nostalgic flash-backs of the last years of the existing (East-European) socialism.

Very good entertainment, truly riveting with a an ending perhaps a bit out of the flow of the series and with some uncharacteristic events in light of the former lifestyle and conduct of the "golden life" family, it seemed more like a fable element to educate the viewer to consider the alternatives of chasing the money with no regards to the law, and other people outside the "family".

World Class Hungarian Stuff

[hagen-18454 · 10/10 · 17 November 2018]

I'm not Hungarian but I love the country and visit it frequetly and even live there from time to time. And it's so cool to watch a really great series and recognize the places and the people and the reality in general. Yes, the show reflects the country very well. But at the same time it's more about characters and emotions and stories that could have taken place anywhere in the world. It's like an ancient Greek where you can associate yourselves with the characters and emphasize with them. Highly recommended to watch!

Solid Show

[mlynch5187 · 8/10 · 25 July 2020]

Pretty good European show about a criminally-inclined family! It ended at just the right time. This is something I'll watch again after a few years have passed.

A kind of Ozark

[laurabirzescu · 10/10 · 1 May 2021]

A TV show about dirty money, politics, family, betrayal, friendship, murder and a lot of situation comics. A kind of Ozark in Hungary. Good to watch.

Not realistic

[dv-79930 · 6/10 · 9 September 2021]

Season 1 was good, I'd give it a 8, then slowly the show went downhill. Things just became less realistic, and I began getting annoyed the longer I got into season 2, and then 3. Seems like the writers ran out of story, and just started making up crazy stuff.

The son and daughter of the show are complete idiots, their actions make no sense, and it really ruins the show and story. The main inflection point in the show from good to bad I think was when Mira got ratted out in court by her gypsy lover and yet she continued to have a relationship with her. After that, the whole thing with the prosecutor, and then the traffickers. She left a giant duffel bag of dirt at the prosecutor's house, then when she killed the 2 traffickers, she left the video tape at the crime scene, and the prosecutor didn't think to take the video tape either. Then it seems in under a year, she is some sort of expert giving presentations on human trafficking?

What about mom in late season 3, lying on the floor the whole day ready to give birth, I guess she just couldn't scoot over to the nearest phone, had to wait for Atti to show up.

Mark - An incredible moron, too many stupid unrealistic situations to write out, but the main one was when he started getting harassed by the gypsy contractor, his best idea was to help break out the guy from jail, the same guy that he lied in court about to keep him in jail. The same guy who just a few months prior had him held hostage, and made him and his friend pretty much fight to the death because of what, like a $50,000 debt? Mark is living the good life, instead of hiring some security with his girlfriend who's father is like a billionaire, he decides to break out that guy from jail and go into business with the guy that's harassing him, oh and of course all of this business dealing is directly tied to going against his own father's business, oh and in the end, surprise surprise, the contractor didn't abide by their deal... Is this good writing? Does it make sense? People giving out 8 and 9 stars have no problem with this?

I got bamboozled into watching this show because of it's high ratings, what a disappointment. Beware!

Super real and truly Hungarian

[Szabop · 10/10 · 1 December 2020]

I can only recommend this to all who Iike a true drama mixed with humor and sume suspense

Stellar show that I nearly missed

[discoandrollerskates · 10/10 · 7 July 2021]

This show is great. It's unsentimental, violent, plenty of great acting. I love listening to Hungarian which sometimes reminds me of Finnish (and they are, unlike the rest of the European language except from albanian) long distance related if I remember correctly. I lovet he way it's filmed - beautifully yet very realistic. I almost missed out on this. It never gets boring. Sometimes it takes its time but that doesn't matter. I really like No character is exaggerated. Top quality from Hungary - köszönöm! PS I don't usually like hiphop but really dig Mark's lyrics and rap!

Bingeworthy

[normanhock · 10/10 · 20 June 2020]

Of course it is not the reality but shows the laidback, hardworking, free-minded, sharp witted, survival type and the mentality of the Huns. (Hungarians) The Huns are the Yanks of Europe being very unsimilar to any other nations in their continent. Very amusing, bingeworty, and a must-see series. Have fun! Norman H.