Tag: Mini-Series

“Off Track” – TV series review

Sara Mortensen as Elsa, in the French mini-series “Off Track.” Courtesy of MHz Choice

The 2023 six-hour miniseries from France, “Off Track” (originally, “L’abime”) delivers a truly suspenseful tale in an unfortunately bloated package. Elsa (Sara Mortensen) and Laurent (Gil Alma) have been happily married for 20 years, apart from enduring the bitchiness of their teen daughter, Lucie (Marie Mallia). At least that’s how it seems until Elsa vanishes without explanation, and dead bodies start littering the landscape. After a frantic search for the first couple of episodes, Elsa turns up, as she must since she’s the friggin’ star of this show.

Gradually we learn that Elsa wasn’t always Elsa, and that her bio before Laurent was considerably different from what she’d told him. The truth unfolds slowly throughout the rest of the series, aided by a slew of flashbacks. Elsa suffers nightmares about the death of a boy that have her plagued with guilt. She’s also constantly in conflict with Lucie over every sort of thing that occurs. When it starts to seem as if Elsa has dark secrets from the past, and may be killing a couple of guys in the present to keep concealing her true identity, the energy level picks up. Was she a criminal? Fleeing from an abuser? In France’s version of Witness Protection? Amnesiac? Psycho?  Disclosing more about the plot and the players would spoil key parts of the mystery. Suffice it to say that the tale is intricate and keeps one guessing to the end.

Mortensen’s performance is compelling, creating a bouncing ball of empathy vs. suspicion throughout. Coline Bellin, who plays Elsa in the flashbacks to her teen years, also delivers the goods. The whole cast does well in filling their variety of roles, from overly judgmental cops to sympathetic friends, among others. The rural and small-town scenery is another plus.

The only negative – a big one for me, but perhaps less so for others – is that it feels 50% longer than need be. Tighten this to four episodes and it’s a winner, without losing any plot-moving or story arc essentials. But binge-ers who prefer leisurely tales to nestle in with during their viewing hours may find the slow pace a comfy fit.

“Off Track,” in French with English subtitles, begins streaming on MHz Choice starting Tuesday, Apr. 15.

RATING: 2 out of 4 stars

Sara Mortensen (Elsa) and Gil Alma (Laurent), in the French mini-series “Off Track.” Courtesy of MHz Choice

“The Hunt” – TV miniseries review

A scene from the Dutch TV crime series “The Hunt.” Courtesy of ViaPlay

The Dutch miniseries “The Hunt” (originally “Een van ons”) is supposedly based on a sordid real-life murder than garnered national attention in 1999, and for years afterward. In a small northern village, Anneke (Richelle Plantinga), a popular teen girl, was raped and murdered while cycling home from a local night club. No one knew who did it but there was enough anti-immigrant sentiment to make newly-arrived Afghanis, living in a Community Center for integration into their community, the prime suspects. That possible scapegoating was motivating emotionally, even if not logistically, for the many of the residents.

The story is largely presented by classmate Fenna (Eefje Paddenburg), whose main connection to Anneke was having the hots for the lass’s boyfriend, Jeroen (Gijs Blom), with whom Anneke quarreled just before she pedaled off to her fate. The scripts bounce among several time periods – 1999, 2001, 2009 and 2012 – from crime to solution in six hour-long episodes. We also meet a whole bunch of the family and neighbors, dwelling on the perspectives and consequences for each at some point, and giving airtime to a wide range of conflicts within and among them. The tone is that of a suspense drama, with little levity or overt action. The plot moves slowly, requiring patience as much as empathy or curiosity from viewers.

The triggering incident itself was quite disturbing. But the worst part about watching this course of events is its relevance to our present. The xenophobia and fascistic fervor of some split the town down the middle on mob rule versus due process. It’s as much a cautionary tale as a crime drama. Anneke’s family and friends were naturally angered by the loss, and frustrated by years of failure to nail the perpetrator, who most likely was living among them for the whole time, either in the village or at the Center. Some feared the Afghanis; others relied on them as a vital part of the area’s economy.

A deep cast contributes well to establishing an array of sympathetic and/or despicable players – many with elements of both. Attitudes and changes over time for many of them seem realistic, and not simplified for the medium. As has often been the case while reviewing imported TV series, the package felt longer than needed. Trimming the content to four episodes would have made a more compelling experience. The first three are particularly long on exposition and short on plot advancement. Fortunately, the latter half provides more excitement along the path to resolution, including an uptick in physical actions, and a few dollops of sexual activity. Enough to make it a series worth considering for a binge.

