Why I'm not on board with the praise for that new detective series

All my coworkers keep telling me to watch that new detective show that's blowing up, but I gave it a shot and it didn't grab me. They say the twists are mind-blowing, but I found the cases too predictable after the first few episodes. Last night, I sat through three episodes and could guess the killer each time. The main character is supposed to be deep, but she just comes off as moody without much reason. Maybe I'm old school, but I miss when shows took time to build the mystery. It feels like they rush through plots just to keep you clicking next. I know most people love it, but for me, it's not worth the binge.

3 comments

3 Comments

quinn_hernandez431mo ago

Hey, what about diving into foreign detective shows? I had that exact issue with a super popular series last season, guessed every twist by episode two. My fix was to try shows from other countries, they often have different pacing and way less formulaic plots. Found a Korean one that blew my mind because the clues actually mattered and the main cop had real depth. Sometimes stepping outside the usual recommendations helps you find gems that aren't rushing to hook you. Honestly, it made me enjoy the genre again.

white.blair1mo ago

That's a good point about branching out, but even foreign shows can get stuck in their own patterns. British detective series love the "quiet village with dark secrets" thing way too much. Seen a few Scandinavian ones where the gloomy detective with a messed up personal life feels just as predictable as any US show. The real trick is finding writers who care more about the story than the formula, no matter where it's from.

nora_walker571mo ago

My friend got so bored with the same old crime shows she almost gave up on them. Then she borrowed some DVDs of a French series from the library on a whim. She said the whole feel was different, slower but in a good way, where you got to know the town and the suspects before the big reveal. It wasn't about a shocking twist every ten minutes, just a solid mystery that actually made sense. She's been hunting down shows from all over ever since.