Kotlina

I had been fascinated to see that this was a series from Bosnia Herzegovina as I'd never seen anything from that country before. The first impression I got was that it does the country down - it's corrupt. Prosecutors want fake confessions just to close a case, museum directors are fiddling the books, cops are bent.

I managed one and a half episodes before giving up completely. The over elaborate plots, wooden acting, washed out photography all conspired to convince me there was no point in inflicting more of this on myself. Even though there are only five episodes I wanted those hours of my life to be spent on something worthwhile.

I can't get over how bad this was. Don't make my mistake and start watching.

From memory this is the first Bosnian series/film I have ever seen - and I'm 75 year of age!

THE HOLLOW/KOTLINA, is far and away one of the better short series it has been my pleasure to watch recently, and if the producers want to follow it up with another series, I will be sure to watch it. In deed, given the way the program ended, it was tailor made for a second series.

All the performances are solid and believable, and the locations suitable grey and uninviting (my apologies to the people of Bosnia and Herzegovina). There were several clever references to other - mostly Hollywood-made - movies, which I won't give away here, and a surprise twist at the end of the final episode that I for one did not see coming.

I caught the series on SBS, the Australian television station, and highly recommend it to those with access to that network.

The Hollow offers a compelling, provocative crime series that explores deeply rooted issues within Bosnian society through the lens of mystery and thriller.

The characters are far from idealized heroes; they are layered, often driven by their own fears and biases, which makes them incredibly relatable. I did not expect this from Bosnian series.

Visually, the series employs a dark, almost melancholic aesthetic that amplifies the sense of isolation and tension. This, paired with a subtle narrative rhythm and well-executed plot twists, keeps viewers captivated from the first to the last episode.

I tried to do this without spoilers, it's a short series, one 5 episodes. Hope for the Hollow 2.