457. Web-series Reviews – 254

More web-series reviews…

Mandala Murders – Came in 2025. In a quaint mysterious town of Charandaspur, where fate, myth, and murder entwine, detectives Rea Thomas and Vikram Singh unravel a chilling conspiracy of ritualistic killings tied to a centuries-old secret society.

A review from IMDB...

Just finished *Mandala Murders* on Netflix and honestly, I loved most of it. The story had me hooked right from the start-creepy murders, cult-like symbols, that whole "Mandala" mystery was really cool and different from the usual thriller or Indian series we get in general.

The show looks great too. Dark, intense, with a lot of style-gave me Lost vibes at times (that feeling of "there's a bigger mystery behind all this" or character flashbacks as series progresses). Some characters really stood out.

Some of the performances really stood out for me. Jameel Khan as Jimmy Khan was a personal favorite-cool, clever, and totally grounded in all the chaos. Vaibhav Raj Gupta brought real emotion as Vikram; you could feel the pain he was carrying. Surveen Chawla nailed it as Ananya Bhardwaj-cold, calculating, and intense in every scene. And then there's Raghubir Yadav as the Shastri-his calm, creepy energy gave the show its vibe without being dramatic. Piloo Vidyarthi as Kalindi was quietly terrifying, and Shriya Pilgaonkar did a great job as Rukmini-she totally owned each and every scene she is in - in fact I would have loved that they kept her and showed that she did not age all these years would have been amazing twist!

Which brings me to the one big issue-Vaani Kapoor. She was just... there. Barely showed any emotion. Her character had so much potential, but the acting didn't land for me at all. Felt too flat.

And then there's the ending. After building up this whole Yast storyline and all that mystery, the final episodes just came to a quick ending. The main plot took a back seat. I was really hoping we'd get a crazy twist or cliffhanger, like Yast actually coming to life. But it just fizzled out but they still want you to think that Yast's followers will survive this.

Still, I'd say it's worth watching. It's one of the better Indian thrillers for sure. Just don't expect a perfect finish.

My Take – Worth a watch!

 

Brilliant Minds – Came in 2024. Dr. Oliver Wolf is an eccentric but incredibly gifted neurologist who suffers from a rare condition that gives him a unique perspective on care, fueling his mission to change the way the world sees his patients.

A review from IMDB...

So in a number of ways "Brilliant Minds" is similar to "The Irrational." A super smart dude with weaknesses with super smart friends and a gaggle of smart but sort of clumsy interns goes around solving mysteries. In the former (Brilliant Minds") they are largely medical mysteries; in the latter it is... um... more of a detective series where a University professor solves murders and such.

One BIG difference is that in the former we have Zachary Quinto. He is a wonderful actor and he is really, really good in this. He plays a very interesting character who has "facial blindness". He's quite quirky and after a few episodes the show becomes less like "The Irrational" (which let's admit it, is kind of dumb) and much more like "House". The episodes leading up to the middle of this the first season have been really good.

I believe that the main character (which Quinto plays) is based on the late Dr. Oliver Sacks. Sacks wrote a (classic) book called "The Man Who Mistook His Wife for a Hat" and some of his cases have been reimagined as episodes in this series. I find that very interesting.

I recommend this if you like medical dramas. I think you need to get past the first 4 or 5 episodes and that's only fair... Series like this often take a while to kick in and you need to be patient. It was at Episode 7 where I was really knocked over. It is excellent - the writing is fantastic and it and has an unexpected (at least for me) ending.

So my message to you is to ignore those people who wrote a review after watching just one episode. Sheesh.

There are for sure a few things that bug me about this series but my hope is by the end of the first season those will be ironed out.

I should admit I enjoy medical dramas and that I totally loved House. I think it may be one of the best network TV shows ever made in the U. S. So comparing this show to House is a compliment.

My Take – An ok series. Watched only the first season.

 

No Offence – Ran from 2015-18 for 3 seasons. Follows a group of police officers on the front line wondering what they did to end up where they are on the ugly side of Manchester. Keeping these streets clean is a Herculean task, enough to demoralize even the keenest rookie. But there's a reason these cops are in this force. As the never ending rabble off the local estates pours in, Inspector Vivienne Deering, the station's sharp, funny and hard-as-they-come boss, and her team led by DC Dinah Kowalski and DC Joy Freers, show they have what it takes to crack crime and to expose the addled, the swanky, the pimps, the petty and the really proper nasty bastards for the sewer rats they are.

A review from IMDB...

