Sneaky Pete (TV Series 2015–2019) Poster

(2015–2019)

User Reviews

Review this title
325 Reviews
Sort by:
Filter by Rating:
8/10
Will keep you hooked!
Rob133129 September 2022
Sneaky Pete was so much better than I expected it to be. It was one of the first series for Amazon before it became such a powerful streaming service so it was promoted the way it would be today so a lot of people haven't heard about it. Giovanni Ribisi plays a con man named Marius Josipovic who takes on the identity of his cellmate and goes into hiding with his estranged family from a gangster. The way they set up and execute the cons are fascinating. Ribisi is just phenomenal in this, it's probably his best role of his career. This series is so good that I binged all three seasons as fast as I could and it left me wanting more. If you haven't seen this yet then do yourself a favor and watch this as soon as you can.
50 out of 52 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
9/10
Addicting!
Supermanfan-1321 January 2023
Sneaky Pete is such an excellent and entertaining series! It's a show about cons, lies, deception, family, relationships, etc., etc. And tells it in such an amazing way that you can't wait to see the next episode! It was one of the best Amazon originals and got cancelled after 3 seasons for god knows why? Even though it ended it on a cliffhanger it's still definitely worth watching, it's not the kind of cliffhanger that will ruin the show for you. Once you start this amazing series you won't be able to stop watching it until you've binged the entire series so make sure you give yourself enough time to watch it. I promise you that it's worth every second!
55 out of 60 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
7/10
S1 and S2 worth the price of admission, S3 feels like a post-game show
RunningFromSatan15 May 2019
I have been looking forward to S3 for a while since I binge-watched the first two last year. Those 20 episodes contain some of the most fast-paced, tense and almost anxiety-inducing elements in a TV show since - dare I say it - "Breaking Bad". Lots of tremendous acting especially by Giovanni Ribisi, great characters, setups and mini-payoffs building up to a grand finale for each season.

S3 was off to a great start and I whipped through the first 4 episodes in a row but honestly, I started losing general interest halfway through. Ribisi and McRae visibly grow tired of their respective characters and there are lot of strange, forced throwaway scenes. Overall the acting/writing sort of just fizzles towards the end with each mini-payoff just barely necessary to a climax half as exciting compared to the previous seasons.

I noticed a complete lack of return of the writing and production staff from those first two seasons - especially Graham Yost, a master screenwriter of the fast-paced action-thriller genre. There are a couple of great moments especially in the beginning but overall not nearly as good as the first two seasons. The show needs to do itself a favor and get Yost back in the screenwriting chair for the next season if there is one.

Unfortunately S3 knocks my IMDb rating down to a 7 for overall show - S1/2 are a solid 9.
54 out of 61 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
10/10
A masterpiece.
Omesb16 January 2017
I'll make this short.

You know that feeling you get, when you bought something you were unsure about, then you open it and instantly regret having spent money on that?

I felt the same way about spending time to watch television series the last decade.

You get invested in the first episodes and then the plot just gets thinner and thinner and after a few episodes you notice what crap you're wasting your time on.

Well there was no remorse on this series for me. This is on a whole different level. This series makes other series look like "The dark Knight" made old comic book movies look like. It's just that good. I didn't think I'd see something this good ever. This will blow up and it's justified.

The plot starts as a family drama and slowly weaves in a con plot while rapidly picking up pace and creating the tensest experience I ever had while watching TV. It's masterfully crafted.

Watch it, you won't regret it.
180 out of 208 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
9/10
Margo Martindale
bshaef12 May 2019
Any show with Margo Martindale in it is well worth watching I have never seen her in a less that outstanding show. Just finished season three of Sneaky Pete which I thoroughly enjoyed. Hope it has a few more series to run. Acting is uniformly excellent, story is great and moves along at a clip to keep you engaged in what is going on. Great all around show AMazon. AMZN is good at making series like this.
71 out of 83 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
10/10
Instantly Sucks YOU IN! Great Acting, Great Story, GREAT SHOW!
dustin_m_nh20 October 2016
If they don't choose to make this into a show I'm going to boycott Amazon.. Simply Amazing. It felt so real, so raw, you could truly feel the stress and excitement the entire way thru this pilot episode.

