I want to write this to thank those on this forum who recommended this series. I've just binge-watched my way through the first season, and I see what you were raving about.
It's a drama about a dysfunctional family. But then, so were "Macbeth" and "Hamlet." And no, of course the language of this series is not Shakespearean, and the closest it gets to iambic pentameter is the Irish Southie accent spoken by many of its characters, but the drama is often right up there with Shakespeare's, as is its sense of what constitutes a human tragedy. This is a Big Budget Production. Not so much in terms of sets or CGI, but in terms of what kinds of talent the creators were willing to hire, to play both the primary parts and the shorter "guest" slots. The former consist of Liev Shrieber (Best Actor Golden Globe nominee for this show) and Jon Voight (former Oscar winner and Best Actor Golden Globe winner for this show). They are ably assisted in the "regular cast" roles by Paula Malcomson, Steven Bauer, Eddie Marshan, Dash Mihok, Peter Jacobson, and Elliot Gould. Shorter appearances have been made (and never wasted) by James Woods, Rosanna Arquette, Denise Crosby, and many others. And not a penny of this investment in talent is wasted. They are given great lines to speak, great characters to fill with life, and an opportunity to create great TV. To a man or woman, they seem to have taken this opportunity and run with it. The action takes place in the uber-brightness of L.A. But it's often dark, ranging from Catholic priest child abuse to murder. Ray Donovan (Schreiver) is a "fixer," catering to very rich and famous Hollywood people to make their problems go away. If you wake up with a dead hooker in the bed with you, Ray is the guy to call. He can handle *anything*. Except his own family, especially when his father (Voight) shows up. It's a damned good series, and I look forward to the next season of it. Rated not for Buck, and maybe not for some of the aging flower children here.
