Squid Game Review: Highly mediocre with some highs but too much drama

 Series - Squid Game

Cast - Lee Jung-jae, Ho Yeon Jung, Wi Ha-joon, Park Hae Soo

Rating - 3/5

Squid Game is everywhere online, whether it be on social media networks or news channels. Everyone is talking about this new show on Netflix which has become the biggest show on Netflix ever.  

The premise of the show is that a group of people under enormous debt play children’s games with dangerous twists to win huge prize money in an isolated setting. It sounded interesting and all the hype around the show made me jump on this wagon to start binge-watching this show.

I believe Netflix has this superpower of creating so much hype around their mediocre shows that they make their audience believe that these shows are amazing. They have done this before with shows like Money Heist and Dark (I’m sure many of you will disagree with me on this). This time they have done it again successfully with Squid Game.

This 9-episode show starts with a promise and reaches its peak by the fourth episode, but after that, it just keeps going downhill. By now we all know this show is about live-or-die real-life games where they make players play childhood games with a cruel twist.

The story starts with taking us into the life of the protagonist Gi-Hun who is shown to be in debt and on his way to losing everything if he does not pay back his debt. It then takes us to a location where a group of masked men welcomes Gi-Hun along with 455 other players to play 6 games and the winner takes prize money of billions of Won (Korean currency).

It then introduces the audience and players to the first game which seems fun and innocent at first till it takes a cruel turn and tells us just how dangerous the games are going to be for their players. By now the show has got us hooked and all we want to know is what happens next.

The show then introduces us to a bunch of other characters staring with the other players of the game - Sang-Woo, an investment banker caught up in frauds, Sae-Byeok, a North Korean defector, Il-Nam, an elderly man with a brain tumor, Deok-Su, a gangster, Ali, a foreign worker from Pakistan and Mi-Nyeo, a mysterious and manipulative woman. Another parallel story shows a detective Jun-Ho looking for his missing brother sneaking into the game location.

The games are beautifully shot. They show the innocence of the games and then introduce the twists to the audience which makes you cringe. Most of the games keep you at the edge of the seats guessing who will survive and who will not.

The downfall of the show begins from the second half of the show as they bring in too much drama and kill the momentum of the show. It seems like the show starts trying too hard to evoke emotions from their audience. In this process, they lose the plot.

By the end of the show, the script gets all tangled up and confusing. They try to make the protagonist too preachy while giving the background of the games. A lot of plot holes have also started surfacing by now. The ending was a dampener but points towards a second season.

The premise and concept of the show are new and interesting. This whole idea about turning childhood innocent games into something evil is innovative and works. The script starts strong but weakens by the end. Direction by Hwang Dong-hyuk is spot on. The tension he creates with every game is commendable. He brings out a lot of emotions as the show progresses.

Special mention for the art director Chae Kyoung-sun and his set designs in the show. He uses pop colors for the sets to showcase the innocence of children’s games. Then he beautifully signifies the cruel turns these games take by showing blood smeared all over these sets. The sets of each of these games along with the players’ dormitory design hold a lot of significance and meaning.

The cinematography was on point with different angles shot of the staircases running through the game location giving an eerie feeling. The different shots of the games from different angles added to the tension and momentum of the show.

The performance by the entire acting ensemble was very good. The main protagonist played by Lee Jung-Jae stands out. I have to mention our very own Anupam Tripathi who plays Ali very convincingly. It was very exciting to watch him on the show.

The gore factor on the show is not as much as it is made out in the media. It has its share of dark and gory moments, but it is no “Saw” or “Hostel”.

After a rollercoaster first half, it left me disappointed in the end. You can give it a watch if you have time to spare.

The Great Indian Kitchen Review - A hard look at Patriarchy in our Society

 Movie - The Great Indian Kitchen

Cast - Nimisha Sajayan, Suraj, Venjaramoodu, T. Suresh Babu

Rating - 4.5/5

This movie by Jeo Baby has to be one of the most important and relevant movies to come out of the Indian film industry in the last decade. It shows a mirror to the audience to reflect upon the existing patriarchy in our society and our households.

