Could The New Netflix Hit Criminal A Show To Change Television?
We’d barely drawn breath after the arrival of Unbelievable – a show that some are heralding as the most important true crime series of all time – before Netflix hit us with another extraordinary series; Criminal. A groundbreaking procedural now playing in full on the streaming service (Virgin TV 999), it’s fair to say that it’s not the type of thing we’ve ever seen before.
It’s even got industry insiders buzzing about how it might change the landscape going forward – but why? What is it about the show that has everyone in a tizzy? Well, read on; from the tongue to the tales, this is one anthology series which could have a lasting impact!
THE POWER OF FOUR
The notion of a show weaving together multiple strands isn’t new in itself – but this one brings the idea to extremes. The twelve episodes are spread across four different countries (Germany, Spain, France and the UK) with key differences between each; in fact, they’re even listed as four different shows on the Netflix menu. With different casts and different directors, the format of the interrogation room is just about the only common ground they share – and that’s without even mentioning…
SPEAKING YOUR LANGUAGE
Parlez-vous Français? Sprechen sie Deutsch? Hablas español? Well, the subtitles will rescue you even if you’re not a polyglot – but the decision to build a show with four different languages is a bold one. It is, of course, a nod to the fact that Netflix is a truly global beast, and it’s not a stretch to imagine that it’s something we’ll see a lot more of going forward. Die-hards might want to start hitting Duolingo pronto!
THE MORE THINGS CHANGE…
We would say plus ça change, but we’ve probably done enough linguistic gymnastics above! The point, though, is that while there’s loads to make this show stand out, some of it can very definitely be described as classic; engrossing murder mysteries and tense interrogation, the very same qualities that have made so many police procedurals great in years gone by. The presence of awesome acting talent doesn’t hurt either!
WHERE NEXT?
Now that we’ve had one series of the show – and a cracking one at that! – the possibilities are endless…which is what’s got people so excited! There’s nothing, after all, to prevent a journey to four new countries next time out. There’s also plenty of reason to jump back into the precincts we’ve already grown fond of, for a new batch of cases. And, since the show leaves both origin and conclusion relatively untouched, there’s even the chance that these particular tales could be explored in further detail. Forget how other shows will follow; there might be plenty of life in Criminal yet!
Super streaming needs brilliant broadband – and Virgin Media has you covered! Check out more about Ireland’s fastest broadband network right here…
