THE FRANKENSTEIN CHRONICLES (2015 -)

Creator: Barry Langford

Cast: Sean Bean, Richie Campbell, Tom Ward

Inspector John Marlott investigates a series of crimes in 19th Century London. As he investigates he finds out it might be a scientist who is experimenting in re-animating the dead.

Yes for Netflix the series is kicking ass big time. Taking form the Mary Shelley’s 1818 novel it takes an approach from it all started at the beginning and yes the series is addictive. John Marlott (Sean Bean), a river cop who discovers the body of a small child on the beach. except it is several pieces of different part from other bodies saw back together. He’s hired by Sir Robert Peel (Tom Ward), an advocate for advanced medicine who’s trying to pass “The Anatomy Act” in Britain. Marlott goes to it but he has a past and has his share of pain plus he has a disease he can’t shake off. Sean Bean is perfect in this role and shines. The decor is perfect it feel dirty and hunger has set in plus the cold damp weather of London sets in.  Great writing the series moves along just fine. It is a bit rushed toward the end. It is a solid show that deserved to be watched.

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THE MECHANISM (2018 – )

 

Creator: José Padilha

Cast: Selton Mello, Caroline Abras, Enrique Diaz

Based loosely on actual events taking place in brazil where an investigation took place because of corruption with the drug dealers, construction companies as well as the petrol company.

Loosely based on true events, Brazilian show The Mechanism is a fast paced crime thriller. The Mechanism is a great ride through the world of corruption in Brazil. The Mechanism’s story focuses on a small group of police officers struggling to uncover corruption leading all the way to the most powerful business men and women in the country. Led by  police officer Verena (Caroline Abras) alongside  Marco Ruffo (Selton Mello), the 8 episodes see an intriguing game of cat and mouse develop between the police and criminals trying to allude them. What begins as a simple task of capturing known crime boss Ibrahim (Enrique Diaz) quickly discovering  the highest levels of corruption in the justice system involving judges, politicians and big name company CEOs. Unbelievable when I was watching this I said to myself the police in Brazil has their hand full. The life of a cop is difficult here trying to get the warrant arrest from the judges who are reluctant to give them to they are corrupted as hell. It takes a toll on the personal life as well. The chemistry is there as well as the acting. It is addictive as hell I finished the series that is on Netflix in France in 3 days.

 

FAUDA (2015 – )

Creators: Avi Issacharoff, Lior Raz

Cast: Lior Raz, Shadi Mar’i, Laëtitia Eïdo

Israeli secret services infiltrated the “occupied territories” of the West Bank, the mistaravim, kidnap a man in a mosque in Ramallah to tell him who is at the head of a nerve cell trafficking in Aqaba. In exchange, her daughter will receive a kidney transplant that will save her life. The leader is Abu Ahmad, known as “The Panther”, a Hamas fighter responsible for the deaths of 116 Israelis, whom the Misharavim believed to have been killed two years ago by Doron Kavillio, an infiltrator in retirement who decides to resume service …

Here is a Netflix series that is kicking ass I finish this one in 2 days it is so addictive. Fauda takes  us in the two communities , Israeli and Palestinian, portrayed with relative objectivity.  Hatred is fuelled by a war between the two communities for years , the most radical are not presented as an incarnation of evil: Both parties feel a deep affection for their family. Doron Kavillio and Abu Ahmad, whose fight takes on personal revenge, have a lot in common. Another open-minded sign of the series is in dialogues in Hebrew and Arabic, equally, and in a cast featuring some Palestinian actors. The series avoids the clichés, generates an impression of realism. The  scenario (FIPA d’Or in Biarritz in 2016): who does not have a spectacular twists, and managed to sustain a strong tension. But also you see the devastated land the houses run down, the sun bearing on the deserted land and the actors who incarnate their role very well here plus the cast has chemistry.

It is well-directed by Assaf Bernstein is the director  filmed with a mobile camera, the series is punctuated by scenes of action, violence with  an interference in their personal life-giving them empathy. And yes there is a second season. Have fun.

GRENSELAND (2017 – )

Cast: Tobias Santelmann, Ellen Dorrit Petersen, Benjamin Helstad

English: Title: Borderliner

To protect his brother who is a policer officer who committed a murder, Nikolai (Tobias Stantelmann) who is a police detective tries to cover it up. Little did he know that one thing after an other is going to go wrong and there will be a fine line between right and wrong.

