Bodkin Series Review: A Perfect Mix of Thriller And Comedy That Glues You To The Screen
Cast: Siobhán Cullen, Will Forte, Robyn Cara
Created By: Jez Scharf
Streaming Platform: Netflix
Filmhype.com Ratings: 3.5/5 (three and a half stars)
The past reemerges in the mythical land full of mysteries, Ireland. In Bodkin, a town that can’t get rid of the past, Dove, a Guardian journalist, arrives to dig up the past to finish what was left unfinished years ago. Having to back up a new podcast from the bubbly Gilbert and the ever resourceful, Emmy. In Bodkin, the mystery of Samhain and what happened on the night of the Celtic pagan festival returns to be solved by the only possible investigator with the disturbing apparitions of a sinister wolf. Available from May 9th on the Netflix streaming platform. The thriller, as we know, is one of the genres most loved by the public. After all, who doesn’t love experiencing the adrenaline of suspense, the thrill of twists and turns, the thrill of mysteries to be solved? And if the typical characteristics of comedy were added to the elements of a classic thriller and, why not, even a bit of drama and dark humor, what would happen?
Well, the result would be a strange mix that, however, could work on the screen and that’s exactly what happens with the new Netflix series, produced by Barak and Michelle Obama, Bodkin. Set among the wonderful Irish landscapes, this 7-episode series combines mystery with comedy, and thriller with dramatic story to create an interesting story from multiple points of view, both the entertaining one and the deeper and more emotional one. As we will see in our review of Bodkin, between twists and suspicions, this series promises an exciting journey into the unknown, where nothing is as it seems and every clue leads to new and disturbing revelations. But not only that: the show is also an immersive experience in the heart of Ireland, among villages perched on the cliffs overlooking the sea and ancient traditions.
Bodkin Series Review: The Story Plot
American podcaster Gilbert (Will Forte, The Last Man on Earth) is looking for a new story. He flies to Ireland, to the town of Bodkin, to tell a story from 25 years earlier: during the Samhain festival, 3 people disappeared without a trace. One was found, but nothing more was heard of the other two. Accompanied by the young and enthusiastic researcher Emmy (Robyn Cara, Red Rose), Gilbert comes across the journalist from the prestigious The Guardian: Dove (Siobhan Cullen, The Dry), reluctantly sent there to deal with the case. Dove’s unconventional and aggressive methods immediately come into conflict with Gilbert’s policy, which is to make friends with everyone to be told a story. But by making friends, and coming into contact with the inhabitants of Bodkin, we realize that no one wants to resurrect that old story. So much so that our new detectives end up finding themselves in serious trouble…
Bodkin Series Review and Analysis
Bodkin is a truly exciting series. The evocative atmosphere of Irish landscapes and old stories that intertwine with the contemporary world immediately draws us into history. Gilbert, Emmy, and Dove are three very different characters, somehow complementary. Despite her (apparent) inability to take people to heart, Dove reveals herself to be a woman full of passion for her work, ready to risk everything to get to the bottom of things. But this very way of acting has put her in serious trouble in London, so much so that very worrying news reaches her through her boss. Gilbert has a great burden on his conscience, having destroyed his private life for having chosen to tell a very personal story through a successful podcast, which made him famous throughout the world but also cost him very dearly.
Finally, Emmy wanders around the field as if she were on a school trip, full of enthusiasm for her first experience as a researcher and assistant in a production that takes an increasingly unexpected turn. With these words, Gilbert reprimands Dove – perpetually angry with everyone and for everything – annoyed by having to relate to people who have no real journalistic experience. While Bodkin prepares to celebrate Samhein (the ancestor of Halloween) for the first time after the tragic events of the past, Dove wanders around dressed like Trinity from the Matrix, very annoyed at having to return to Ireland (the country from which she escaped to move to London), determined to move independently, often putting Gilbert in difficulty. According to Dove, true crime is a cheap genre, a sort of disrespectful gossip, but according to Gilbert, it is a serious job, which allows him to come into contact with entire communities and excite millions of people.
Inspired by the true crime phenomenon and produced by Barak and Michelle Obama’s Higher Ground Productions, capable of mixing dark humor with real mysteries. We follow the misadventures of Dove (Siobhan Cullen), Gilbert (Will Forte), and Emmy (Robyn Cara). Is this the beginning of the journey to discover Ireland’s first murderer? Gilbert attempts to answer many such questions, questioning what is real and what is not, accompanied by the skeptical journalist Dove and Emmy on this journey to complete their podcast. Episode after episode the tension grows, forcing the viewer to follow the development of the unfortunate events of the protagonists and their discoveries. Although everything is seasoned with a good dose of charisma, given by the plot and the protagonists, Bodkin delves into themes of identity, justice, and belonging to the places to which we are linked, thinking we know them when in fact they are still to be discovered as probably, even ourselves.
