30 denari

There will be no spoilers. This is my review of the first three episodes.

If you enjoy the supernatural, if you enjoy things that are a bit gory, but not gory for the sake of being gory, and if you love watching characters being put through some stuff, then you will absolutely love this series. While culturally some may not understand the appeal, or want to read subtitles, this is one of the most interesting and probably well constructed series I have seen so far. It has compelling characters that you actually care about.

The exiled priest, the veterinarian, the mayor, the mayor's wife, the townspeople who are not just a backdrop. This series does something that I have not seen in a long time, and that is to create a sense of urgency with regard to the characters safety. If you watch other series or films where they failed to establish the characters, you have no feeling of urgency or danger for the characters you are watching on the screen and in tonight's episode you got a great example, (episode 3).

The characters in this story are actually good people and you watch them deal with phenomena that goes past the pale when it comes to being otherworldly. This is matched by the set design, photography, the effects, and of course the art direction. The color palette is what makes the horror elements interesting to watch and the creature design in the first episode was quite good. The effects though are some of the best I have seen in a while and probably a little over the top but still well done.

The acting is also first rate. While I do not speak Spanish I seemed to know enough cognates to understand what is going on, and watching it with subtitles does not detract from it in the least. I have a decent attention span and can read quickly as the dialog does move along pretty quickly.

If I knew more about Spain, and Spanish I might be more critical of the acting, but seeing these actors having to run up stairs, work in the heat, and still maintain their characters, they deserve all the praise I am giving them. The main characters being the priest, the veterinarian and the mayor get a lot of abuse heaped on them in these first three episodes and as someone who understands a bit of what it takes to do that job, they definitely deliver their lines on point. Everything is believable which is what really blows me away.

The writing in this is very calculated, and very well done. They have done their homework and have come up with an excellent story that they are putting together. While we have not been treated to the entire series, this series does not have that kind of predictability that you get with some others as you have no real idea where the direction is going. At the end of tonight's episode I was surprised at what took place and if you watched it too you probably had that moment where you knew this is very human kind of story. In a lot of things I've seen lately you see characters doing what you would expect their characters would do, but in the case of this latest episode you watched what a person in that situation would probably do, that is if they were indeed a good person.

Having said that, and I have not spoiled anything, I think that these first three episodes are a great start to a series that I immediately became wrapped up in. The first episode hooked me in a way that I have not felt in probably 20 years. The last time I saw something that good was probably when the series premier of "Millenium" hit the airwaves. Though neither series has anything in common, the feeling of "This is going to be good" was the same. I take a great deal of enjoyment watching actors not only do their job but you can tell there is a level of acting here that is greatly amplified by the choice in casting. The casting direction in this was really good from the standpoint that you are watching an ensemble cast all of whom seem to benefit from being around other good actors.

While this review seems a bit lacking in the details, it should make people who are on the fence want to see it. It is the simple fact that when something is done well, it should be praised for what it is and what it does. This show made me want to buy a heavy bag, get some tattoos and join the priesthood. At the very least work out more. It's not what you think it's going to be so do not let any negative reviews keep you from watching it because I guarantee you that if you sit through it, and pay attention, you'll see some things pop up that you should be looking for. There's some hidden details in this show that after a second viewing cropped up.

I wholeheartedly encourage everyone to watch this show especially if you love the supernatural, and all that it entails. Because from where I am sitting they are treating it the way it should be treated. HIgh Praise for this series.