“The Hunt,” mostly in Dutch with English subtitles, streams on ViaPlay starting Mar. 27, 2025.

RATING: 2.4 out of 4 stars

“The Fighter” TV series review

A scene from the Swedish TV mini-series “The Fighter.” Courtesy of MHz Choice

“The Fighter” (originally titled “Lea”) is a dark Swedish TV miniseries covering the ordeal of its eponymous boxer (Madeleine Martin) as she struggles to succeed in an environment in which her ring opponents are the least challenging obstacles to winning a championship. As the film opens, she’s in her first match after a two-year suspension for drug allegations that may have been unwarranted. Adrian (Joel Spira), her ex-hubby and father of their young son, is the sort of screw-up who is easy prey for the abundance of crime bosses who sully the sport. He’s in deep to Balthazar (Emil Almen), a vicious jerk who deals drugs, fixes fights and pounces on whatever sleazy opportunity may arise, supported by thugs to impose his will on the unwilling. Adrian’s problems are highly contagious.

Lea had been in Balthazar’s stable of fighters, but left in disgust to be managed by her stepdad, Sam (Ralph Carlsson), whose compulsive gambling adds yet another dimension to her woes. When she wins that return match, rumors that it was fixed trigger an inquiry led by boxing association investigator Amanda (Jennie Silfverhjelm), who has her own reasons for wanting to bring down Lea and anyone connected to her. For six hourlong episodes, we watch Lea’s zealous quest for the World Title she’s craved since childhood. As if the foregoing speed bumps weren’t enough, pile on some medical issues that make continuing to compete super-dangerous for her.

This all reads like the stuff of soap opera, and could easily have sunk to that level. But the scripts deliver a good balance of training and fighting sequences to keep the plot complexities from burying the sports side of the tale. In the latter episodes, a couple of developments add meaty suspense and character arcs. Martin handles the lead well, looking pretty convincing as a pugilist, while deftly carrying the protagonist’s dramatic load. You can tell this is European, since the star isn’t a major babe like an Angelina Jolie or Demi Moore. Martin is lean and mean; appealing without being too glamorous for any semblance of realism. Her integrity shines through the taint of underworld involvement swirling around her, keeping viewers squarely in her corner despite some questionable decisions. All the significant actors handle their roles quite well.

Subtitle-averse viewers will have their burden eased by the percentage of running time that occurs in gyms and rings with little dialog. THE FIGHTER is not an easy watch, as the seedy side of the profession seems overwhelmingly oppressive for trapped pugilists who have little control over their careers, and whose ambitions can keep them in thrall to managers and promoters with less-than-noble interests. Patience through the early bummer phase of this subtitled series will be justified.

“The Fighter” (aka “Lea”), in Swedish with English subtitles, begins streaming on MHz Choice starting Tuesday, Feb. 5.

RATING: 2 out of 4 stars

“Gloria” – TV Series Review

Cécile Bois in ‘Gloria’ on MHz Choice. Courtesy of MHz Choice

“Gloria” is a six-episode subtitled miniseries from French TV, featuring a justifiably frazzled woman suddenly facing chaos on many fronts. Gloria (Cecile Bois) is a lawyer about to return from maternity leave after eight months at home with her third child. Her loving husband David (Michael Cohen) is also a partner in their firm. When he drives off to court one morning, she has no reason to feel anything but joy over their stable, successful life together.

But David vanishes. Accident? Foul play? Another woman? All possibilities are bounced around as Cecile’s efforts to find out what happened spiral ever deeper down the proverbial rabbit hole. Old losses and grudges start emerging as her marriage, career, children and extended family either unravel or become threatened. Or both. Gloria is smart and resourceful but soon finds herself swamped from suddenly having to deal with problems and people beyond her ken.

