360. Web-series Reviews – 175

More web-series reviews…

Monsieur Spade – Came out in 2024.  Monsieur Spade centers around the infamous protagonist of American writer Dashiell Hammett's 1930 classic novel The Maltese Falcon. The year is 1963, and the legendary Detective Sam Spade is enjoying his retirement in the South of France. By contrast to his days as a private eye in San Francisco, Spade's life in Bozouls is peaceful and quiet. But the rumored return of his old adversary will change everything. Six beloved nuns have been brutally murdered at the local convent. As the town grieves, secrets emerge, and new leads are established. Spade learns that the murders are somehow connected to a mysterious child who is believed to possess great powers.

A review from IMDB...

Just before watching this miniseries about a middle-aged Sam Spade living in France, I read an article about it's co-writer/creator/director Scott Frank and his success as a script doctor who could find a script's weaknesses and set them write. Unfortunately, Monsieur Spade needed Scott Frank the script doctor rather than Scott Frank the writer.

In Monsieur Spade, a middle-aged Sam Spade lives in France and stuff happens. But very little of it happens in episode one, which could be described as a slow boil, but is probably more accurately a low simmer with the heat turned up in the last 5 minutes. It's really rather dull, and takes its time for no good reason.

But then things pick up. A lot starts happening, people die, people threaten, Spade investigates and wisecracks, and it's all pretty good. True, there are odd bits, like the character of Jean-Pierre, who ultimately serves no purpose in the plot and isn't interesting in his own right. But for the most part it's entertaining.

And then in the final episode it goes totally off the rails in double-crosses and murders and schemes that don't make much sense, and then there's this endless discussion that more-or-less explains what happened in the most awkward and tedious way possible, and none of it holds together or offers any narrative satisfaction, and there are so many loose ends.

Come on, Scott Frank, the New Yorker painted you as having unerring instincts. WHERE DID THOSE INSTINCTS GO?

Overall, I actually did enjoy this. I like Clive Owen's Spade, even if he's no Bogie, and I liked the repartee, even if there's nothing nearly as memorable as almost every line of Maltese Falcon. The acting of the supporting cast is excellent, and the story does keep you interested before it falls apart.

Is it worth watching? Maybe. Just be forewarned.

My Take – An ok series!

 

The Staircase – Came out in 2022.  Tells the story of Michael Peterson, a crime novelist accused of killing his wife Kathleen after she is found dead at the bottom of a staircase in their home, and the 16-year judicial battle that followed.

A review from IMDB...

From creator Antonio Campos, HBO's "The Staircase" is an 8-part fictionalized dramatization of real life events based on the tendentious, transparently biased and manipulatively edited MaHa mockumentary from Jean-Xavier de Lestrade -- used by Michael Peterson to promote his fabricated fable featuring his wife, Kathleen, as a reckless woman who got too drunk, fell down the stairs and caused her own death.

Though initially a flat and, at times, fitful recounting of the basic facts covered in MaHa's docuseries, HBO's movie eventually manages to include some revealing and riveting moments behind the scenes of Michael's make-believe world.

While Lestrade left the dead victim on the cutting room floor, Campos' version brings Kathleen to life, examining some of the very real horrors she was facing at work and at home -- and in place of MaHa's one-big-happy fake family, HBO has scenes that hint at the dysfunctional dynamic that was truly at work in Michael's bat-infested mansion.

Of course, also included, much to Monsieur Lestrade's chagrin I'm certain, are scenes highlighting the questionable, curiously close relationships between Michael and MaHa's production team -- most notably, his long-term romantic involvement with Sophie Brunet, the main editor of Michael's movie.

HBO's new drama is good television, but for those who prefer non-fiction -- Michael's murderous machinations were laid bare, years ago, in the definitive book on the Peterson case: Written in Blood by Diane Fanning.

My Take – An ok series.

Sugar – Came out in 2024.  Private detective John Sugar investigates the disappearance of Olivia, the beloved granddaughter of Hollywood producer Jonathan Siegel. As Sugar tries to determine what happened to Olivia, he unearths Siegel family secrets, old and new.

A review from IMDB...

I didn't plan to check out "Sugar," a neo-noir TV series about a private detective, which didn't sound interesting at all.

There were many red flags suggesting it would be subpar, including the name "Sugar," which follows the cliché of having a name that also has another meaning, like "Monk," "Magnum," or "Castle," among others.

It started in black and white, which, in my opinion, should only be used for flashbacks and is narrated in the first person.

Nonetheless, I gave it a chance, and it somehow started growing on me.

This production definitely tries to incorporate every trick and cliché in the book. The private eye is sick, dislikes guns, drives a vintage car, dresses the same every day, and only searches for missing persons. There are even meta jokes, including the hero entering a bar named 007.

At the same time, it tries to be different with some unusual cinematography angles, like those from a TikTok video shot with Insta360 cameras. Despite the scant information provided about his background, past, and personality, the main character is almost paper-thin, yet you find yourself starting to like him and wanting to follow his story.

This is an advantageous role for Colin Farrell, but he owns it well. Amy Ryan also delivers a strong performance as a lonely alcoholic.

Overall, I will keep watching, even though I hadn't planned to. It's a 'construct,' not a solid series-too many clichés thrown together, but somehow, I didn't change the channel.

My Take – Worth watching!

Adios till next time😊!