It’s okay if you’re not the out-doorsy, sporty, beach-goer or anything do-er kinda person. There’s a world of adventure, suspense and comic for people like us who believe a walk from the kitchen to the living room couch, grabbing a bag of popcorn and your favourite soda on the way, is all you need to add the stepcount to your day. Add to that, a lazy yet well-timed call to the pizza guy and you’ve won the perfect Netflix weekend to unwind and delve deep into the world of untold stories, suspense, mystery and medical dramas – have your pick, or, watch all 3!
Join us we give you 3 shows that could make your stay at home weekend a reason to ‘stay in’! When characters like Danielle Stimms colours herself in multiple shades of grey in Pulse, and detective Cordelia Cupp can’t decide if birdwatching or ‘suspect watching’ is her prime game on a murder witch-hunt, or when things turn a darker shade of dark as Lejla and Valter close in on their murderer-kidnapper suspect in The Glass Dome, things can get intense. And that’s why, let no one tell you that Netflixing isn’t as adventurous as white water rafting, well, oh well, that might be stretching the truth, but what’s in it for the bing-watcher but a weekend to remember?
And so, without further ado, we start off with, the darkest of the dark stories…
1. The Glass Dome – Psycho Thriller Drama in 6 Episodes
The Glass Dome on Netflix is set in a small Swedish town, Granas, where everyone knows everyone. Set against an unfolding drama of opposition protests by miners and a young woman turned criminologist who battles her past demons of being kidnapped as a child, Lejla, played sharply by Leonie Vincent is faced with yet another kidnapping in her town as she visits her foster father. The events are very similar to her own kidnapping, many years ago, and the desperate need to find the kidnapper, and the girl, forces her to follow the tracks, revisiting her own experiences as a child.
The Glass Dome is a pyschological thriller with riveting performances, a story with multiple plot twists and a final episode that will keep you on edge. The drama is not for the faint-hearted but if you’ve got a psycho-thriller fan in you, this one’s for your weekend watchlist. Add in super performances from Johan Hedenberg as Lejla’s foster father and Johan Rheborg as Thomas (Valter’s brother), and you’ve got yourself a watch!
The Glass Dome is directed by Lisa Farzaneh and Henrik Björn, Written by Camilla Läckberg. It is an original story.
Note: The show is dubbed in English.
Glass Dome is directed by Lisa Farzaneh and Henrik Björn, with writing by Camilla Läckberg (creator), Lisa Linnertorp (head writer), Amanda Högberg, and Axel Stjärne. The cast includes Léonie Vincent, Johan Hedenberg, Johan Rheborg, Ia Langhammer, Farzad Farzaneh, Cecilia Nilsson, Emil Almén, Emma Broomé, Seraphine Krystek, Oscar Töringe, Minoo Andacheh, Victor Ståhl Segerhagen, Bianca Lynxén, Ville Virtanen, Freddy Åsblom, Hulda Lind Johansdottier, Sanja Dugandzic, and Kicki Bramberg.
2. The Residence – An Eccentric Whodunnit in The White House – 8 Episodes
A Whodunnit with a comic twist, a sprinkle of satire and an eccentric detective with a personality all her own. The Residence on Netflix could have been an outstanding watch if the makers hadn’t gone too far with the story, stretching the narrative beyond its watchability quotient. Even eccentricity has its limits.
There’s a murderer in The White House and anyone could have done it from a party of ‘Suss’ guests and inmates. But detective Cordelia Cupp is not in a hurry as she flips between birdwatching (a hobby turned obsession), and interrogating the guests at the dinner party, each one telling her a different story.
However, the good stuff first. Uzo Aduba as detective Cordelia manages to woo audiences with her Colombo x Murder She Wrote x Sherlock Holmes vibe, more Colombo than MSH and definitely Sherlock! Her knee-jerk reactions, determination to keep things rational, and investigate a murder with a keen eye pulled in viewers as she approached every new revelation as a step further to solving the mystery. With multiple suspects and one murder, the cast was a mixed plate of eccentricities, each with their own little secret. Yet, the drama delves deeper into human psychology as Tripp Morgan (Played by Jason Lee), stacks his quirky behaviour in the White House against his brother, President Perry Morgan’s (played by Paul Fitzgerald) hot water shower obsession, the siblings take their rivalry into middle-age (like we all do), and a twist on the Australian guests at the White House whose questionable behaviour could only be matched by Milly Griggs (Lilly Schumacher) blonde rich girl feels. The show fielded so many characters, each with a rare yet relatable personality trait, exaggerated, yet with shades of the real life people we know or have been.
