I have complaints -- manipulative red herrings, a duplicitous walking "monster" metaphor, a gradual imbalance of unlikely plot turns and the gritty, realistic portrayals thereof -- but they are far outweighed by what I get from Eric. The period building, evergreen topicality, acting, and, yeah, even the puppeteering hit home for me, as did the daring bait-and-switch of its colorful, ironic concept into a stark, humorless nightmare. I guess that's just me. Some call it a slog, but I loved it.