Giovanni Ribisi IS Amazing. His best role yet. I don't want to give away any spoilers so I can't say to much but he's playing a double life and plays it amazingly.

Marin Ireland as Julia is very believable and works great with Pete/Marius.

Bryan Cranston is a writer on this show and you most definitely tell. NOT a single show has had me excited and impatiently waiting for the next episode since his previous " Breaking Bad".

This show has Amazing potential to be a big hit. I only hope there are more episodes to come.
103 out of 124 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
9/10
Don't be Quick to Judge, Stick With It!!!!!
jon-stokes21-539-178757 January 2019
Unfortunately I'm afraid many won't make it long enough to see how good this show really is!! At episode 3 I was nearly ready to call it quits and I'm glad I didn't because the show really evolved into something unlike anything else I've ever watched. Sneaky Pete is a slow starter but wants it gets going you'll find it binge watch worthy with its interesting story line and characters you find that you're growing attached too. Giovanni Ribisi is excellent and at his best, and Bryan Cranston plays a great supporting role as he never disappoints.

Although I find Netflix the better value I respect Amazon's quality over quantity perspective. I've found that I am entertained by almost every show they create have created.
57 out of 67 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
9/10
Amazon ordered a pilot ,, Amazon should'v ordered a couple seasons ;)
Aktham_Tashtush12 September 2015
The show got an amazing story .. the plot is so original and catchy , upping the level of Thrill and Drama as this could be one of the best Summer/Fall shows this year.

The script is so fast and connected ,, there is not even a single minute where you feel bored or less intrigued specially on (when Walter White is gonna appear :D ).. David Shore bravoo ,, he's so damn experience .. did an amazing job on "House M.D." and on the prematurely and insanely cancelled show "Battle Creek" >> so he knows how to make a show interesting and high rated.

As for the cast; The last i'v seen Giovanni Ribisi was on Ted but on a show it was on "Dads" and it was good but it was a whole lot different character yet here !! gosh this guy is freakishly talented ... and i love Margo Martindale she's amazing and finally let's not forget to mention the genius Bryan Cranston where just mentioning his name made a huge publicity to the show months before the pilot.

Overall,, Amazon is on the verge of great chance to making a TV new Hit show and yes they have the right to only order a pilot to see how the viewers will respond .. i can assure you Amazon or CBS that we want more .. we wanna see the full story of "Pete" the sneaky fox ;)
107 out of 134 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
10/10
Great binge
mitchelcouey-112 May 2019
Excellent cast and script. Doesn't disappoint. Great choice for your next binge.
49 out of 59 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
6/10
Strong start
pjtrekker23 May 2019
Warning: Spoilers
Season one was cheeky, fast and fun like Oceans Eleven. Season two matched it overall And then there is season three. What a let down. The back story of looking for a lost mother is incredibly melodramatic and boring. Pure filler. The main caper nowhere near matches the previous seasons intensity. I hung in there for six episodes but it was an utter boring train wreck
22 out of 28 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
10/10
WE WANT A SEASON 4!
Aurora0ctane20 September 2019
One of the most clever, entertaining, and gripping series I've seen since Breaking Bad. And the acting was just as good. There was so much story left to tell. I get that some people feel like season 3 fell a little, and that it was a wild goose hunt for the mom but at least Carly got the closure she longed for since the beginning of the series. The big picture has and always was about watching the cons and how they all played out, and THAT did not disappoint! I would have loved to see more development between Julia and Marius. Amazon, clearly there's a fan base, if you don't pick it back up, I hope Netflix will. Such a shame.....it deserved an award, not a cancellation.
45 out of 57 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
6/10
This Season Not So Great
Sneaky Pete has kind of built itself on extremely unlikely situations and coincidences, but in the past seasons it was easy to suspend belief as the the plot lines were compelling and actors engrossing, especially season 1.

