319. Web-series Reviews – 150

More web-series reviews…

Koose Munisamy Veerappan – Came out in 2023.  This six-episode docu series looks at what happened in the case of the legendary sandalwood smuggler, poacher and terrorist Veerappan. It uses footage archived by Nakkheeran Gopal, editor and publisher of the Tamil journal Nakkheeran.

This six-episode documentary series Koose Munisamy Veerappan takes a look at what happened in the case of the legendary sandalwood smuggler, poacher and terrorist Veerappan. It uses footage archived by Nakkheeran Gopal, a veteran journalist from Tamil Nadu and the editor and publisher of the Tamil political investigative journal Nakkheeran. Incidentally, Nakkheeran came to national fame in the 1990s when he interviewed Veerappan. Koose Munisamy Veerappan, the notorious poacher, smuggler and terrorist was active for a period of 36 years. He also kidnapped major politicians for ransom. He was charged with sandalwood smuggling and poaching over 2000 elephants in the forests of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala. Moreover, he was also wanted for killing approximately 184 people, most of whom were police and forest officials. He smuggled ivory worth approximately Rs 16 crores and approximately 65 tons of sandalwood. It cost the governments of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka over Rs 100 crores to capture Veerappan. The docu-series Koose Munisamy Veerappan takes the audiences through all that happened in the lives of Veerappan and those surrounding him. It explains the different perspectives and analogies of what happened in the case of Veerappan. Each episode explores the lives of Veerappan and those involved in the 16-year-old hunt for him. The episodes also contain old footages of Veerappan himself, explaining his perspectives. Then there are footages of people who were affected by Veerappan's actions, interviews of prominent personalities involved in the issue - advocates, journalists, police officers, families of martyred STF officers, families of victims, etc. The episodes show two narratives - one of Veerappan and the other of his victims.

A review from IMDB...

I usually don't add reviews on IMDb , but this veerapan series stands out in getting a different perspectives out to public in a fresh cinematic documentary format , I have watched 3-4 movies and 2 series ,one of them is from Netflix , all of those had a same perspective but this one is totally opposite and there is actual footage to support the same , there are some scenes where you get goosebumps for the things veerapan does ,Nakheeran has made a bold move to get this on the bigger stage , but if the same series had been done by Netflix the reach would have been doubled , loved it , waiting for season 2 now.

My Take – An absolute watch!

 

Mrs Biggs – Came out in 2012.  Sheridan Smith steps into the role of Charmian, the wife of the infamous great train robber, Ronnie Biggs. Chronicling Charmian's dramatic life, from that fateful moment when her path crossed with Ronnie (Danny Mays) as a teenager, to the devastating consequences of the Great Train Robbery in 1963. An event which left Charmian and her family on the run with one of the world's most wanted men. Facing an uncertain future in foreign lands, how long will they be able to avoid capture, with their young children in tow?

A review from IMDB...

When I started watching this 5-part true-life drama, I had little knowledge of the so-called Great Train Robbery of 1963, and not a great deal of curiosity to know more. But my, how this drama sucked me in!

This is the dramatized biography of the wife of one of those train robbers, beginning with her days as the bright but rebellious daughter of a clergyman who, for better or worse, finds herself drawn to a charming petty crook. At the outset, it's impossible to imagine where this journey will lead.

This show does not romanticize its subject; nor does it take a satirical view, or descend into sensationalism. At every turn, the motivations of all the characters seem absolutely authentic. You can believe this is how it really felt to live such a life. The acting and writing are so good, you simply never think about them; you just want to know more about these people, and to find out what happened next.

The evocation of times and places--England, Australia, and Rio de Janeiro in the 1960s and '70s--is wonderful.

I'm a very analytical viewer, and it's rare that a drama not only engages me intellectually, but sweeps me up emotionally. "Mrs. Biggs" accomplished that.

My Take – Worth a watch!

 

Grace – Came out in 2021.  Dead Simple, opens with Grace running inquiries into long forgotten cold cases with little or no prospect of success. He's fixated by the disappearance of his wife, Sandy, which haunts his thoughts. His unorthodox police methods have come under scrutiny once again, and Grace is walking a career tightrope and risks being moved from the job he loves most. With so much at stake, his colleague Detective Sergeant Glenn Branson knows he has more to give and asks him for help with a case. When a stag night prank appears to go wrong and the groom goes missing, Branson calls on Grace to unravel events that led to the mysterious disappearance of a successful property developer with everything to live for. Is this a case of stag night shenanigans gone wrong or something more sinister?

A review from IMDB...

First of all I haven't read the books. I enjoyed theses 2 episodes and went to look for more only to find there's only 2. I want more, and I understand they have more to come for season 2. Good news!

I found the plots to be really different than most of what we get here in the states. More cleverly plotted and definitely well acted. They kept me interested throughout and never bored me. A few times I did talk to my tv screen wanting some poor actor to do something different, but by and large I found the whole thing to be quite enjoyable. FYI each episode stands alone and do not connect although the mystery of the main character's wife being missing continues on to the next episode as does the main character's superior's animosity towards him. Recommended!

My Take – Worth a watch!

Cheers till next time😊!!