This is the type of entertainment that used to get made on a fairly regular basis yesteryear. Not anymore. Shows like this one are far and few between these days. A show which doesn't preach, insult or attack it's audiences or tries to force-feed a specific message of anykind. It is a series that is unabashedly entertaining, interesting and a pleasure to watch start to finish. The themes and ideas of this show are woven into the storyline and plot points as well as the journey of the characters. No empty virtue signalling or moral grand-standing here.
"The Terminal List" is an edge of your seat mystery-spy-action-thriller with a healthy dose of revenge seeking thrown in there, one that while not necessarily breaking any new ground (there are other similarly-themed series and movies of varying levels of quality) still manages to feel fresh and put it's own spin on the genre.
The show is not necessarily an easy watch and is at times grim and darkly-themed. But that is part and parcel of the story and the different paths the characters have to undertake. Which is also what makes for such compelling viewing.
Some may point to perhaps the overly long run of the episodes. I personally, do not mind that one bit. The series is eight episodes long...and you actually get your money's worth. I am sick and tired of these series that are only six to eight episodes, where individual episodes sometimes a have a forty minutes or less runtime...looking at you Disney Plus! Besides, this is actually a positive, because it allows the show to breathe, the story to unfold properly and the characters to actually develop in a meaningful way.
In addition, perhaps most importantly, this a very solid, well made, cast, acted, written and directed series. I am aware that it is based on the books by James Carr (I'm assuming this series will get more seasons), which I have not read. It speaks to the effectiveness of the series, that it draws those like myself, who have not read the source material, to this world and characters. Of special mention is the pilot/ first episode, directed by Antoine Fuqua himself, who puts on a clinic on how to properly start a show and set the tone. Chris Pratt is no doubt a standout here but by no means the only one. Taylor Kitsch, Constance Wu, JD Pardo, Riley Keough, Jane Tripplehorn, Jay Courtney are all good in their respective roles, as are others not mentioned here. The cinematography, action sequences, the music also nicely round off the whole deal.
"The Terminal List" is an example of talented people in front and behind the camera, working on a project they care about and are invested in.