Season 3 is a big letdown, with a horribly written also-ran story concerning the Bowman siblings' parent, which is a HUGE yawn, led by completely charisma free Libe Barer (Carly); it's almost painful to watch. I found myself fast forwarding during any parts of that storyline, and even the actors involved looked like they couldn't care less about Carly's mission when interacting with her. I felt bad for Margo Martindale (Audrey), a wonderful actress, who had to be tied down to that super tired dead weight of a plot.

Giovanni Ribisi seemed robotic and bored this season, almost looking like he'd rather be anywhere else. The writing was off kilter as well, with Ribisi making a ton of very questionable moves for someone deemed to be so clever. His new love relationship was a chemistry fail. Was really looking forward to bingeing this season, but ended up being pretty disappointed.
22 out of 29 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
5/10
Starts off hot, then goes cold
seanmcbeth4 June 2019
Season one was great. I loved the premise and storyline. Then all the decent actors disappear and Giovanni is stuck surrounded by a sub par cast and unbelievable story line for season 2 and 3. The characters act like morons until a exigent circumstance arises then they're the most brilliant friggin minds this side of the Mississippi. Save yourself a lot of time and skip this show.
8 out of 9 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
9/10
Breaking good
feelinesound15 January 2017
Somehow in the end Sneaky Pete achieves pretty much everything it says on the box, and everything it hints at in the pilot. It's a con movie, and a brilliant one at that, while being a dysfunctional family drama at the same time, and also being brilliant at that. It's simply an extremely well written and acted show that somehow manages to spin about five B-plots, three C-plots and a main arc into a riveting story that never seems forced one bit, and always feels as if the writers let the characters be true to themselves rather than deus-ex-machina them into a better story. And yet the story is pretty much perfect in the end.

It also manages to take itself lightly almost the whole time and rarely going into cliché even though it gets into some dark situations, and doesn't make a joke out of those situations. Giovanni Ribisi especially impresses in the title role, essentially a bad guy looking to "break good" (shout out to Brian Cranston/Walter White who produced it and also steals all his scenes as the big villain), but the cast is superb pretty much across the board. The only thing I was missing to make it a true masterpiece was some pizazz in the directing department as it's mostly unspectacular visually, but that's a small price to pay when you get the writing and performance departments so right.
66 out of 87 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
9/10
Great first 3 seasons can't wait for the 4th
nachiketpatil-4447112 May 2019
Amazing plot in the 3rd season as well. However, felt a bit hurried in the 9th and 10the episode. Anyways, finished it all in one go. Completely hooked! Cheers to the actors, directors and producers!
25 out of 34 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
10/10
Thank you Sneaky Pete...Still my absolute fave!
jescles21 May 2019
Warning: Spoilers
Just finished S3...started off a little slow but after all the twists and turns (not to mention so many new characters) it brought out a very deep emotional side to Marius...a feeling that has been building throughout the series so far. A wrenching feeling - I actually shed tears. I think a S4 could explore Marius copping to his stolen identity and all that would play out from there. It would be really perfect if everyone in the fam could find some peace with the hands they've been dealt. But I think we'll see Kilbane again - and maybe the fam could help Marius instead of him always coming to their rescue. I mean that's what families do...
19 out of 25 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
8/10
Season 1 = fantastic. Season 2...
korereviews14 March 2018
Warning: Spoilers
...not so much. I hate to say it, because I was really a huge fan of season 1, but the second season was fairly disappointing by the end. The first few episodes were great - as good as the season 1. But for me, season two starts falling apart when the character of Maggie is introduced. For some reason, she just doesn't quite work. Not sure sure if it's the actress or how her role is written, but her character is not that effective, and the subplot involving her starts to make the episodes drag. The main baddie is also not as charismatic as Bryan Cranston's character was in in season 1. And there are just too many subplots in this season. While season 1 was complex and interwove a number of stories, somehow it worked and never seemed forced or confusing. It was like a Swiss watch. Here, it felt like they were trying too hard - you could see the gears moving. In fairness, it must be very difficult to write this kind of story effectively more than once. The show is a lot like Justified (not surprising, as it was co-created by Graham Yost), and it shows a similar trajectory: brilliant at first, then a steady decline. Hard to imagine a season 3 for Sneaky Pete. Nonetheless, season 1 was brilliant.
26 out of 37 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
10/10
What took me so long? Why did I not watch this years ago ?
AlisonTaylorRowe12 May 2019
Whatever it is that is stopping you from tuning into this very well written and extremely engaging series...please rise above and/or let it go; so you can sit back and be entertained by the quickly well developed characters and evenly paced twists and turns of this exceptional TV programme. Think Usual Suspects crossed with The Pink Panther and a little piece of Bloodlines.