The movie takes us through the daily lives of a nameless newly wed couple. We will call them Girl and Boy for the sake of it.

In the first scene of the movie, the girl is shown doing what she loves to do, with a subtle foreshadowing of the world she will be getting into after her marriage. The Girl and Boy get married and she enters the Boy’s family with dreams for an exciting new future. Unfortunately, the Girl is pushed into the kitchen right from day 1. The dynamics in the house is made clear where the male members of the family are shown relaxing (the boy does yoga, while the father-in-law is even handed his toothbrush in the morning), while the female members of the family grind it out in the kitchen. This dynamic is ingrained in our psyche from a very early age, and this is further emphasized when the newlywed couple go for their first dinner invitation after marriage. In that scene, the director beautifully captures the patriarchy in the house, by showing  the male members of the family are being served food, while the female of the family irrespective of their age is down the pecking order to get their dinner. The mother advises her young daughter to not sit but serve everyone on the table, while in the background an old woman is shown awaiting her dinner in another room.

The movie drives its point strongly through the use of repeated visuals and minimum dialogues like the shot of the dirty dining table after the men of the family have had their meal and that of the women cooking and cleaning.    

Then the girl’s mother-in-law goes off to her daughter’s house and the entire responsibility of the household falls on her shoulders alone. The mother-in-law goes through the same ordeal but in a different place. It shows the extent to which the patriarchal idea has been embedded and passed on for generations. This also highlights a very common tradition which has been passed on for generations that the mother is responsible of taking care of her pregnant daughter so that the husband can “relax” and lead his routine life.

The audience is bombarded with images of food items being cut, cooked and utensils being cleaned in the kitchen in a deliberate attempt by the director, and it successfully drives home the point that it intends to make.

In another scene, which signifies the protagonist’s situation, the kitchen sink gets clogged (just as her life has got clogged in this kitchen) and the stench which stays in her hand after she unclogs it signifies the stench the kitchen has left in her real life, which she cannot get rid of.

The movie also shows the other side of the spectrum, where the girl’s friend invites her for a function, and her friend’s husband is cooking food in the house. This gives hope that our society is slowly undergoing a change where the man and woman of the house take up equal responsibilities of the household.

The indifference of the husband to any of his wife’s concerns and difficulties is appalling and any question raised on the men of the family is interpreted as a question on their manhood and dominance. The biggest irony of the movie is that the girl gets respite from the kitchen due to an outdated age-old tradition which is still common in our society.

Another very significant scene is when a male guest comes to the girl’s house and decides to make dinner for all. After making dinner, the male guest proclaims the ease of cooking while completely oblivious to the big mess the kitchen is in, in the aftermath of the dinner cooking.

The movie further explores the mistreatment of menstruating women of the family during the auspicious month when the Sabrimala pilgrimage takes place. The age old and outdated traditions are still forced upon the menstruating members of the family, and it is another reflection of the patriarchal mindset and tradition of the society. These traditions and rituals are justified in the name of retaining the culture, while turning a blind eye on humanity. It also partially covers the Supreme Court judgement on the Sabrimala issue and its reaction in the society. The rituals of the Sabrimala pilgrimage actually reflects the position of women in this patriarchal society.

The leaking pipe under the sink represents the patience of the protagonist which is wearing out slowly throughout the movie, and it perfectly set us up for the climax of the movie.

 The acting ensemble are filled with such natural actors that it does not seem like we are watching a movie. Nimisha Sajayan is the star as she brings the protagonist’s role alive, and you feel for her throughout the movie. The cinematography by Salu K. Thomas takes up the major weight of movie as his shots hit the audience hard. The real winner of this movie is the director and writer Jeo Baby, who puts us through a guilt ride by showing how everyone in this society contributes to the patriarchy and mistreatment of women. The time has come to change the society from its core.

Drishyam 2 Movie Review: A thrilling second ride you cannot miss

Movie: Drishyam 2 - The Resumption (Malayalam)

Cast: Mohanlal, Meena, Ansiba Hassan, Esther Anil

Rating: 3.5/5

Drishyam 2 is the much awaited sequel to the very popular Malayalam movie Drishyam which was later adapted into different regional movies and Bollywood too, giving it a cult status. As a matter of fact, we have only watched Drishyam - Bollywood version before.
This movie takes place 6 years after the events of Drishyam. We are shown the effect the events had on the people of the village and Georgekutty's family. There is an omnipresent aura of suspicion over Georgekutty in the village.

