215. Web-series Reviews – 63

This blog is a bit late as I was away on a vacation.  Will write about it in the next blog😊!!

More web-series reviews…

Chucky – Came out in 2021. In this TV series adaptation, titled "Chucky," a vintage Chucky doll turns up at a suburban yard sale, and an idyllic American town is thrown into chaos as a series of horrifying murders begin to expose the town's hypocrisies and secrets. Meanwhile, the arrival of enemies and allies from Chucky's past threatens to expose the truth behind the killings, as well as the demon doll's untold origins as a seemingly ordinary child who somehow became this notorious monster

One of the reviews from IMDB...

This 2021 series "Chucky" is such a blast. Especially if you enjoyed the original "Child's Play" movies.

I have to admit that when I stumbled upon this series, then I hadn't actually heard about it being made, so it was a surprise to find this. Needless to say that I had to watch it, as I have seen all of the movies in the franchise and always found the movies enjoyable.

And "Chucky" is a blast. I have to say that. Especially since it is so much in tune with the spirit and the essence of the original movies, and let's just completely forget about that abysmal 2019 remake. And it was such a thrill to have Brad Dourif return to do the voice of Chucky, as there simply can be none other to voice that psychotic murdering doll. And the series also have the likes of Jennifer Tilly, Devon Sawa and Lexa Doig on the cast list, so that was quite nice.

The storyline told in the 2021 series is good, as it is a mixture of the old classics and spruced up with up-to-date contents, for better or worse. I have to say that it is sort of wearing thin that everything that is churned out from Hollywood now needs to please that whole Woke movement. Yeah, even in here, you have teen gay romance. I have nothing against gay, but it just becomes sort of a drag that is has to be forced in to be as politically correct as possible.

Visually then "Chucky" is a joy to watch, as it is every bit as bloody and gruesome as the movies, and has all the wonderful witty banter from Chucky.

My Take – A worthwhile watch!

 

Archive 81 – Came out in 2022.  When archivist Dan Turner takes a mysterious job restoring collection of damaged videotapes from 1994, he finds himself reconstructing the work of documentary filmmaker Melody Pendras and her investigation into a dangerous cult. As Dan is drawn into Melody's story, he becomes convinced he can save her from the terrifying end she met 25 years ago.

One of the reviews from IMDB...

Daniel Turner works as a restorer of damaged film and video tape. One day he is approached by Virgil Davenport who wants him to undertake a project for him. It will involve working in a remote house in the Catskill Mountains; here he is to restore a set of fire damaged Hi-8 video tapes. They were shot in 1994 by PhD student Melody Pendras. She was working on a project concerning the inhabitants of the Visser Building. She is now missing but it is assumed that she died in a fire that destroyed the building. As Dan works through the tapes he learns more about Melody, the Visser Building, its inhabitants and a strange cult active there... he starts to feel a connection to Melody and even feels that somehow he may be able to save her!

I rather enjoyed this series. In the early episodes I was intrigued to see which way it would go; especially after Melody discovered the cult... would the cultists be misguided or would they be tapping into something supernatural; and if so what. The way the series switched between Dan's work in the present and Melody's in 1994 was effective; it would have got irritating if we'd only seen her footage of her research. There are some impressively creepy moments and a few shocking scenes; nothing too disturbing though. The cast is solid; especially Mamoudou Athie; who is frequently in scenes by himself as Dan and Dina Shihabi who impresses as the increasingly perturbed Melody. Overall, I'd certainly recommend this to anybody who likes a good chiller. I hope we get a second season.

My take – A worthwhile watch!

 

Manhunt – 1st season came out in 2019 and the 2nd in 2021. This series is based on real events.  Detective Chief Inspector Colin Sutton tracks down a serial killer. For Season 2: Fresh off his success catching a headline-grabbing killer, DCI Colin Sutton is asked to review the long-running inquiry into a notorious serial rapist, who terrorized southeast London over 17 years. Sutton applies his signature methodical approach to the case in the hopes of finally catching the offender.

One of the reviews from IMDB...

