EPISODE
SEASON
The series tells the story of an unassuming American family drawn into the workings of a turbulent Middle Eastern nation after the man's father dies during a revolution.
12 October 1979, Husi, Romania
1969, London, England, UK
13 November 1954, Madison, Wisconsin, USA
June 23, 2014
Both FX and Howard Gordon have a history of taking big creative swings. In this case, they have a big miss.June 23, 2014
The cinematography is stunning, the music and atmospherics are immersive. With occasional hiccups the acting is mostly subtle. Suspension of disbelief will be required, but Tyrant is worth the effort.June 23, 2014
The more unique part of the show, though, could be its exploration of the Middle East at a depth and with a nuance rarely seen on American television.June 24, 2014
Given the executive producers' resumes... and the stronger moments of the pilot, Tyrant" is worth a chance.June 20, 2014
Tyrant overcame a shaky start [and] proved that initial impressions can sometimes be -- if not wrong -- premature.June 18, 2014
The family dynamics make the show feel like a cross between Homeland and Dallas, and the soapier elements are often the most entertaining.June 20, 2014
There is little consistency of tone here, and the efforts to depict a realistic Middle Eastern political struggle are undermined by campy and melodramatic moments.June 23, 2014
Tyrant has all the elements of a great show. The plot is interesting, the characters are compelling, and the cast is great.June 23, 2014
Much depends on what happens in the second episode, but the premiere suggests that Tyrant will rule.June 26, 2014
[The] viewers get a family soap opera masquerading as something more; a gritty fairy tale in which the Americanized characters are the most virtuous and figures regularly act in ways that make little sense beyond furthering the story.