You'll soon feel so attached to the main cast, that you're rooting for them all, in their own individual trials and tribulations. Never one to repeat binge watching, this series might just have to break my duck...and I'll consider a rerun...but only in the run up to S4!!
11 out of 14 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
10/10
I can't believe it's been cancelled!
brendaroberts603 January 2020
Gotta bring it back!! Loved every single minute of it, great actors, amazing talent all around. Binge worthy.
10 out of 13 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
6/10
Just An Average CBS Style Show, Certainly Overrated
mlynch51873 August 2019
So I tried watching this because it has an 8.2 on IMDB and fantastic reviews on Rotten Tomatoes. Many reviews on here suggested to "give it a chance" and "keep on watching, It'll get better".

So I did just that. I love binge watching quality shows like the Sopranos, Breaking Bad, and so forth, but when it came to this show had to struggle to watch the entire first season. I think I stopped either at the last episode or the second to last episode of the first season. I don't even remember, because I just don't care. I spent much of the time looking at my phone as I waited for it to get better. But it never got better. This show had potential to be something great, but it really fell flat compared to the positive reviews I see on IMDB.

First, the fake New York style acting was really insufferable. The fake accents, the fake mannerisms, they all were just so off and fake! In fact, all of the characters, from the "gangsters", to Marius' family, and to the cops, they all seemed like actors playing a shallow role. The entire atmosphere feels really kiddish and watered-down. Bryan Cranston is not at all a convincing New York mob boss. Not at all. And I'm not just talking about the fake accent, I also mean that he seems way to soft and stereotypical to be any kind of realistic underlord. This pretty much goes for almost all of the characters; they just weren't convincing or even interesting.

Second, The entire story just isn't that engaging. The idea that Marius can show up, pretend to be someone else's grandson after 20 years, and become an integral part of the family just isn't that compelling or realistic. Somehow this family who is deeply involved in the law is duped by Marius left and right. Anytime they have a suspicion, Marius is ten steps ahead of them. Yet at the same time, Marius talks like a hood, and is extremely familiar with crime. He is so obvious, but of course his new family somehow can't quite figure it out.

Another reviewer mentioned that this show was originally intended for CBS, and that's exactly how it i feels. Like a shallow show that would be shown on network television, interrupted by frequent advertisements. This is not a deep quality drama, or an on your edge suspense show. It certainly shouldn't be rated an 8.2 on IMDB. This show is just an average CBS style show.
13 out of 17 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
10/10
Original Fast Moving Show-Series...
darother200011 May 2019
Sneaky Pete is an original fast moving interesting well done series. I was waiting for series three to come out &wondered if it would be as good as one and two. It doesn't disappoint. It's another Con game with acting that is superb. It's a fun fast moving drama with interesting characters going through different life emotions-- If that makes sense... A roller coaster ride that you can't get off. I can't stop with one episode and it's a binge worthy series. An original top notch show that isn't like any other series. I am tired of the same old detective dramas and hope it has more seasons. I LOVE this show for the originality and characters. It's an Inteligent show for a change. Also the music is fantastic...!
10 out of 13 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
6/10
Season 1: Almost golden
Very good dynamic and balance between action and human psychology. Great acting. Plot is very well thought about. Unfortunately, they mess up eventually by making things overcomplicated. Last episode got me from an 8 to a 6. It just wasn't believable anymore and went to an Ocean's Eleven vibe. Good fun, but not in slightest relatable to real life, typical American STYLE. Breaking Bad didn't make mistakes like that, although it's obviously also far from my reality, it remained plausible. That's really important for me. This show, so close. Still, a must watch for binging.
4 out of 4 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
5/10
A decent one-time binge watch, but it's like a network TV show on a premium channel.
MovieAddict201622 January 2017
Sneaky Pete was originally offered to CBS, who turned it down before Amazon gave it a home. This much is apparent from the show's storytelling, as it pads out what could have been a two hour film into a 10 hour series with diverting subplots and busy work to keep supporting characters spinning. There are times when you sense that it would be too quick for characters to move from A to B, so they have them tread water with narrative contrivances (eg the parole officer who has a decent amount of time committed to his presence and then abruptly disappears midway through the show).