Here is an other Norwegian series that is addictive as hell. I finish it in two days; it is on Netflix. Nikolai who is being on vacation to see his brother due to the fact he is going to testify on trial against one of his own . As soon as he gets there his brother has to go to a crime scene, a man hang himself by the lake. He brings his brother who ends up investigating due to the fact that they are short-handed. He soon finds out that his brothers killed the man and made it look like a suicide.

Here is a series that is fast paced with more than a few surprises. The captain Anniken (Ellen Dorrit Petersen) is on their trail and won’t let it go. So Nikolai is going to take some drastic measure to protect his brother, as he comes to find out that more there is more people involved. Every time he thinks he is out of the water, he sinks back in. It is the hidden and seek of a cat and a mouse going on with somewhat the  picturesque norwegian background. A terrific series here that should be seen. 

 

ALTERED CARBON (2018 – )

Creators: Laeta Kalogridis

Cast: Joel Kinnaman, James Purefoy, Martha Higareda

Set in the near future A prisoner has a second chance after 250 years in jail sort of speak to go into an other body. As soon as he sees foot outside he is taken to where a rich man wants him to solve a murder in order to get full immunity.

In the new Netflix sci-fi  Altered Carbon, the human soul , its essence, is no longer contained in the body, but in a technological marvel called a “cortical stack” that is attached to the base of the neck. With the “stack,” people can change bodies regularly and live for decades, even centuries. The human body, called a “sleeve” can be changed as often as one can afford it . But if the cortical stack is damage it is the end of the road.

Altered Carbon is part Blade Runner, The Expanse, and Firefly, with a conceived mystery with action tossed in the mix.  And by god you will be hooked. Kovacs (Joel Kinnaman) here has this life time sentence and after 250 years has a new body and find himself working for Bancroft (James Purefoy) so he can solve the murder Bancroft ’s own. There are quiet of colourful characters in this one it is like a sci-fi Neo-noir plus Altered Carbon takes us on quite the wild ride during its 10 episodes and there are twists and turns enough to keep you occupied. There is one character named Poe which runs the hotel where Kovacs reside. Poe here acts like is a security personal and his concierge as well. Joel Kinnaman does a great job incarnated his character which has plenty of demons. There it is on Netflix so don’t miss it. 

MANHUNT: UNABOMBER (2017 – )

Creators: Andrew Sodroski, Jim Clemente, Tony Gittelson

Cast: Sam Worthington, Jeremy Bobb, Ben Weber

For 17 years an FBI case into a notorious killer in 1995, named  the Unabomber, who mails packages containing bombs to people across America which, unsurprisingly, blow up the unsuspecting victims.

There is a fine line between fiction and realty here the discovery channel and Netflix manages to keep it on the dotted line. We follows this talented FBI agent that is trying to understand the language of the Unabomber but his superior are old school and does not want to hear his theory. The investigation in 1995 is a jump forward in time to 1997, it goes back and forth. The show here is trying to do something different from the other series which the narrative is interesting and will keep you on the edge of your seat. Of course you are already familiar with the story you have already seen tin the new however if you are in Europe you might have heard it on some level, in the state we heard it for weeks every time a bomb went off. The acting is outstanding even the cast has great chemistry. A little different in telling the story, and enjoyable to watch.

MINDHUNTER (2017 – )

Creator: Joe Penhall

Cast: Jonathan Groff, Holt McCallany, Anna Torv

Mindhunter is based on the book of the same name, John E. Douglas’ account of his interviews with serial killers when he was a FBI agent trying to understand the motivations behind their murders. He woke though barrier to get there so everyone in law enforcement could understand how the mind of a serial killer works.

Douglas (Jonathan Groff) a FBI agent a bit head strong who has a partner Bill Tench (Holt McCallany) and goes along to interview real killers but at the time they were not called serial killer. The time line here is set in the 70’s. Those two FBI agent are traveling country and even teach the police to figure out a profile of a killer so they can catch them. Once in a while the get in on a  case that they solved with the police. The series here feels real with the testimony of those serial killers. It is a series Neo-Noir even the landscape is grippy and shift from time to time as the crime becomes more gruesome. Of course it is a Netflix series of 12 episodes. You will be hooked from the beginning. Both actors here are doing an outstanding job plus the go into their personal life a bit as the episodes goes on. Well written and at times the series goes into dark mode. As a  FBI agent told me once it is hard to jungle this kind of job and a family at the same time. You see it in the series. It is like you are living it and you are following the agent while discovering the atrocity that the serial killer describes. Entertaining yes and you want more each time.