Episode #1.1

I loved idea of series. And the presence of Benedict Cumberbatch in cast.

I was seduced by the fine work of young Ivan Morris Howe and the short presence of Ioachim Ciobanu. And, not last, the construction of story, the smart clues of final being obvious good points.

An episode about secrets and selfishness, about obsessions and a presumed huge significant blue hero, proposing some help to humans lost in their restrained worlds.

So, fair premises and good expectations. Sensitive themes and return, in my case , to imaginary friend, tensions in family, morning sundays puppets show and the real traits of various types of monsters.

"Didn't anybody tell you? The real monsters ain't under the bed."

On the surface, "Eric" is about a child abduction, a raving alcoholic for a dad, a heartbroken mom, a troubled detective. Underneath that surface however, the show, created by Lucy Forbes and Abi Morgan, is telling a much deeper story. And it does so disarmingly, stripping away any notion of your standard darker mystery drama after even the initialm few minutes of this very first episode. The pacing, the acting, the story, the imagination: "Eric" does not hesitate to show you its full arsenal in its first installment, and it secures a gripping start on its viewers.

Since the show was first teased, it immediately caught my attention. Initially startled, questioning the intention of adding an imaginery monster to an otherwise talented cast, the execution of that idea is done superbly, even if not present for the largest part of this first episode. The strong format of directly opposing contrasts, of a happy-go-merry puppet show and the show's creator's lack of decent humanity, of a grueling event of losing one's child and the setting of an imaginery friend, of that same imaginery friend and the words it chooses to speak; all of it is created and directed with the upmost care. These stark contrasts will carry the mini series to memorable TV, of that I am already quite certain.

And if it is not that format, it will be the cast. We are shown, once again, the incredible range of Benedict, playing an out-of-touch Vincent, that will surely sink deeper and deeper in his own medicine. Or McKinley Belcher III, portraying an incredibly strong character as inspector Ledroit, with his own baggage and visually present torments. But for me, as surprised as I was at this notion, it was Gaby Hoffmann's conveyance of Cassie that stole the first episode. The hurt, the anger, the sadness, and the disbelief, all emotions are excellently adapted by Hoffmann, making her the character you will come to loathe for its script, but to love for its art. Episode 1 takes home an 8 out of 10, and sets the stage for a carefully thought out and enticing mystery drama.

After The Child in Time in 2017. A children's book author's life is shattered when his daughter goes missing.

Benedict Cumberbatch has gone back to the same well. He plays Vincent, an arrogant hard drinking children's entertainer.

The television show where he is a puppeteer and is aimed at pre teens is facing declining ratings. Vincent refuses to compromise when the network bosses want a new puppet aimed at older children.

Soon his son Edgar disappears on his way to school alone. Leading to a police search.

The story is set in the mid 1980s. I thought there was nothing much outstanding from the first episode apart from thee period setting. Especially given that it was shot mainly in Hungary.

The plot turns towards other characters. Such as the police detective Ledroit who has a grudge against a bar owner. The vice cops who were shaking down a patron.

It looks like another sprawling streaming drama that with pacing the makes the plot drag. The final shot at least made me think that it could go in an interesting direction.