The pilot episode, shot prior to the rest of the episodes, had some beautiful visuals but the rest of the program is aesthetically quite flat and procedural. It looks like something you would find on CBS, but with some f-bombs dropped in.

Ribisi is good, although his constant random lemon sucking facial contortions at inappropriate times are an odd choice for the character. To be a convincing con man one would think you shouldn't draw attention to yourself, but he often looks like a bad De Niro impersonator in an SNL sketch. Beyond that, he's fun to watch and brings more to the character than the script affords.

Bryan Cranston was so brilliant in Breaking Bad but one gets the sense that his producer credit on Sneaky Pete caused him to be surrounded by too many yes men that wouldn't tell him to keep things in check. His scenery-chewing gangster is tonally wrong for the show, and every time the main story randomly cuts away to his storyline it really beaks the momentum and doesn't seem to serve much of a purpose. There's a particularly awkward nine minute (!) monologue in episode 4 that you can tell Cranston thought was going to be an Emmy moment, but it simply doesn't work, because his character for whatever reason just never seems particularly threatening or intimidating. He's a bit of a cliché, and I think Cranston is an incredibly gifted actor but I believe he let his ego get the best of him here and perhaps the role should have been reduced or been cast with another actor. Some of the misfiring also comes down to the writing - the dialogue in the monologue, for example, just isn't that good.

I'm being a bit harsh on Sneaky Pete, but that's because in today's streaming era, TV is at an all-time high water mark and shows must push harder than ever before to stand out. Pete comes packaged appealingly - an Amazon original series with a strong cast and talented producers (Graham Yost and David Shore) - but it ultimately feels like a show that would have felt more at home on a basic cable network, and never quite feels like more than just a passable one-time binge.
53 out of 80 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
10/10
A thin line between the law and criminal behavior. Cool new twist
bernigordy14 January 2017
Great storyline concept. Clever writing. Brilliantly acted. Knowing little about the series, I tuned in for Margo Martindale. I love her ability to be gentle and nurturing, then turn into a no nonsense truth sayer. This series offers so much more than that! Sneaky Pete keeps you guessing and pulls you in. A fine tale that weaves together family, desperation and criminal thinking when it comes to protecting your loved ones. I love a show that doesn't show it's full hand right away. There were times when my husband and I audibly gasped at a turn of events in a scene. It is totally binge worthy. We finished up the series today, instead of watching football (a first for us).
22 out of 33 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
9/10
Excellent Crime Drama
steven9866417 January 2017
This is an excellent mystery, crime drama, con game series. I think folks are learning that the 1 hour, 2 story crime drama format used in the US for the last 20 years might not always be the best. This story is told over numerous episodes with numerous plot twists. Unraveling as they go. The characters appear cold and unattached but you get attached and they get attached over the series. The show works on a few different levels. You, I end up cheering for the bad guys.....or are they good guys? I found the plot twists and their ability to twist my view very entertaining! The first 2 episodes are the slowest and the last 4 or so are the fastest, you can't stop watching! Truly, those last ones are cliff hangers, each one.
27 out of 42 found this helpful. Was this review helpful? Sign in to vote.
Permalink
An error has occured. Please try again.

See also

Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews


Recently Viewed