I've read the other reviews on here, They range from one that obviously doesn't 'get it' and compares it to car crash TV (have they even seen it ???!!!, I don't think they have); to fellow Brits that loved it. Not surprising as it certainly encapsulates the irreverent northern British attitude to life. No messing about, sod the risk and get it done, break a few rules if you have to - and have a laugh while doing it. It's a strong flavour, so I shouldn't be surprised at the odd marmite response. I hope that most people love it too? If you're expecting Morse or Scott & Bailey you will be offended, that's the intent.

This show turns every stereo type on its head. Paul Abbott brought us 'Shameless' - a joyful, unapologetic celebration of the council estate underclass and all of their faults. Faults that can actually be strengths in the long run; and he's done it again with a huge dollop of 'Girl Power' for want of a better phrase. Shameless' strongest characters were the women, they were the family glue, doers and problem solvers. No Offense is far more overt. The girls haven't only learned to drive, they own the bloody car so get out of the way or you're getting rammed!

Most of the characters smashing in the headlights are women. Yet this is no Cagney & Lacey - I haven't seen one bit of designer knitwear yet. This is not a cynical attempt to capture 'the female demographic' at prime time like the 80's New York Cop show, quite the opposite.

There's the soft centred yet canny, hard as Blackpool rock and ferocious boss, DI Deering (Joanna Scanlan) who prefers the ladies loo to an office for a briefing. And the absolute opposite, recently promoted virgin in a brothel DS Joy Freers (Alexandra Roach, Utopia)who obviously feels she shouldn't have been promoted at all but is going to find a back bone and earn it. Stuck in the middle and the one that should have been promoted is the level headed, capable, ultra brave and prone to wrong decisions, DC Kowalska (Elaine Cassidy). Her unfortunate and accidental squishing of a murderer's skull with the help of a bus ruled her out of the detective sergeant's spot. Was it wrong for me to laugh so much that I didn't need an enema? 'No', says Paul, 'It's okay'. We are given a wealth of characters, with an insight into their off duty and totally unguessable private lives. There are too many good actors to mention;even those with a a few lines are already making their presence known.

It's not just about gender and tearing up some stereotypes. I'm happy with the supporting role of tough yet deferential DC Spike Tanner (Will Mellor - 2 Pints Of lager And A Packet Of Crisps) who comes across as big brother to his even bigger sisters; and the seen it all still smiling despite a banging hangover Miller. I'm not sure of his job. Teckie? Forensic pathologist? This enigmatic role is meat and gravy for Paul Ritter. He's also kicking backside with his 'petrified of being outed' political animal MI5 spy master in 'The Game' (BBC).

The underlying plot that will run 'til the end is the hunt for a serial killer preying on young girls with Downs Syndrome. The subplots are many motley yet major crimes, about one an episode, which is enough to give variety as well as depth. Human nature and the motivations that make people 'bad' seem to be a theme, however I'm only three shows in, maybe it's not.

Comedy is born of tragedy and the tragedy here is that the perverted killer's victims are the most innocent and vulnerable of all God's creatures. Pure pathos. Yet no one is made to feel guilty about the laugh out loud moments despite the serious subject. Having come from a police family with a few burnt out alcoholic wrecks as testament to an often traumatic, thankless job I can understand and even vouch for the humour. It's a coping mechanism to make light of something that would put some of us in a mad house. Example;

There was a suicide on the rail line near us. An uncle attended along with others including firemen. They found the victim strewn along the track. But they just couldn't find the head, the last remaining piece and possibly crucial for ID as it was way before DNA profiling. The search went on for hours until finally a fireman found it in an adjacent field. To announce the discovery he picked it up by the hair, looked it in the eye and said 'You won't do that again, will you'?! Those close enough to hear cracked up. That's the dark humour, Paul Abbott has found the head.

Thanks Paul. You and (let's not forget 'em, they love to break the rules too) Channel 4 deserve a big, hearty thanks and many awards.

As I said, this is meaty, feisty Marmite doing a power riff; not a limp and bland cucumber sandwich accompanied by strings on an idyllic English lawn.

Can anyone smell toast?

IT'S FINISHED NOW! Saw all episodes and it got better and better - a lot of the questions I asked were answered; It's now a box set on 4OD for those that didn't catch it the first time round - get in a bottle of Chardonnay (DI Deering drinks it) settle back and wallow in the low down, sewage soaked, crazed streets of Manchester. There'll be twist after turn after double bluff to kleep you hooked. The 'Sisters' are really doing it for themselves and man did they 'do it'! I'd have to climb to the top of Everest to be able to recommend this highly enough - MENTAL!

My Take – An excellent series. Saw all the seasons!

Adios till next time😊!!