245. Web-series Reviews – 91

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Ozark – Came out in 2017 and the 4th and last season came out in Jan 2022.   The Byrdes and their teenage kids Charlotte and Jonah look like, and mostly are, an ordinary family with ordinary lives. Except that husband/father Marty, a Chicago financial advisor, also serves as the top money-launderer for Mexico's second-largest drug cartel. When things go awry, he must uproot his family from the skyscrapers of Chicago and relocate to the lazy lake region of the Missouri Ozarks.

One of the reviews from IMDB...

These comments are based on watching the first three seasons but don't give major plot details beyond the opening few episodes.

Marty Byrde is a successful Chicago financial adviser... whose most important client just happens to be a powerful Mexican drug cartel. When his business partner syphons off some of the money it looks like the end for Marty. His partner is killed but Marty manages to persuade the cartel to spare him by telling of a new plan to launder money. At this point he has no idea how he will do it but if he is to survive he, his wife Wendy and teenage children Charlotte and Jonah will have to move to the shore of the Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri. Once there he faces numerous difficulties; finding businesses to invest in; dealing with local criminals and the Kansas City Mob; and what happens when his children learn how their parents make their money. Over the course of the first three seasons they will face many dangers and not everybody who seems important to the story will survive.

When I decided to watch this I thought it was going to be 'Breaking Bad in the Ozarks' but really it is quite different. Most obviously Marty is already a criminal when the story starts, his wife is aware of this and his children learn very early in the series. While most of the characters aren't portrayed as 'good people' many of them are sympathetically portrayed without justifying their behaviour... this means one is likely to care about them in the many moments of danger. The Byrde family are fine protagonists but there are plenty of other great characters; most notably Ruth Langmore, a member of a criminal family who soon crosses paths with Marty and Agent Petty; an FBI agent determined to bring down Marty. The cast is impressive with both well-known actors such as Jason Bateman and Laura Linney, who play Marty and Wendy, and those I'm less familiar with such as Julia Garner, who plays Ruth. The location really adds to the feel of the series; the water and forests making an original location compared with most series. This series won't be for everybody given its themes, violence and strong language but if you aren't put off by such things it is definitely worth checking out. I can't wait for season four!

My Take – I saw the 1st season. Saw a coupld of episodes of 2nd then went to Wikipedia to read all the episodes summary.  An ok series for me but some of my friends liked it very much.

 

Indian Predator – Butcher of Delhi – Documentary that came out in 2022.  Uncovering the details of gruesome killings, people who were at the epicentre talk about what went down.

One of the reviews from IMDB...

This so-called documentary attracts attention only because of the gory details of the murders committed. The whole story has nothing smart or interesting about it. It's fairly straight forward, but the producers stretch it to a great length, milking it for all it's worth. There are no discoveries due to logical assessment, and the police has little merit in catching the killer. Sure they try to analyze the writing in the letters the murderer sends, and they get a psychological profile, all for naught.

In the end, an informant told the police exactly who the murderer was, and despite that, it took the police quite awhile to actually arrest him because they were completely incompetent and lazy: they would get bored staking a place, and quit before the suspect would show up. After they finally caught him, the killer made a full confession, so all the police had to do was to check if what they were told was true. They found the remains of the victims where the killer said they would be. Again, the policemen interviewed in this documentary make a great deal of their findings, when in reality they just followed the lead, and did their job - not soon enough though.

This documentary consists of nothing but an overstretched series of interviews, mainly with the police boasting for no reason. For example, one of them says "I had the idea of checking the remains for DNA". Checking for DNA shouldn't be a spontaneous idea, it should be basic procedure. Another policeman proves completely incompetent when he notices the suspect's car right in front of him, and he calls his boss to ask what to do.

And the fact that for the longest time the police actually refused to consider a serial killer despite the obvious and shocking pattern of the murders is another obvious proof of their incompetency and laziness.

Bottom line, I found absolutely nothing worth learning by watching this documentary. A complete waste of time!

My Take – An ok series.

 

Indian Predator – The diary of a Serial Killer – Came out in 2022.  When a suspect is found in a journalist's murder, the case is considered closed until a secret diary suggests 13 more victims and possible cannibalism.

One of the reviews from IMDB...

Compared to the first, the second entry in the Indian Predator series boasts a a better, more well-rounded approach to the crimes, the perpetrator, and the underlying socio-political context. Of course, it packs all the shock value this story can possibly offer in the form of gory imagery, fast cuts, and interviews with police officers who add to the killer's indomitable aura.

The best thing about the piece is that we get to hear from the killer himself, who speaks in a cool-headed but frequently allegorical manner. It becomes clear that he's living in a fabricated reality of his own - one where spirituality, social power, and a criminal justice system co-exist to produce desired results. This is further established through interviews with a clinical psychologist and an anthropologist.

It did need more insight into the titular "diary" that gets mentioned throughout and the names involved in it, including clarity on each person's current status. That would have given the viewer a more wholesome perspective. Nonetheless, it is a compelling watch for anyone interested in the true-crime category.

My take – An ok series

 

Fauda – 1st season came out in 2015 and 4th in 2022.  "Fauda" (Arabic for 'Chaos') depicts the two-sided story of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Doron, a commander of undercover Israeli unit, the Israeli Special Forces, operating inside Palestinian territories, and his team, are hunting down Hamas terrorist Abu-Ahmed. On the other side of the fence, the life of Abu-Ahmed and his family, who has thus far murdered 143 Israelis, will never accept the State of Israel, and will continue Jihad for as long as it takes.

One of the reviews from IMDB...

Doron Kavillio was once a member of an elite Israeli counter-terrorism team. Seeking the quiet life he has retired to own a vineyard. His peaceful existence is shattered when he learns that a Hamas military leader, the mastermind behind the deaths of scores of Israelis, a man he was convinced he had killed, is alive and well and planning another attack. He quickly rejoins his team in their hunt for Abu Ahmed.

Superb drama. Shows well the Israeli-Palestinian struggle, from both sides. Solid, very gritty plot: feels very realistic and there are no indispensable characters. Not at all predictable: some great twists and turns, all without feeling like twists just for twists sake. Great action scenes too: once again quite realistic in feel - not over-the-top gung ho stuff.

From the outset the series also demonstrates the vicious cycle that is the struggle in the Middle East, as violence just begets violence. One side will kill someone from the other side, and the other side will avenge them, perpetuating the cycle. Also shows how innocent civilians get pulled into this cycle: people determined to stay out of the conflict get sucked in once a relative is killed.

There's also a great sense of pointlessness to it all. The Israeli team is tasked with tracking down and killing high profile terrorists / operatives. When they accomplish this there is a sense of achievement but they know it will be short-lived as someone will just replace that person and the whole thing starts again, never to end. This is even admitted to in a discussion by two Israeli agents in one of the reflective moments in the series.

Amongst all this there are also some great sub-plots involving family life and relationships, making for quite engaging viewing as you get to know the characters and what they're experiencing behind the scenes.

Season ratings: S1: 9/10, S2: 10/10, S3: 10/10. S1 was less well-rounded in that it didn't show much of the family/relationship stuff and concentrated almost exclusively on the intrigue and action. From S2 onwards the writers added more depth to the plots and characters.

My Take – One of the best series out there!!  Binge watched all 4 seasons together! Don’t miss!!

Cheers till next time😊!