El cuco de cristal

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.

The plot twist is wonderful, but the rest is just "meh." The initial premise that brings the protagonist to the town is very original, but from there it gets lost in useless, banal, and insubstantial dialogue. Many personal relationships lead nowhere; rather, they seem like a vehicle to get to the last episode and leave you speechless. The police investigation could have been given more weight; practically everything the viewer discovers about the case is thanks to flashbacks and not to the organic progress of an investigation, whether police-led or not.

The actors spend most of their time with the same facial expression, showing no evolution throughout the series.

The setting is the best thing about the TV serie. We need more works that explore the misnamed "empty Spain," that forgotten but magical Spain with its immeasurable cultural wealth.

The Crystal Cuckoo is a Spanish noir mystery that unfolds across two timelines in a remote town. The acting is decent and the atmosphere is fitting. In the first couple episodes there are compelling hints that dark secrets bubble just under the surface of the town's bucolic geniality. Constant shifts between the two timelines are annoying but the show's not difficult to follow. Instead, the main problem is that the mystery simply isn't very mysterious or interesting. The series is apparently based on a novel and there was a sense that the plot, structure and pacing would have worked in a book but weren't suited for the format of a show.

"This series easily deserves a 7-8 rating. I really don't understand the 6.5 - it's much better than that. It's a bit slow at times, but compared to the many genuinely bad shows out there, this one is excellent. Highly recommended!" The story is really good - exciting and gripping. There are a few slower moments, but they pass quickly.

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.