The Residence stood out in its engaging storytelling, using multiple frames in one screen, but only where neeeded, relating the story in flashback mode to fill in a clue, but never overdoing any one technique, hence keeping the narrative original and ‘suspect worthy’, (yes, a pun on the term). But where The Residence reminded one of a modern day Murder on the Orient Express, ala White House Edition, it stretched the story and literally cemented the ‘too much of a good thing’ feel, to lose the viewer midway through the series.
Why watch then, you ask?
Well, because you gotta know who did it? And the final episode, though a bit late coming, wrapped it up exactly how whodunnit aficionados want to see it done – Sherlock Holmes style with a female version. Cordelia Cupp definitely had her Dr. Watson in Edwin Park (played adeptly by Randall Park), but the mystery could have concluded in four crisp episodes. Also because as the first few certainly grabbed viewers’ curiosity, the last few episodes were more of an uphill climb to the finish line.
Watch this one for refreshingly original content and the crime thriller with a comic twist fan in you.
The Residence is created by Paul William Davies, who also serves as an executive producer alongside Shonda Rhimes and Betsy Beers. The series stars Uzo Aduba, Giancarlo Esposito, Susan Kelechi Watson, Jason Lee, Ken Marino, Edwina Findley, Randall Park, Molly Griggs, Al Mitchell, Dan Perrault, Spencer Garrett, Bronson Pinchot, Isiah Whitlock Jr., Julieth Restrepo, Mel Rodriguez, and Mary Wiseman.
3. Pulse – A Medical Drama with Too Much Happening on the Personal Front – 10 Episodes
Now if you’re a Grey’s Anatomy fan, this one might hit a chord that’s not too high. But let it be known that one and the same viewer has liked both SUITS and The Good Wife. So don’t let Grey’s Anatomy fans burn out the enthusiasm. While Netflix has delivered many popular medical dramas previously, Pulse has a life and feel of its own as a medical drama with lots raging in the background.
Now here’s the problem with Pulse. The main leads, Danny Simms and Xander Phillips, even Elijah, tend to drop points because of their overtly grey, and even dark characterizations. One could argue that: isn’t that what true grit drama is all about? I mean, who needs perfect characters?
But then, argues the mind, even grey characters must be likeable, so that we root for them even as they reveal their darker side. Danny and Xander, played by Willa Fitzgerald and Colin Woodell respectively share great onscreen chemistry. Their performances are above par for sure, but the main premise of their personal lives seems rooted in selfishness, a lack of team ethics or even, a clear path to what exactly do they want? Does Danny want the promotion, does Elijah want it, and at all costs? And what does Xanders want anyway? How can he be in love with the woman who has seemingly maligned him professionaly and publicly?
Amidst the messy background is the race for who will win eventually, but more substantial is the medical drama, a new one, that unfolds in every episode. Also, the mind games that torment Danny as Xanders looks over her shoulder, supervising her most minor and major surgical move, are what the drama did not capitalize on more. Where does mentorship end and self confidence and the ability to work as a superior herself take over? This is a question many in competitive professional fields would struggle to address and where they could have hugely related to the Xanders-Danny relationship. Pulse could have examined this aspect of their relationship in more detail rather than centering the narrative around Danny’s harassment allegations.
Pulse also delivered standout performances from Tom Cole and Natalie Cruz as Jack Bannon and Justina Machado, as well as Chelsea Muirhead, Daniela Nieves and Nestor Carbonell as Sophie Chan, Camila Perez and Dr. Ruben respectively.
Watch this one for the drama lover in you and try to forget the other shows you’ve loved. This one isn’t too bad as long as you focus on the drama and not the character flaws of main characters that keep staring you in the face repeatedly. For Pulse, it is the personal stories from the rest of the cast that might make you root for the show.
Pulse has great potential to follow up with a season 2, you never know when the side stories kick in and have you invite you to a riveting watch!
Pulse is created by Zoe Robyn and stars Willa Fitzgerald, Colin Woodell, Justina Machado, Jack Bannon, Jessie T. Usher, Daniela Nieves, Chelsea Muirhead, and Jessy Yates.
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