Georgekutty is now a well settled theatre owner who still lives with his family in the same village.

The movie slowly builds up in the first half around Georgekutty's obsession to produce a movie by himself against his wife's desires. Georgekutty's wife Rani and her elder daughter Anju still live in constant fear and suspicion, and this in turn also forces Rani to be over protective of her younger daughter Anu. The police which had already lost face in the murder investigation of Varun (son of former Inspector General Asha), is still shown to be after Georgekutty to regain their pride and prestige.
As in every thriller movie, multiple characters related to the main characters are included as the movie progresses with a good pace. The movie even successfully gives us a recap of the last movie in a very subtle and short manner.

To make the story even more murky and interesting, a witness angle is introduced to further corner Georgekutty for Varun's murder, while his family further becomes a emotional wreck. The insensitivity of Georgekutty starts affecting Rani's emotional well being which unintentionally helps the police in locating Varun's dead body.
As the story proceeds, this movie again makes the same mistakes as Drishyam. In this movie too, there is needless dramatization where again family is made to stand together and they are interrogated and pressured to confess their crime. This scene was again not at all necessary, and could have been avoided. Again to give more teeth to the suspense of the movie, the story delves into unnecessary police procedures which we know are not admissible in court and wont make the against Georgekutty any stronger.
The climax of the movie is very satisfying and gives perfect justification to the time taken to build up the story.

The direction by Jeethu Joseph is spot on and he successfully keeps us engaged and committed till the end of this 2 hour 30 minutes movie.
The cinematographer Satheesh Kurup complements Jeethu's direction perfectly and keeps the camera moving to keep the audience guessing.
The screenplay by Jeethu Joseph himself, is well structured - creates the prefect base for the eventual climax. Some characters were included as decoy in the story, which were actually not necessary and it looked as if he was trying to amp up the suspense and thrill a little too much.
In terms of the acting ensemble, it is Mohanlal who steals the show. He is perfect as Georgekutty and again he makes the audience root for him. Other supporting cast members are good and make their respective characters believable.

This is definitely one of the very few sequels which can live up to the standards of the original film. This sequel is a complete success and should not be missed.

Top 5 Underrated Bollywood Actresses

Every film industry always has these few brilliant actors/actresses that who end up never getting the kind of recognition they deserve. They are talented but somehow they either get type-casted or ignored and forgotten. On these similar lines, below we are listing our choice of the top 5 underrated Bollywood actresses.

1. Shefali Shah

Why don’t we see this brilliant actress enough? Is it because she got typecast too soon in mommy roles or is it because she chose to do fewer films? We don’t know the answer but we think we deserve to see more of this powerhouse of talent. We saw her first in Satya and she was so brilliant in that small role she had. Most people remember her from Hasratein where she gained popularity. Then she did Monsoon Wedding where she played a victim of child molestation and she was brilliant again. She overshadowed all the other actors in the movie and there were some really talented actors. 

She went missing from the scene after that and then finally we got a chance to see her in Dil Dhadakne Do where she showed us that even with a side role, she can steal the limelight from the main actors. And finally, we were so happy to see her in a series like Delhi Crime. It did complete justice to her talent. Her performance as The Officer in charge of the Nirbhaya rape case reminded us what an exceptional actress she is. We then saw the short film Juice and she was so brilliant in those 15 minutes especially the last scene where she said so much only with her eyes. We really hope we get to see more of her because it would be a shame for such a talented actress to go unnoticed. We have started watching Once Again and hope to see more of her in the future. An actress like you deserves much more.

2. Tillotama Shome

We had seen her first in Monsoon Wedding as the maid Nancy and her love story was the sweetest in the film. After that, for the longest time, we didn’t see her much anywhere and had forgotten about her. But then I watched Nayantara’s Necklace (Short Film) and her performance reminded us of what a talented actress she is. Then in Hindi Medium, she stood out with her performance even in that small role. She showed us how she can convincingly play a glamorous role also. 

