Customer Reviews

Bliss - The Complete First Season

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(3)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

I was introduced to Bliss by the latenight lineup on the Oxygen channel, and I have to say, I cannot get enough. I'm missing precious sleep staying up to watch the episodes, and I really should just buy the darn thing, because you can watch the episodes time and time again. They're that good.

The show boasts being written, produced, directed, etc. by women, for women. That's nice- gives it a woman's perspective, I suppose- but this knowledge would mean nothing if the product wasn't superior. It is. I don't know if that's because of the women making it, but the end result is stunning.

Perhaps my favorite thing about this is that it ISN'T porn. I'm not against porn. It serves a purpose. But, first and foremost, I really don't enjoy seeing genitals. It's just not my thing. Buttocks- fine and titillating. Breasts, sure. Close-up almost peeks at pubic hair, a clothed erection or one in shadowy profile- hot. But I disdain the actual genital (erect being one grade worse than a flaccid nude shot). It makes me feel dirty. I don't know; maybe other women like that. Let them go for Playgirl- you get your fair share of that while maintaining the erotic/romantic side. But Bliss will only give you shots of the buttocks. To me, it's less sleazy, but still undeniably hot.

The second thing Bliss has is great stories. This NOT being porn, it's not all about the action, but puts things into context. And yet that context isn't just pizza guy delivers, and we've got no way to pay him, so start the sex! I can honestly say there are real issues at stake in every episode- women, and their men, struggling to come to terms with women wanting bondage, voyeurism, etc.. Trying to deal with plain sex vs. a relationship. And so on. My only complaint is that a half-hour is really too short for the shows. An hour would give them time to build complexity, evolve characters, and maybe cram in a bit more heat. Plus, many episodes end a little vaguely.

Anyways, the cinematography is lovely, the actors are all very attractive, and, unlike porn or other low-grade stuff, the acting here is very believable and watchable. If you catch it on a non-sexy scene, you would think it's just another nighttime drama. The stories are real but explicit and hot, and execution is perfect. I can't think of a better erotic DVD.

Bliss may be written for women, but I'm a man and I found it incredibly "moving." The buildup of erotic tension reminded me of the original Emmanuelle.

The first segment has always been a fantasy of mine. I couldn't have imagined the episode better myself and, best of all, there are no accusations, hysterics, fights, etc. the next morning after the two couples fall into a partner exchange.

Many of the other episodes are excellent too. Erotic tension runs through most of them and it is a lost art in movies. I agree with one of the other reviewers - these segments should all be at least an hour longer so that the tension could be further developed.

This collection of episodes is a must own.

I own all three seasons and I have to say that season 2 is the best. It has more "hot" episodes, or at least, those are the ones that speak to me. Having said that, I really enjoyed at least 2 episodes of season one. The first was called A Path of Roses and dealt with a woman who wanted her boyfriend to get a little bit rough. He was put off by her desires but another man in her martial arts class was more than willing to comply. Very nice. I also enojoyed the last episode (forget the name) about a woman who meets a man whose name she doesn't even know for sex twice a week. Some of these stories don't have happy endings but that's true erotica. If you want a HEA ending you should try something more gearted toward romance. This series is about female desires and needs, not always a HEA ending.
The only thing I really didn't like about this season was that no fewer than four episodes had some kind of lesbian action in them. I don't have anythin against lesbians but girl on girl action is certainly not a turn on for me and I have difficulty believing that it is for so many women that the creators of this series decided to devote half the episodes in this season to it.
Anyway, try Season two. It has some very hot episodes that I shared with my hubby to heat things up.

I never knew of this show when it "aired" on Oxygen; I came across it inadvertently when searching/buying the film "Bliss". I didn't know exactly what to expect but, having been completely amazed by the (unrelated)film I thought I'd check out season one.

