Plan B

Yikes. Where to start? First, this is maybe the dullest and most joyless time travel show in history. The main character repeatedly invokes a service that lets him travel back in time but really has zero questions about who these people are or how this is possible? Second, everything is played with a deadly seriousness that just doesn't work. Time travel shows usually involve a little humor as characters repeat scenes over again or know about things in advance to comedic effect. But not here. Instead, everything devolves into melodrama. Last, but certainly not least, all of the characters are completely insufferable. The story is written in such a way that the writers are obviously trying to present the leads as star crossed lovers we should be rooting for. But the main character isn't likable and his wife is even worse. The creators should go back in time for a do over on this whole show.

A masterful character study on obsession, control, love, and independence. Each episode will leave you emotionally wired.

The first season follows the tumultuous relationship of Philip and Evelyn. Philip is a well-meaning but driven lawyer, while Evelyn is an independent and dedicated cellist. Their relationship is a constant push and pull between love and control and independence, and when Evelyn decides she's had enough, Philip stumbles on the "Plan B" agency, an agency that will allow him to travel back in time to change the past.

With this power, his controlling and obsessive tendencies come to a new head. Given the power to redo the past to perfection, he becomes more and more obsessed with changing the past to protect his relationship and his family. But despite all the changes, we can still see the core of Philip's and Evelyn's characters and flaws remain unchanged.

Fantastic depiction of realistic, nuanced, and flawed characters. The dynamic between Philip and Evelyn is riveting. And the show is not afraid to create some of the most emotionally tense pieces of television I've ever seen. One of the few shows that I haven't been able to binge-watch, since each episode left me too emotionally wired to watch another. Would highly recommend.

Plan B attempts to explore the "what if" of decision making. What if we had the option to go back and do it differently? It's not as easy as changing one thing to create the desirable outcome. There are many variables attached. It's an interesting premise to see various versions of the past trying to manipulate the future. The problem is the series is not that engaging. While I was interested enough to see where it would lead, I didn't care about the characters and sometimes found them annoying. As a concept, I found Plan B creative but wish they'd done something more substantial with the set-up. Still the series held my partial attention at times.

Total: 5.5/10 Plot: 6/10 Characters: 6/10 Protagonists: 7/10 Antagonists: 4/10 Romance: 5/10 Philosophy: 8/10 Entertainment: 6/10

This show is pretty close to being actually really good.

I wish I could recommend this, but unfortunately there are blatant issues.

First of all in the first episode relatively at the beginning (hence not really a spoiler) It seems like the brother of the protagonists girlfriend is sleeping with his sister, which is never brought up again. This to me was egregious and I wanted some form of pay off to that scene that never came.

The second issue is, that we just don't really get any satisfactory payoff scenes at all. They are always drowned in new issues for the protagonist.

The third is that the protagonist is really not very likeable even though he isn't as horrible as the other characters.

To me this could have been a dark comedy about the abyss that the human sociality can be. But it also fails at that due to the plot not allowing for things to spiral out of the ordinary too far before our protagonist pulls the halyard and sets sail to another realm of possibilities only to run another issue.

The acting is good. The overall promised time travel works relatively well even though way too unexplored.

I wanted to like this show because I like the concept of a character knowing the future in fiction and acting accordingly to his knowledge.

I'm willing to give it a 5.5/10 for what it's worth with a tendency to a 6.

The concept is very good even if there are some (serious) holes to be filled (like how did he pay for the service in the first place, how changing the past affect everything in the future, and so on). Apart from that, during its 6 part span, the story develops nicely, slowly but surly. The finale is well worth the wait and gives you a glimpse of what may come next.

The protagonist, Patric J. Adams, who made himself a household name with Suits, takes on a completely different character here, a much less amiable figure with a lot of dark shadows in him. That makes his Philip a more believable human being yet, obviously, less likeable. All the other actors are also fine in their roles with the female lead, Karine Vanasse, is outstanding. (Her character's brother, played by François Arnaud, and Philip's borther, acted by Joshua Close, are on spot here as well.)

The production value is up to date, the camerawork is strong and steady (no shaky home video-like BS here), the score and editing are all humble to the story.

All in all, this is a fairly good mini-series, well worth the watch.