Then with another string of roles in movies like Death in the Gunj, Angrezi Medium, and Chintu Ka Birthday she showed us what a powerful actress she is. Lastly, I would like to mention her performance in “Sir” where she plays a housemaid who falls in love with her boss and tries to fulfill her dreams. She shows us what a powerhouse of talent she is. We really wish her talents are not ignored and we get to see her in more versatile roles.

3. Shahana Goswami 

We first saw her in Rock On. She was so good in it and I remember all the movie critics especially mentioning her in spite of big actors like Farhan Akhtar and Arjun Rampal. She had a limited role but she left an impact with her role. Her transformation in the role from a carefree teenager to a frustrated wife was memorable. 

We remember watching her in Firaaq after that and she was excellent there too. But then she just vanished. We don’t remember seeing her anywhere. We were really happy to see her in Tu Mera Sunday Hai and A Suitable Boy. Recently saw her in Bombay Begums and she gives another noteworthy performance as a successful corporate woman struggling with her personal life. She does complete justice to her roles and we really want to see her in more important roles. Bollywood should not ignore talents like her.

4. Swara Bhaskar

She is another talented actress in Bollywood. But unfortunately, she has become more known for her tweets than her talents in acting. When we first saw her in Tanu weds Manu, we instantly knew that she is immensely talented. She captivated both the audience and critics alike. In a string of box office success, she was again amazing in Raanjhanaa as the childhood friend of the protagonist. 

However, what really brought up her name in this list are her lead role performances in Nil Battey Sannata and Anaarkali of Aarah. Her performance in Nil Battey Sannata as the high-school drop-out, household maid and single mother of a sulky girl has to be one of the best performances we have seen in recent times. In Anaarkali of Aarah she takes up another very challenging role and delivers. Her specialty always has been that she plays every character with complete authenticity. She is definitely one of the actresses to look out for in the future of Bollywood.

5. Amruta Subhash

Incidentally, we first noticed her in a Marathi movie - Killa, where she plays a widower who is struggling to balance her job and personal life with her only child. Then, fortunately, she stepped into Bollywood and we noticed her in Gully Boy. She put out such a powerful performance as Ranveer Singh’s mother who is struggling to save her marriage and support her sons. Her performance stood out and she was awarded a Filmfare for it. Although we have no respect for any awards in India but it makes us happy if a deserving candidate receives any award. 

We then saw her in Sacred Games Season 2 and she left an impact even with her limited role. Then came Choked where again she had a limited role but did complete justice to it. And recently saw her in the new Netflix show Bombay Begums and she is absolutely brilliant in it. She shines through with her performance and you simply can’t keep your eyes off her. In this short period in Bollywood she has shown her versatility from playing a demure mother to a regular middle-class housewife to a ruthless RAW agent and finally an ambitious bar dancer. We don’t believe she has been appreciated enough for her talent but we hope to see much more from her.

Top 5 must watch Bollywood Films that flopped (2010-2020)

Here we take a look at five brilliant films in the last decade which bombed at the Box Office. It saddens us when movies like Bajrangi Bhaijan, Padmavat, Race 3 become super hits while movies with actual content, great performances and social messages go unnoticed. So we have written a post to give a shout out to these masterpieces with the hope some more of us go and watch these films.

Shahid (2012)

 A gem of a movie from Hansal Mehta. This movie bombed in the box office and primarily due to lack of promotion. Also, Rajkummar Rao was not the star he is now otherwise we are sure his current stardom would’ve attracted more crowd. But this film has definitely been a stepping stone for his stardom. The film is based on the life of Shahid Azmi, who was a lawyer and human rights activist based out of Mumbai.

It shows the indomitable spirit of the human mind and how it can overcome the extreme adversaries to stand tall at the end of the day. This movie emphasizes that there is always a choice between right and wrong in our life, and it is up to us as individuals to choose it and pursue it. This must be one of the most inspiring and touching biographical movies of the last decade. Hansal Mehta is really a master in creating hard-hitting and realistic biographies and he deservedly won a Best Director National Award for this movie. Shahid introduced us to one of the biggest talents in Bollywood, that is, Rajkummar Rao and his performance here was simply outstanding.