A tense and convincing three part dramatisation of the events leading up to the arrest of serial killer Levi Bellfield in 2004. Bellfield, a hulking, aggressive, mood-swinging brute of a guy with a fetish for young girls and a hatred of blondes was eventually caught after his savage murder of a young French girl Amélie De La Grange who had only been in the U.K. for a couple of months, although he'd killed twice before, almost killed another and otherwise had a history of violence. The first major homicide case of a newly appointed DSI Colin Sutton, on whose new book the programmes are based, his old-school, meticulous approach to the evidence seemed to upset his results-driven boss and one or two young Turks in his own team but eventually paid dividends in a life-means-life conviction for the monster murderer.

The series has been justifiably commended for its non-sensationalist approach to its subject matter so that none of the killings are re-enacted, the Bellfield character gets no chance to defend or justify his actions and while there are one or two eureka moments and other tense dramatic situations like when the team await the CPS go-ahead to arrest him and then when they finally raid Bellfield's house, these are played out in a low-key, unspectacular way as befits the seriousness of the subject matter.

I guess we'll never know the dramatic licence taken with the events, such as who's real and did that actually happen but this is usually the case with sensitive true-life situations and it looked to me as if sufficient respect was paid to the parties most affected by Bellfield's actions. In particular we see this with the sympathetic treatment of Amelie's grieving parents especially when they are given the heartbreaking news that better policing after Bellfield's previous attacks might have prevented their daughter's murder.

My main criticism of the series was the usual one I find in these TV dramas, the playing up of the lead detective's family life. I could care less that he wasn't getting on with his profiler wife, missed a family wedding trip to Spain with her or that he forgot his daughter's birthday. It was very obvious without these domestic dramas to see that Colin Sutton was a driven policeman, consumed by the case.

I don't think I've seen Martin Clunes in anything since "Men Behaving Badly" even as I'm aware that he appears to be being set up as the new David Jason as he goes into his older age. He was solid in the lead part however and had good support from the rest of the cast, some of them recognisable from other TV dramas of the recent past.

This was an important story, soberly told as it should have been and a good example of how to portray tough subject matter such as this.

My Take – Fabulous watch!

 

La Treve (The Break) – 2 seasons. 1st came out in 2016 and the 2nd in 2018. The body of 19 year old Driss Assani, a footballer with Heiderfeld football club is pulled out of the river Semois, a stone’s throw from Heiderfeld, a small town of a few thousand inhabitants in the Belgian Ardennes. The investigation is led by Inspector Yoann Peeters, who has recently moved there after a domestic tragedy, accompanied by Sebastian Drummer, an idealistic and inexperienced young police officer. Peeters will find himself confronted with a real conundrum, where one person's guilt does not mean that others are not responsible.

One of the reviews from IMDB...

This Belgian crime drama is set it the Ardennes. The first season involves an investigation into the death of Driss Assani, a nineteen year old from Africa who played football for the town of Heiderfeld. Leading the investigation is Inspector Yoann Peeters, who has just returned to Heiderfeld with his teenage daughter. His boss believes it was a clear case of suicide but Peetters isn't so sure. The story is mostly shown in flashback as Peeters, having suffered a memory loss, is questioned in a psychiatric facility; it is made clear early on that event led to several deaths.

Following these events Peeter's situation is somewhat changed but in the second season he is investigating another case; this one at the request of his psychiatrist; one of her other clients has been accused of murdering the wealthy woman he worked for, not long after serving time in gaol for murdering another woman.

Inevitably both investigations uncover numerous suspects with equally varied motives. This keeps the viewer guessing throughout both seasons. There are even questions about our protagonist, especially in the first season. The characters are interesting and varied. Of course there are moments that are more than a little farfetched but for the most part I found this added to the charm of the series. There is a degree of humour, sometimes fairly dark humour, which is unforced and enjoyable. The cast does an impressive job bringing their characters to life and the setting in beautiful to look at. Overall I'd certainly recommend this to fans of murder mysteries.

These comments are based on watching the series in French with English subtitles.

My Take – Fabulous watch!

Cheers till next time😊!

Daffy Definition

Suspicious Person – A person who counts his fingers after every handshake😊!