Saint X

I don't understand the bad reviews. It's a mini series based on a book. I did not read the book so I was going on blind. However, I think it's good. I see a bunch of reviews saying it has "bad acting". I actually think the acting is good. I like the cast. It's got the Natalee Holloway-missing-in-Aruba-feel. Honestly it's a good series to watch because unfortunately we all have a false sense of security when we are in a vacation spot outside of our own country. I'm only 3 episodes in but so far so good. My guess is that the culprit is not the person they are setting you up to believe it is. Have I see better? Yes. Have a seen worse? Oh God yes. It's definitely worth a watch and the bad reviews are being overly critical.

The bad reviews out there are par for the course. But some of them don't even make sense. Like comparing it to White Lotus. (Because they're at tropical resorts, these 2 shows in totally different genres are worth comparison, lol.) Or people complaining about flashbacks every 3 minutes. (There are some flashbacks, but not many. Those people must be confused by the story progressing along different timelines.)

Most of the negative reviews are likely either boomers who think all tropical nations (and people) are the same, or Gen-Z who can't follow a storyline that's more complex than a Tik Tok lip-sync video.

Turn it on, it's fun.

First of all, to those who find the flashbacks confusing or even claim they ruin the show - this is pure ignorance. The flashbacks were obvious by they were filmed (so not confusing at all), and they were relevant to the story. To those who think the show was slow - you're just impatient.

Anyone with a average IQ + common sense can follow this plot and understand how the flashbacks are necessary to the series.

The acting wasn't Oscar worthy, but it wasn't bad - it was on par with a Hulu series. PTSD was well portrayed (bravo!). And in the final episode we learn exactly what happened to Alison. No, there was no eye witness in the series to what happened to her, but her sister came to a reasonable conclusion after compiling the facts of that night she knew to be true.

The ending was, I think, unexpected, a relief (by how it differed compared to the expectation that was set throughout the entire series), and sad. I'd be happy to watch a season 2... I'd love to understand why Claire moved to the west coast to a family that has yet to heal from the trauma they all experienced, and why she left s boyfriend who loved her. So, please give us a season two and continue to develop these characters!

The narrative arc of this gripping mystery is not simple and you do have to pay attention. But that's true to the source material of the novel. Moreover, the point of the story has more to do with complex issues of truth, social stratification, and the search for safety from trauma, than your garden-variety murder mystery usually serves up. Furthermore, the back-and-forth pattern of the storytelling emphasizes the reality of cataclysmic personal trauma: one can never really leave the terrible event in the past. To watch good people self-destruct under the weight of their own bad choices can be intensely moving, but that's why real tragedy has been a staple of great drama for thousands of years. Don't be afraid to give yourself the gift of seeing great actors in a terrible ordeal just because you might have to pay close attention to the time-shifting plot.

Unfortunately the entire premise of the show is flashbacks. If you're into that kind of thing then you have struck gold because it's literally slingshotting between periods every 3-5 minutes. I find it's a horrible plot design for television and doesn't really give you a lot to look forward to.

Also, lacklustre character development in the first episode. I don't really like any of the characters or hate any of them it's just kind of blah acting.

Really wish they would have given us some big moment for the first episode at least to set the pace or get us excited for what's left to come.

It's a miss.