El cuco de cristal

The Crystal Cuckoo: Spanish thriller series. Clara Merlo (Catalina Sopelana), a young doctor, undergoes a heart transplant. Seeking to meet her donor's family, Clara travels to a small mountain town, an event that coincides with the disappearance of a baby in a public park. Her stay in the town leads her into a spiral of secrets, mysteries and disappearances stretching back over decades. This one has a touch of Folk Horror about it, involving local festivals where people dress up in bird masks. One of those associated with the disappearances also wears such a mask and performs bird dances. An involved, complex narrative moving between the 1970s, early 2000s and 2023/2024. It will keep you gripped though, just pay attention. Some gruesome murders, a terrible predator and a few plot twists. You may work out some of what is going on but the finale surprised me. Six episodes on Netflix. It reminded me of The Baztan Trilogy serial killer films also on Netflix. Directed by Laura Alvea & Juan Miguel del Castillo, Written by Jesús Mesas Silva & Javier Andrés Roig, based on the novel of the same name by Javier Castillo. 8/10.

I haven't read the book, but I suspect that something is missing from the plot of this TV adaptation. The acting is OK and the setting is great; while the pace is slow, I'm willing to look past those issues. However, it is unfortunate how the scriptwriters fall into so many tropes and breaks in logic. It is a miniseries, so I don't blame them for condensing the story, but please stop writing such predictable outcomes. The flashbacks also felt a little 'been there, done that.' Without spoiling anything, many moments felt like they would have benefited from a better sequence of events. One thing is certain, the ending and logic of the story makes wonder why can't writers use AI to come up with better stories or adaptation. I'm getting a little tire of the same old dump logic.

There are some creepy parts to it, and it starts off much more interesting than the tailspin it takes you in from midpoint or so to the end, but overall - this was a rough watch. It contains scenes that are probably a good bit longer than they need to be - scenes that are very tough to watch, but I guess it also brings attention to the issues that you will see in this film at the very least as a counter.

I had this on in the background while studying and it was just very meh overall - had its moments which almost made me gave it a 6 but the deeply disturbing scenes which are longer than they should and/or need to be makes it a middle of the pack limited series for me.

I liked this 6-episode miniseries; it goes by quickly and is quite intense and mysterious with disturbing crimes and moments of high tension.

The scene of the 'Tamborrada' is amazing and my favorite.

The idyllic setting in Cáceres-Extremedura, tragically hit hard by last summer's forest fires, is a welcome bonus. And the landscapes are simply breathtaking!

I would have liked if Clara's character had been developed more; it remains quite superficial.

And also the series finale must be a bit longer, perhaps with one more episode; it ends somewhat rushed. Although it also had some unexpected moments at the end.

This Spanish newcomer will undoubtedly be most enjoyable for viewers who can lose themselves in the mystery of Yesques And of course if you enjoy the legends of the forest combine with very dark crimes.

Enjoy the ride!

The plot developed well as the present is illuminated by the past, unsolved mysteries slowly come to light and get resolved by the end of the series. The characters are well developed as their past lives come to light revealing the reasons for them being the people they are today. Overall, well written, well acted and well directed.