Gloria has to quickly step in for David on a couple of cases, showing her professional brilliance, and making useful new friends of a couple of disreputable clients. Then her supposedly prospering firm turns out to be deeply in debt, and David’s finances may have been entangled with some large-scale criminal activity, now putting their lives in unexpected danger. Added to all these destabilizing surprises is the involvement of a police detective zealously committed to nailing Gloria for everything in reach due to an episode in their legal history. Plus the suspense of an anonymous string-pulling villain even worse than the one she discovers to be the at the center of this crisis, Gaelle Brak (Anne Consigny).

https://mhzchoice.com/gloria-official-us-trailer/

Whew! I’m tired just from writing that paragraph. That’s a lot to unpack in six episodes but they manage. If this summary seems familiar, that could be because the six-episode “Gloria” is adapted from a 2017 British TV thriller, “Keeping Faith,” that ran for four years.

Even though Gloria and her kids face many threats – physical and otherwise – throughout, nothing occurs on-screen that’s more graphic than our U.S. prime-time crime dramas. Actually, less so. We mostly see Gloria in various degrees of desperation and frustration as she pounces on each clue or lead, often unwisely, and frequently aggravating her situation.

Bois’ performance as a woman suddenly under incredible stress, due to no fault of her own, is suitably exhausting to watch. We really feel her desperation and empathize with her scattershot reactions. Many may question her judgment at times but we remain firmly in her corner. Because she’s constantly having to respond to new surprises coming from all directions, the series carries considerable intensity over to its audience. Two arguable flaws come to mind. Gloria may be blindsided too many times in too many ways for some viewers’ patience. And the most intriguing character of the lot is Consigny’s calmly-understated local crime boss, who deserved more screen time than allotted.

Bottom line, “Gloria” is good for a binge, when you’re craving ramped-up suspense.

“Gloria,” mostly in French with English subtitles, is streaming on MHz Choice starting Tuesday, June 21.

RATING: 2 out of 4 stars

Cécile Bois in ‘Gloria’ on MHz Choice. Courtesy of MHz Choice

PERSONA – TV Review

A scene from the television series “Persona” streaming on Topic. Courtesy of Topic.

PERSONA is a subtitled Turkish 12-episode TV miniseries offering a unique protagonist in a suspenseful crime drama. Agah (Haluk Bilginer) is a retired, widowed civil servant who learns he’s in the early stages of Alzheimer’s. He’s been burdened with a whopper of a secret for many years involving serious criminal conduct by a whole village full of men – some of whom wield far more influence than they should. With the sun imminently setting on his lucidity, he decides to go vigilante and avenge the old wrongs by bumping off as many of the evildoers as he can before his competence and personality yield to the disease. The idea is to be the man he’s wished he were before losing the ability to even be the man he is.

For a lifelong desk jockey, Agah shows amazing resourcefulness and skills in starting his mission. But this is no Charles Bronson revenge flick. Agah screws up periodically, and needs a bunch of lucky breaks along the way. His mental status ebbs and flows, consistent with the usual course of this condition, flagging at very inconvenient moments more than once. His freedom to covertly form and execute his extensive plan is further complicated by the arrival of his estranged daughter and her surly teenaged son. The daughter’s whiny, annoying presence quickly reminded me (not in a good way) of an American crime series character – Tony Soprano’s pain-in-the-ass sister.

Agah’s efforts split screen time with focus on our other protagonist – police detective Nevra Elmas (Cansu Dere) who is prominent in the high-profile task of catching what seems to be Turkey’s first serial killer. She has her own problems, not the least of which is the blatant sexism she faces as the only woman in the homicide bureau. Her role in the hunt becomes more crucial as the killer leaves messages addressed to her on his victims. Her relationship to either the killer or the corpses he piles up is as much a mystery to her as to the audience.

Since this unfolds over about 12 hours of running time, the script includes many other characters and issues – past and present – that flesh out the personas of our key players, while gradually revealing layers of the driving forces behind Agah’s plans. The result is a slow, intense complicated drama that rewards the patient and attentive viewer by delivering numerous dimensions of emotional depth and character development enhancing the underlying suspense tale.

Topic is streaming this by releasing the first four episodes, followed by weekly issue of the others. I’d recommend waiting until you can binge about a half-dozen before starting. Those early chapters of setup and intros proceed at a rather glacial pace that could try your patience. The ensuing hours deliver more action, boosted by moments of warmth and humor, than the first four might lead one to expect. The latter are still on the slow side, but no more so than most multi-episode European crime imports. The unique Alzheimer’s premise, along with other shrewd creative decisions by writer Hakan Gunday, keeps this tale from being as predictable as many of its rivals for your attention.

