Having finally finished my slow burn of this series all I can do is agree with other comments here. This series offers a sense of tranquillity when watching that I have rarely seen anywhere else. You just get absorbed into sometimes dreamlike atmosphere of it all. Each episode is somewhat self-contained and you really never know how it will end. Some end on a happy note, some on a sorrowful one, some are more ambiguous or bitersweet.
The message throughout is very much that Mushi are not malevolent or evil, they are just like forces of nature, and can be harmful or helpful to humans. Each story is more about how people deal with these things, with Ginko travelling around and helping where he can.
With a second season just around the corner all I can really do is repeat other people's recommendations - if you haven't already, watch this series.
Interesting premise. Of course Netflix had to stuff it with nonsense to drag this onto an 8 episode snoozefest. This could have been a great 90 minute movie, if they trimmed all the rubbish off.
The first five episodes have a lot of padding. We get a good idea of the premise during the pilot. Then they beat around the bush until the fifth episode. After the 5th episode, the "science-fiction" part comes into play and things pick up speed. It's brilliant from that point onwards.
Maybe it’s because I watched this three hours after a funeral, but this made a ton of sense to me and resonated with me a lot.
I do wonder if there’s some kind of informational gap between the sub and dub (I watched the sub), because I’ve read a number of comments/reviews after the leaving the theater that claim certain aspects were confusing and disjointed. And in a number of cases (not all, but many), I feel like the movie actually did tell you what was going on, either in the literal dialogue or the visual subtext. There is definitely room for interpretation and the insertion of your own life though.
Ultimately this is a meditation on grief and moving on. People are not “boring” or “emotionless” when they’re grieving. Grief turns you into a shell, a husk, and you have to fight your way out. Sometimes while wrapped up in grief, you don’t want to do the right things, but you do them anyways because you know you have to. You might not do it with a smile on your face or a bounce in your step, but you do it nonetheless, because the ones you grieve for would want nothing less from you.
TLDR: If you like mystery shows that just keep you guessing, Strangers/Secret Forest is the show for you. It pulls you every which way with its characters, subplots, and beautiful technical work. I haven't regretted a minute of watching this incredible piece of work. The best way to go into something like this is to just go, so go watch it!
Exceptional performances, striking cinematography, and a plot that draws you in is exactly what the most police/detective shows don't have. This show has all that and more. Not to say that there aren't plenty of very good shows in this genre, but the big names (NCIS, CSI, etc.) because of their formulaic nature they have a tendency toward filler episodes, abrupt character disappearances, and a lack of any planned, coherent narrative that is build on each episode.
Strangers/Secret Forest is anything but normal; it elevates everything to the next level, starting with its very premise.
The show focuses on two main characters, a prosecutor unable to feel emotion and a good-natured police lieutenant who compliment each other perfectly. To be clear, this is a mystery show, not a character piece so the focus is on the 'case' not purely the characters so much is left unexplored. That said, the lead characters act both as antidotes and compliments of each other. Neither is unbalanced either; I never really though to myself "I would rather be seeing what X is doing right now" as I do in almost every other TV show like this. Almost every performance is spot-on, I never cringed at the acting and it you could tell that the cast really cared about their work. Having never seen a Korean work this involved in modern work-life, it took a while to get used to some cultural things (i.e. bowing), but the show is so unapologetically Korean (at least in my eyes) it adds it it's charm.
The technical aspect of the show is also incredible. I am always amazed when TV shows (especially those with 1-hour episodes) can bring a film-like quality of work to the final product. Now, I've never seen a Korean TV show, made in this style or otherwise, but the way everything is shot brings so much realism. Office spaces seem stiff and cold, muder scenes look like they're brutally indifferent to the events that happened there, and restaurants look like something you'd find in the middle of TripAdvisor. Editing is done well, pacing the show at a slow, but never stalled, burn. And the work that went into all the drone shots and endless sets adds so much to the feeling of scope in the show, leaving you just that much more involved in the events unfolding in front of you. And on a TV show!
With the help of the great performances, and the seemingly unending technical resources, the plot sings. For anyone who can handle the carrot being dragged slowly and steadily, it provides fantastic payoffs and resolutions that don't feel overly dramatized or strung-out, but grounded, painful, and exciting. Obviously, saying too much defeat much of the point of watching the show, so I'll leave it at that.
Wow! Totally surprised by it.
They have studied "Dark" really good, the show was truly fantastic. An exception story crafted throught out all the periodes, a very tight script, really they managed to close and give answers to almost everything. This for a Netflix show is a must see for all the timer-traveller fans.
It also managed to do a proper "destroy the loop" and what happens to the characters as perfect as Dark Did. Charles was my favorite, the little girl those only 10 minutes of appearance stole the spotlight. The music was great and the direction was also good.
Of course lets all pray that Netflix will not salvage on the show and realize that this was a mini-series and not give a second season.
So yes about the last 2 minutes, you can skip them so it will not ruin you the story. There are only there in case of netflix's greedy,read it below:
From an article:
It’s a door left open, according to Bodies showrunner Paul Tomalin, simply there to give the story somewhere to go in a potential second series. Should Netflix decide to renew Bodies, then that mini-cliffhanger would be the first step on that journey. in short – they’d finished the story but wanted to justify a potential return if Netflix commissioned one, so it was tacked on
couldn't get into it. it's a web series that feels amateurish at best.
Well acted, great unique concept. A very tense series that concludes in a fantastic, thriller over 163 years. All in a very unique style of story telling. :thumbsup_tone1: Well worth a watch. People CAN BE persuaded to change their minds. It just takes great detective work and collaboration over 163 years! I won't spoil the ending but really take time to watch. Enjoy. :grin:
A huge plothole is that how does the loop even begin? Elias had to come from somewhere. How can he be his own ancestor? Other than that it's an unique and quite amazing take on time travel genre
The ambience of this show is pure bliss!
Just you can avoid the last 2 minutes, there are nothing according to the showrunner. Only there in case of Netflix gets Greedy
It’s a door left open, according to Bodies showrunner Paul Tomalin, simply there to give the story somewhere to go in a potential second series. Should Netflix decide to renew Bodies, then that mini-cliffhanger would be the first step on that journey. in short – they’d finished the story but wanted to justify a potential return if Netflix commissioned one, so it was tacked onI have my review on the main shows page.