 

Aligarh (2015)

1.       Another terrific movie from Hansal Mehta, and sadly another movie that failed at the box office. One of the main reasons for the lukewarm response to the film is due to it handling a very sensitive topic of homosexuality in India (which is still despised by the general audience of our country). The story is based on a real-life incident of victimization of a gay professor Ramchandra Siras in Aligarh University, and his real-life court case against the university.

Manoj Bajpayee who plays the role of the professor gives us such a humane insight into the mind of a homosexual individual living in India. Ironically, this is the exact kind of movie which needs to be watched by people who despise homosexuals, as it beautifully shows that homosexuals are just like a normal human being who wants to be happy and loved. The screenplay of the film by Apurva Asrani is exquisite and gives us one of the most compelling and hard-hitting dramas of the last decade. Manoj Bajpayee gives according to us, one of the best performances of the last decade and we are shocked that he was not given the National Award for this brilliant portrayal of Professor Ramchandra Siras.

 

A Death in the Gunj (2016)

1.      This film proved that Konkona SenSharma is not only a brilliant actress but also a brilliant director. This movie is a masterpiece exploring humans and their emotions. The story is about a group of friends who go on a trip and then it slowly paces towards the climax of the film. It shows how our behaviors can unknowingly have an unexpected impact on others.

The cast ensemble is outstanding. Every actor is just spot on with their performances but of course, the spotlight is taken away by Vikrant Massey. He is so good as Shutu that your heart goes out to him. Konkon Sensharma takes her time to build up the story and the characters which get us involved completely. This film definitely leaves an impact on you long after it is over.

Tu Hai Mera Sunday (2016)

1.     A light-hearted and highly enjoyable movie. This one is a must-watch. We believe since the film was not promoted enough it did not work at the box office otherwise this film is a sure winner. It is such a fun watch. The story is about a group of men whose only respite from their daily mundane routine is playing football on Sunday at Juhu Beach. But due to some unexpected circumstances, they are unable to play football in Juhu Beach anymore. The story then shows how each of them deals with this situation. The movie highlights the various stereotypes of different religions and regions in a very warm way. Every character’s story is beautifully narrated and all of them are linked together in an unity in diversity manner.

This movie is so funny in certain parts and not in a slapstick manner but in a genuine way. Bollywood hasn’t had such a good comedy and light hearted film in a long time. All the actors are just right for their roles and do complete justice. The movie is handled in a very casual but impactful manner. You will definitely leave the movie with a smile on your face and a warm feeling.

Manto (2018)

1.       This is another biographical movie that went unnoticed in the last decade. Even with a popular actor like Nawazuddin Siddiqui the movie did not work at the box office. Manto is about the great Urdu writer Saadat Hasan Manto whose defining works show the devastating effect of the India-Pakistan Partition on millions of people. It traverses the life of Manto from his good Bollywood days to his displacement to Pakistan, where he spent his final years fighting in court for his very right to write.

What really caught our eye in this movie is that the way the writer-director Nandita Das has done a great job in amalgamating Manto’s stories into his own life story. She has beautifully explored Manto’s emotions and the internal turmoil that he was going through in his life. A special mention for the unique soundtrack of the movie which was composed by the very talented Sneha Khanwalkar.

Go ahead and watch these films and we assure you that you won’t regret. These are some really good films and we hope more people watch these films. 

Our Top10 Bollywood Movies of the Decade

What a decade this has been for Bollywood. This has been the decade of experimental movies, quality content, and memorable performances. Bollywood has moved over the cliched love stories and ventured into new genres of cinema. We have had some great thrillers, love stories, action films, and comedies. We have tried to list our Top 10 although we had many more favorites. Enjoy Reading!