PERSONA, in Turkish with English subtitles, begins streaming on Topic on Dec. 2

RATING: 3 out of 4 stars

A scene from the television series “Persona,” streaming on Topic. Courtesy of Topic.

Review: ‘Torchwood: Children of Earth, Day Four’

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Warning!: If you haven’t seen the first three episodes “Children of Earth” do NOT read this review!

Day Three may not have been the most stunning but it lead into Day Four which is by far one of the most dramatic and stunning Torchwood events of all time. Over the past three days Gwen has been trying to figure out how Clement McDonald, the only adult who was linked to the aliens the way the children were, was connected to it all. But now, in episode four it appears that his only reason for being in the show is to reveal how Jack Harkness was connected to it all.

Day Four shows us what Jack knows about the aliens known only as “The Four Five Six”. It’s a reveal that is quite disturbing and will put Jack in a different light to fans, forever. Much of Day Four reveals some of the truth behind the “Four Five Six” and why they’re back on Earth.

Most of the scenes in Day Four revolve around government officials figuring out what they’re going to do and whether or not they can truly give over 10% of all the world’s children to the “Four Five Six”. It isn’t until the last ten minutes or so that the episode truly starts to take off and we have one fo the all time great heroic moments in Torchwood history.

Review: ‘Torchwood: Children of Earth, Day Three’

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Warning!: If you haven’t seen the first and second episodes of “Children of Earth” do NOT read this review!

A lot has happened with or Torchwood team in this series. They’ve been shot at, blown up, had their homes and lives completely destroyed and only now do they start to realize why. Day three is the inevitable arrival of the “Four Five Six” aliens. And sadly most of this episode revolves around the governments of the world trying to figure out what to do about the creatures and who should officially talk to them on behalf of Earth.

What is good about this episode is the light humor that returning show creator Russel T. Davies brings. He hasn’t been too hands on with the Doctor Who universe this year, and many fans find it sad that the man who brought the show back, and gave it an equally good spin-off is stepping away. When Davies writes the Torchwood characters he has more fun with them. There are some great moments between Jack and Ianto and the two finally come to the realization of what their relationship will be like with Jack’s immortality.

A character named Lois Habeeba who was introduced in the first part of the series finally gets her moment to shine and it feels like she might be the next person to join the Torchwood team. Her character isn’t as strong as Owen’s or Toshiko’s (members of Torchwood who died last season), but she is a fun character to watch and her conflicts with doing what’s right, and her duty to her country are well written.

My absolute favorite part of this episode was seeing the Torchwood team reassemble and show how good they are at what they do. They’re masters at getting what they need, and I actually like their makeshift base of operations. I hope it becomes a reality in the next season (if there is one).

Review: ‘Torchwood: Children of Earth, Day Two’

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Warning!: If you haven’t seen the first episode of “Children of Earth” do NOT read this review!

Now that that’s out of the way let’s get into it. When we last left our heroes Jack was blown up, Gwen was on the run and we weren’t sure if Ianto was going to make it out or not. Truth is, it wouldn’t be much of a mini-series if they killed off any of the remaining characters in the first part of a mini-series. Sure it’d be gutsy, but that’s just not Torchwood’s style of writing.

Our new episode picks up with both Gwen and Ianto making it out of the explosion alive, but soon afterwards Gwen is attacked by government agents posing as ambulance drivers. Ianto gets out of the rubble a little bit after Gwen and is suddenly attacked by a sniper. They both get away and now they’re on the run from who ever it is that’s attacking them. What they don’t realize is that it’s the same government that they work for.

Much of the episode is about what happened to Jack. It’s a well known fact in the Torchwood world that Jack hasn’t been killed by anything yet, but now it’s just a matter of seeing how much like Wolverine he really is. Can he be blown apart from the inside and still live? The other mystery in the episode is what are the transmissions that the aliens (dubbed the Four Five Six) are sending to Earth? Turns out they’re a box of some kind, but who knows what.

Much of this episode is our heroes figuring out who’s after them, but there are some truly great moments for some characters. If i said anymore I’d be giving away spoilers. The episode isn’t as strong as Day One, but it’s good and Day Three promises to really get things going. So far it’s turning out to be one of the better Torchwood stories and really pushes the limits of our remaining trio of heroes.