I hate when a promising premise and cast are wasted in indulgent storytelling.
What it's about
Before she disappears, a German astronaut leaves clues about an important (albeit dangerous) discovery she’s had onboard the international space station. It’s up to her husband and daughter to figure them out before it’s too late.
The take
At its core, The Signal is a compelling mystery made even more interesting by its sci-fi elements and tender father-daughter moments. The problem is that it goes on for way too long. This could’ve been a very engaging two-hour film, watchable from start to end, but because of its convoluted storytelling and unnecessarily slow pace, it’s an overlong four-part series. There’s a sense that writer and star Florian David Fitz, who plays Sven, had too much fun with the script’s non-linear and multi-perspective approach, but instead of elevating the material, it drags it down with lulls and entire scenes that could’ve been removed from the final cut. The Signal is not necessarily bad; in fact, for a series, it’s impressive how high its production value is and how trippy its mystery gets. But it would’ve been more impressive if Fitz had trimmed the fat off the story and condensed it into the feature-length film it should’ve been.
What stands out
The father-daughter bond between Sven and his daughter Charlie (Yuna Bennett) is so real and raw. The series could do with more of their shared moments.
Comments
Add a comment
Your name
Your comment
UP NEXT
UP NEXT
UP NEXT
More like this in
Ethos
A level of attention to aesthetics usually reserved for the most elaborate films, mixed with a complex and relevant story, make this series from Turkey unmatched in its quality
9.9
Caliphate
A psychological thriller that provides insight on what drove so many young people to ISIS.
8.9
Pretend it’s a City
A wildly entertaining series of interviews with a New York legend
9.2
Occupied
Norway's most expensive show ever is a timely thrill ride with a grim geopolitical premise.
8.7
Unorthodox
A well-acted fact-based thriller about untangling the grip of a close-knit community
8.5
Monster
The classic psychological thriller anime that’s simply one-of-a-kind
9.2
Escape at Dannemora
Based on a true prison escape story, this slow-burn suspense thriller features once-in-a-lifetime performances by a star-studded cast
9.3
Bad Banks
A thrilling German mini-series about a junior analyst who causes a new financial crisis
8.0
The Good Fight
Like Suits or The Good Wife, but sharper
9.1
Love
The perfectly awkward romcom series for when you crave a little cringe