Shor in the City (2011)

This was a new genre of movie. The movie brings us some fresh ideas never explored before in Bollywood like piracy, intellectual property theft, sports corruption, etc. The movie revolves around the theme of karma. It captures three very interesting stories that pan over the eleven days of Ganapati Mahatosav in the maximum city of Mumbai. The performance of the ensemble is very understated and brilliant. The direction and screenplay are top-notch with very catchy music. This is definitely one of the best black comedies of the decade.

   Paan Singh Tomar (2012)

      This movie is sheer class. The best movie on sports made in Bollywood to date. Keeping aside the story of Paan Singh Tomar which was extraordinary, every aspect of this movie is brilliant. The narrative of the movie is beautiful along with the direction by Tigmanshu Dhulia. But ultimately Irrfan’s performance makes this movie a complete winner. This film has a special place in our hearts. It breaks your heart to see the plight of national and international sports heroes in our country.  This movie is a reminder of how we treat these national treasures who bring so much glory to our country.

 

   Kahaani (2012)

This movie is truly pathbreaking in the genre of thriller Bollywood this decade. Every aspect of this thriller is spot on and keeps you on the edge of your seats throughout. The story is structured so well and it beautifully unfolds in front of us in layers. The direction is gritty and fast-paced and keeps us guessing throughout. The performance by the entire cast is outstanding and it gave us an unforgettable character like Bob Biswas played by Saswata Chatterjee. Ignoring a few loopholes this movie is an amazing thriller and an enjoyable watch. Even though you know the climax, the movie gives us the same rush every time we watch it.

 

    Gangs of Wasseypur (2012) 

      GOW has become more of a cult of this decade. This movie changed Bollywood for good. It introduced us to a new genre of cinema. The direction is splendid, the performances are superb and the music is so fresh and catchy. The second part could not match the quality of the first one but still both together made a great movie. GOW gave us so much talent and we are reaping their benefits even now in Bollywood. This movie will always remain memorable for bringing us something new and grand.

 

    Ship of Theseus (2012)

      An amazingly made movie with a powerful message. The story is about an explorer who donates his body parts/organs after his death and how upon receiving these parts changes the lives of these different people. This movie explores multiple themes of justice, identity, life, death, morality, and countless more. This has to be the movie of the decade that makes you think hard and it needs to be seen multiple times to grasp the entire scale of the movie. Its direction and screenplay are flawless. Anand Gandhi is one of the most talented Indian directors to have come out in this decade.

 

      Lunchbox (2013)

      Lunchbox is the most beautiful love story of this decade. Bollywood churns out so many love stories every year but this one is truly unique. The love story between an aged widower and a middle-aged housewife begins with their respective loneliness. They communicate through letters and share their feelings and problems through them. It shows how love is so much deeper than physical contact. This movie is all about portraying human emotions. The performances and direction take this movie to a different level. This is a beautiful masterpiece.

 

  Queen (2013)

      This movie follows the theme of women empowerment through the story of a simple Indian girl. It shows the journey of a woman from being dependent and shy to confident and independent. Kangana Ranaut is so adorable as Rani and her performance is falwless. She makes us fall in love with her and root for her throughout. A lovely movie about travel, experiences, people, and relationships. We have watched this movie so many times and still don’t get bored.

  

    Haider (2014)

      Vishal Bharadwaj’s brilliance in adapting Shakespearean plays continues with Haider. As we know Haider is the adaption of Hamlet which is set on the current scenario in the state of Kashmir. Vishal Bharadwaj has beautifully woven the story of Hamlet into the story of Haider who is a Kashmiri youth and is dealing with his father's disappearance. The situation and issues faced by the people of Kashmir and the atrocities by the Indian Army are highlighted through this story. It is a heart-wrenching tale of the plight of the people in Kashmir.

Court (2014)

This movie stands out for its unique storytelling and introducing us to the real world through cinema. The movie revolves around a court case and the film shows us the lives and perspectives of the two lawyers and judges to give us an idea about how court cases are handled in our country. This is the first time we actually see how a court works in India in spite of it been shown in so many Bollywood movies before. Director Chaitanya deserves all the credit for this brilliant masterpiece. Really looking forward to his next “The Disciple”.

    Andhadhun (2018) 

      This is such a sleek and stylish thriller. The concept of this movie is so fresh and new and keeps you hooked throughout. Even after the film ends, it keeps running into your mind about what is real and what is not. It’s a very smartly made movie with some powerful performances.