The merits of Bodkin are certainly the narrative thread combined with an apt choice of cast, these are well-known faces, loved more or less by a large audience, and those who are completely new to these faces will certainly find a pleasant company in Bodkin, discovering them for the first time with their acting skills. If the direction is what constantly guides us, entertaining us in each episode with the right percentage of attention, with high attention to detail that raises the visual value, then the stylistic choices for the settings and the spirit of the characters themselves also influence the powerful dark but expertly sparkling atmosphere. Thanks to a direction that seems to hide around the corner only to better guide our attention, sometimes misleading us from what was right in front of us, perhaps. All this helps to give the series a strong identity of its own that will not go unnoticed.
The 7-episode series by Scharf, who worked with the series’ other showrunner Alex Metcalf, has a grain of truth, based on some well-known unsolved cases in the mysterious land of Ireland, 25 years earlier during the holiday celebrations of Samhain. Thus, continuing to ask the public the fateful question that Gilbert himself asks himself: what is the true boundary between fiction and reality? Bodkin is a very particular series; we specify this right from the start. At the beginning, it might seem difficult, unclear and its characters not exactly lovable, but leaving the first introductory episode behind we find ourselves faced with a story that has a lot to say both on an entertainment and emotional level. This series reveals itself little by little, waits for the right moment to show us the true value of itself and its characters, all of them strange and very interesting, and proves, in the end, to be a well-thought-out and well-made product.
There are many twists and turns, as are the mysteries to be solved, both those linked to the plot and those on the psychological nuances of each of the three main characters: a cold, cynical, and very rigid investigative journalist, a novice in the world of journalism full of passion and love for this job and a broke podcaster who focuses everything on emotions. Each of them, throughout the episodes, will make an internal as well as physical journey that will show them their true nature beyond appearances and the image they want to give of themselves. And from this point of view, the series is very interesting as is the reflection on the different approaches to journalism that this story shows. Let yourself be intrigued by a captivating and suspenseful story, be surprised by a trio of strange characters who are ready to surprise themselves as well as the audience, and be enchanted by the green and boundless Irish landscapes that form the backdrop to this story.
Immersed in the enchanting atmosphere of the most rural and authentic Ireland, Bodkin offers a breathtaking visual spectacle, which transports viewers on an unforgettable journey through picturesque landscapes and ancient traditions. Filmed against the backdrop of Dublin and the towns of Union Hall and Glandore in County Cork, the show can capture the true essence of the Irish countryside, with villages perched on cliffs and endless expanses of bright green vegetation acting as a backdrop perfect for a compelling narrative full of mystery. Not only that: the setting itself becomes a character within the series, helping to enrich the story and creating an enigmatic atmosphere that will capture the viewer’s imagination. Furthermore, great space is reserved for Irish traditions – such as Samhain, a sort of American Halloween but with older origins – which, intertwined with the plot, offer a very interesting lesson on the history and culture of the Emerald Isle.
The soundtrack plays a mystery-style tune that gives that extra touch of genius to everything, with another functional contrast to the narrative, which never misses an opportunity to make us smile, even in the most serious situations. Each introduced element is taken up in such a way as to be both concrete – within the story – and symbolic. Irish traditions, the re-emerging past, the generational clash. In Bodkin there is all this, together with a staging of how starting a new life, after a questionable past, is impossible. In addition to all this, of course, there are some important reflections. Above all the opportunity to tell certain stories, on the correct way to do it. Bodkin talks to us not only about the indissoluble link between present and past but also about the invitation to question ourselves about what journalism is and what the public is really interested in.
Above all, however, Bodkin invites us to reflect on our origins. Knowing where we come from is essential to understanding where we need to go. And maybe, when we feel particularly lost, we just need to howl to regain our confidence and know that when the time comes, we will find the answers. Between nuns doing yoga and bizarre illegal trafficking, the series co-produced between the United States and Ireland gives us suggestive atmospheres, images always careful to link to the themes of the series, twists, and the certainty that the past, sooner or later, resurfaces to come and take a bite. A bit like what they say about karma. Politically incorrect, above all thanks to the character of the journalist Dove, perpetually angry, Bodkin amuses, entertains, fascinates, and gives us profound reflections on today’s world, on the very concept of true crime and the opportunity – through the character of the great Will Forte – of tell certain stories.
Bodkin Series Review: The Last Words
Between twists and suspicions, Bodkin promises an exciting journey into the unknown, where nothing is as it seems and every clue leads to new and disturbing revelations. But not only that: the show is also an immersive experience in the heart of Ireland, among villages perched on the cliffs overlooking the sea and ancient traditions. The merits of Bodkin are certainly the narrative thread combined with an apt choice of cast, these are familiar faces, and those who are completely new to these faces will certainly find pleasant company in Bodkin, discovering them for the first time with their acting skills. After all, a series is made up of images, stories, and emotions and Bodkin will be able to enrich you from all three of these points of view.
Bodkin Series Review: A Perfect Mix of Thriller And Comedy That Glues You To The Screen - Filmyhype
Director: Jez Scharf
Date Created: 2024-05-09 18:24
3.5
Pros
- The clever mix of mystery and irony
- The evocative Irish setting
Cons
- The pace was a little slow at times
