One of Us is Lying (2021 – 2022)

A brain, an athlete, a princess, a criminal and a “basket case” walk into detention–but only the first four make it out alive.

My thoughts: Gossip Girl-like murder mystery centering on soap and teen angst.  A light-weight adaptation of a pretty good book.

2.5/5

Irmandade/Brotherhood (2019 – ) Season 1

A hard-working lawyer discovers that her missing brother has been jailed for years and is a leader of an ascendant criminal faction.

My thoughts: Little nuance in this somewhat cliched, fairly straight-forward tale of corruption inside Brazil’s penal system.

3/5

Wentworth (2013 – 2021) Season 1

The confronting look into the lives of the inmates and prison staff of Wentworth Correctional Centre as they navigate the ups and downs of their lives in the prison system.

My thoughts: More grounded and more compelling than its American counterpart Orange is the New Black.  Loved Ruthless Martha Stewart.

4/5

Fargo (2014 – 2024) Season 1

Various chronicles of deception, intrigue, and murder in and around frozen Minnesota. All of these tales mysteriously lead back one way or another to Fargo, North Dakota.

My thoughts: A quirky, character-rich successor to the offbeat film.

4/5

Griselda (2024)

Fleeing from Medellín to Miami, Griselda Blanco creates one of the most ruthless cartels in history.

My thoughts: Tepid dramatization of the rise and fall of a drug queen.  The performances vacillate between underwhelming and hammy.

2.5/5