Jeff Turnbull

I'm baffled by the number of glowing reviews for this show and wonder what they're comparing it to. While "Bodies" had an intriguing premise—a body appearing in the same place across four different time periods investigated by different detectives—the execution left much to be desired. The biggest issue was the overstuffed plot. Instead of focusing on the core murder mystery, the show spent far too much time on unnecessary details about the detectives' personal lives, which added little to the story. The pacing dragged, and the fragmented storytelling made it hard to follow. By episode five, I got frustrated and gave up—this could have been concluded in a maximum of four episodes instead of being stretched out unnecessarily. On top of this, the show seemed more focused on ticking boxes for social commentary than delivering a compelling mystery. The clumsy stereotyping of different eras and the overt messaging felt forced and detracted from the narrative. Some plot points, like the time travel elements, strained credibility even by sci-fi standards. Add in flat performances, clichéd writing, and irrelevant pop music, and the series fell apart. What could have been a great concept turned into a frustrating mess. It’s a shame because the idea had potential. Unfortunately, it’s buried under poor execution and preachy overtones.