 

P.S. We couldn't list all our favorites here but some of the movies which didn't make our list were Kapoor & Sons, Lootera, Masaan, Go Goa Gone, Trapped, and Newton. Hope you enjoyed reading this. We would love to hear from you too.

Top 5 International TV Series you cannot miss !! (Drama Series)

We have grown up watching International TV Series and most of the 90's kids like us have started it with Friends. The first drama series was Prison Break for us and we were amazed how wonderful these series were. With that we slowly got sucked into this world of TV Series and we really enjoyed it. We got the opportunity to watch a lot of series thanks to Torrent and now various OTT platforms. On the basis of that we have listed our personal favorite top five and we believe you need to check them out too. 


5. Mr.Robot (Amazon Prime)

Out of our top 5 TV series list, this has to be the most stylish and intriguing show. The genre of cyber-thriller really intrigued us to watch the show and it did not disappoint. Its style of presentation immediately caught our eye and then the journey into the mind of one of the most complex characters began for us. 

The series is based on a cybersecurity engineer and hacker who is recruited by a cryptic anarchist Mr. Robot to bring down the largest conglomerate in the world. On the surface, the series feels like a story about a vigilante hacker, however, it delves deep into issues like social anxiety disorder, clinical depression, dark areas of the internet, capitalism, and income inequality. 

From the first episode, we are immersed in Elliot Alderson’s mind and see everything from his perspective. Rami Malek plays the character of Elliot Alderson to perfection and he is well supported by a flawless Christian Slater as Mr. Robot. The show also introduces us to one of the most unique antagonists seen on television – Whiterose (played by the brilliant BD Wong). The direction and camerawork are beautiful and gives a sense of disorientation throughout. Some scenes in the series are just beautifully shot and feel poetic. A special mention for the musical score is captivating and leaves an impact on you. 

This show comprised of four seasons and every season kept on getting better. The plot becomes even more complex and interesting as we move forward in the series. The ending of the show was very satisfying, and we could not have asked for a better end to this psychic cyber-thriller. We recommend everyone out there to give this series a try and we assure you it will not disappoint.



4. The Wire (Disney Hotstar)

This show will always be on top of Google results when you search for the greatest TV series ever made. The fact that critics always considered The Wire always a level higher than any other TV series always fascinated us. In our opinion, The Wire is one of the most realistic TV shows ever made. This is definitely not a show which should be binge-watched, rather it feels like you are reading a book where after every chapter/episode you hold back and have a thought. 

The series is based out of the city of Baltimore and it introduces us to the different institutions of the city and its relationship to law enforcement. The show spans five seasons and each season is presented from a perspective of a different institution in the city. Its realistic portrayal of society and politics is groundbreaking. The common running theme in this show is institutional dysfunction and how it affects the life of every individual in a city. 

The characters in the series elevate the show to a higher level. If you do watch this show then characters like Stringer Bell (played by Edris Elba), Omar Little (played by Michael K. Williams), and Marlo Stanfield (played by Jamie Hector), will be permanently etched in your memory. This is a rare show where every actor is at the top of their game and it feels like you are living in Baltimore along with these diverse characters. The writing is something which television had not seen before and big credit to HBO to take up this series. The direction is also spot on and lets the character take over the story with ease. 

The Wire first premiered in the year 2002 and its subliminal themes and social commentary is still relevant in today’s time and this itself shows that the show was way ahead of its time. This is a show which is studied as a case study piece is renowned institutes that include numerous analyses online. 

Honestly, in today’s age of TV series where the audience has a very short attention span, this show needs your patience and attention, and you will be thoroughly rewarded at the end. 

3. Game of Thrones (Disney Hotstar)

Game of Thrones is a TV series of epic proportions. This is a series that takes the credit for amalgamating TV series and movies, with its highest level of production design and special effects. Funnily, it was a TV series that initially became popular in India due to its explicit sex scenes, and this caused apprehension in our minds to watch GoT in the first place. However, once we started watching it, we were totally invested in the series and its brilliant characters. It is right to say that GoT became a part of our life. 