The first episode put me off a bit. I thought the acting was a but stilted and there was something somehow "off" about the production (I can't put my finger on it)but I persevered and was rewarded by further viewing. I needed, it seems, to get used to the films "syntax" and their short form of storytelling. Watching these stories is like reading an anthology of erotic short stories and once I understood that I really began to enjoy them.

I am especially gratified that there isn't any "right" or "wrong" in terms of sexuality. The series is very inclusive. The characters grapple with "taboo" desires and needs and the writers do not judge, only depict. Some of the episodes have mysterious aspects, most are not neatly tied up at their conclusions, all provide food for thought.

I liked very much the "queer" sex depicted in the "X" episode; I have never imagined seeing female into male penetration on TV.

These episodes are very erotic and show sex acts not gratuitiously but as communication between specific people for specific reasons within a specific emotional/psychological context. I applaud this series. It's interesting to me that it was made in Canada. It has a maturity and sensuality I don't think easily come by in the US.

I'm buying seasons two and three.

Bliss proudly exclaims by women for women but it is actually for couples, women, and men who want to understand the workings of the female mind. There are 8 episodes to this volume, each exploring a different female fantasy. Story one is about swapping, story two is about a woman who wants a rougher form of love making, three is about a woman who finds love with a prisoner, four is a lesbianish story of a female seductress who tries to lure a emotionally vulnerable girl into her web, five is about a girl and a boy who are unsure of their sexual orientation who fall for each other, six has a haunting flare to it as a woman is haunted by the ex of her boyfriend who warns her of his cheating ways, seven is the plight of a lonely farmers wife whose husband is injured and she finds herself attracted to the drifter she hires as a temporary farm hand and the last story is that of a business woman who finds herself in a position where her she is not known and she can explore her sexual side because her lover thinks she is an escort. The thing that sets this apart from other erotica is that the ladies are not cardboard Barbie doll, they like real women come in all shapes and sizes and all have secret fantasies. This series can help any man see a softer side to eroticism.

Nice video, interesting stories....very good value for the price. Bought seasons 2 & 3. Hope they are as good....

This was a really bad movie. It contained some soft porn scences, but nothing too graphic. Overall it really was a waste of my money. I also don't know if anyone really gave this movie a serious review or just thought what the hell cute girl on the cover and bought it, but its trash. Please don't waste your money

I did not like this show AT ALL. I thought it was dull. The stories and the pictures were displeasing. If you want more erotic stories with better people, try RED SHOE DIARIES. I highly recommend it. That's what I call erotic.

This story is about the nightly gathering of middle-aged couples. Inside a private house and influenced with wine, wives prefer to
change their sleeping partners for the night. Their husbands tender no objections. No nakedness.
A very week and impractical story. No supporting stimulus around.

Many of the writers and directors of these episodes have worked with feature length films. One of the delights of these short pieces is to see the themes, ideas, and concerns of the longer films being handled so deftly. The best known of the longer films is Lost and Delirious, written by Judith Thompson, the writer for Episode 4: Leaper. While one of the reviewers wished for these episodes to be longer, I am enjoying their brevity. Leaper contains not only the lesbian encounter of Lost and Delirious, but also the attempt by one person to control the other through sex. In both films, for one of the women the lesbian encounter is almost accidental--the bi or formerly hetero woman is drawn into the encounter more by emotional and intellectual threads than by physical seduction. Dire consequences hover in both films. The dialogue is surprising and interesting. The short film is truly an art form.

As for a list of features by the writers and directors of Bliss 1: Buitenhaus, the director of the first two episodes, has written Dangerous Attraction and Boulevard. L F Knizhnick who is in charge of all the scripts, co-wrote Leaper (number 4)and wrote #5. Her feature films are Man with a Gun, Crying FreeMan, and Perfect Pie. Shopkewich directed Episodes 5 and 6. Her feature films are Kissed and Suspicious River. I am working on the writers and directors of Bliss 2 and 3, anticipating the interesting connections between the episodes and other work they have done.