GoT is the story of the Iron Throne and how every house and person is trying to outwit each other to sit on this iron throne and rule the world. GoT has been a passion for us. We have followed every fan theory, analysis video, behind the scenes, articles, etc. related to the show. The day it was announced that GoT will premier in India on Hotstar along with the US our joy had no bounds. We would wake up in the morning at 7 to watch the show. We would go to work late just to be able to watch the episode and then spend the week analyzing the episode. Btw Emergency Awesome is a great YouTube channel for GoT show analysis.

We agree the last season was a complete dud and we hardly liked anything about the season but that can’t take away the glory from the show and all the other seasons.  There are episodes and characters that will remain with us forever. We still haven’t stopped watching these special episodes like the red wedding, the purple wedding, the battle of the bastards, the winds of winter to name a few. And who can ever forget Ramsay Bolton or Jon Snow or Ned stark or Cersei Lannister and the list can go on. GoT has been a topic of discussion for hours with friends and fans. We can just go on and on about the show given a chance but we will stop now.

Every technical aspect of the show was spot on and the cast and production evolved from Season 1 and their performances kept getting better. Although some characters were at the top of their games throughout like Peter Dinklage (Tyrion Lannister), Chares Dance (Tywin Lannister), Lena Heady (Cersei) Nikolaj Coster-Waldau (Jamie) Aidan Gillan (Littlefinger) and our absolute favorite Iwan Rheon (Ramsay Bolton). We are sure most of you all reading this must have watched the show and if you haven’t please just WATCH IT! I assure you won’t regret it. 

2. Black Mirror (Netflix)

This show is way ahead of its time and unfortunately, a lot of things shown on this show are becoming a reality soon. The common theme of the show examines the various consequences of technology in modern society. Here every episode is a new story with no continuation. Every episode is a masterpiece in itself. We watched the first season way back in 2011 or 2012 and we were truly intrigued then. But when I re-watched the episodes last year we were just spellbound because the stories seemed like reality and our near future.

The show portrays to us the dark side of technology. The name Black Mirror signifies the dark reflection of us that can be seen on the black screen of the devices when turned off. Huge applause for the creators of this show Charlie Brooker. Also hats off to the writers who have come up with such real, innovative, and thought-provoking stories. All the other technical aspects about the show are spot on right from the direction to the cinematography to background music. Except maybe for one or two episodes, we love each and every episode of this show. Each story transfers you into a futuristic world and it seems so real and possible. 

The set of actors in the show are brilliant. Some of them like Daniel Kaluuya, Anthony Mackie and Jerome Flynn have become big stars in the industry. Black Mirror is a truly phenomenal show and we assure you that every story in this show is sure to amaze you. We recommend this show strongly, if nothing we assure you that you will definitely start using technology more responsibly and cautiously.

1. Breaking Bad

Breaking bad is not just a show for us it is an emotion. It is undoubtedly the most well-made series ever. This show will stay with you forever. It is not your usual binge-able TV show. Here every episode is carefully crafted and slowly and steadily builds on the story.

The premise of the show is that Walter White is a high school Physics teacher who starts cooking and selling meth under dire circumstances. Then the story takes us on a journey with him and his accomplice into the world of drugs, mafia, and their own lives. The show went on for five seasons and stayed true to its character. The ending of the series was as perfect as it could have been.

The show made a star out of Bryan Cranston as Walter White and rightly so. He gave one of the most memorable performances in the history of television along with Aaron Paul as Jesse Pinkman. The remaining cast was also brilliant. The direction, script, cinematography everything was perfect. It’s not for no reason that BB is regarded as the greatest television series of all time even on the IMDB website.

I have recommended BB to so many people and many of them discontinued watching it calling it slow and not interesting enough. This show needs your patience and attention. It slowly develops its storyline then takes you on a roller coaster ride and finally gives you a perfect finish.

We have shared out Top Five and we would love to hear from you guys too. Of course  there have been many more series we loved and are close go our hearts especially Prison Break and The Walking Dead but the above five all absolutely our favorites from all the drama series that we have watched yet.