Harshita Gupta

The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel is what Vanity Fair describes as “the chatty bustling period piece” and it is an absolute treat to watch it! The show-runners, Amy Sherman-Palladino and Daniel Palladino have produced an Emmy winning Amazon comedy which you can binge watch over the weekend and still feel energised to walk into a new week with a delighted smile! The one word that comes to mind while watching this vibrant and glorious onscreen world is the word “Refreshing”! Midge (Mrs. Maisel, played by Rachel Brosnahan), who’s making a name for herself in a man’s world of stand – up comedy is perky and has excellent timing! She’s able to surf on words with utter ease and bring forth many issues pertaining to women of that era without getting melodramatic. She juggles jobs, children, parents and admirers but does not let them come in the way of her passion. She does make all of them part of her act and that gets her peels of laughter, plenty of claps and autograph requests. The series begins in 1958 and now “Its’ the sixties man”! (That’s the title of one of the episodes in S3.) The tumultuous 60s has enough meat for the writers of the show to chew on and give meatier scripts to Brosnahan whose character needs to evolve now from her usual comedy droll. She’s still glamorous, gutsy and has a flare for being on the microphone. However, her character arc can be shaped a little better and with it Midge’s onstage performances. This show belongs to Susie Myerson (Alex Borstein) as much as to Midge. She’s keeps the amusement alive in this comedy – drama with her stupendous performance! Not only is she Midge’s manager but is gradually becoming a wonderful friend and ally and this bond needs to grow in S4. She is at the threshold of two different worlds and they merge because of her presence. Her character development has been impressive and it’s wonderful to note how she’s discovering herself just as Midge has been navigating her way closer to her dream. The other characters of the show are not mere props either. They have their own story lines and bring their own energy to it. It’s surprisingly ironic how the directors have used silence in some of the scenes to leave a deep impact. The scene of Rose and Abe Weissman holding hands in their empty apartment looking out of the window is deeply moving. Luke Kirby as the real life comedian Lenny Bruce has definitely created a place for himself. The crooner Shy Baldwin’s character gives a new direction to the plot line yet personally, I didn’t find his musical performance very entertaining. They slowed down the pace and somehow did not gel with my viewing experience. The larger than life production has been showcased beautifully and so have the costumes! The nuances of its time period have been captured perfectly and the custom of Yom Kippur provides an interesting time frame because of it’s yearly recurrence. S4 is to be aired in the winter of 2021. It has become a Christmas tradition with Amazon to air it at that time of the year. I shall eagerly await it and what really makes Mrs. Maisel so marvelous is that she is not based on a real life person but on you and me. IMDB Rating: 8.7/10

Bridgerton, this season’s favourite and currently the most watched show on Netflix, rides high on Regency romance, friendship and passion! The quote “Just because something is not perfect, does not make it any less worthy of love.” by Daphne Bridgerton is the central theme of the show. While the period drama has successfully showcased the beautiful ball gowns, gorgeous and lavish ambience, high society glamour and a bit outrageous hairdo ( of the queen ); what the viewer can unearth is that love does conquer all only if it is believed in. When all the superficial layers are stripped off from our stereo typical “Hero” and he is found to be wanting, the story emphasises that he is yet, very much worthy of love. The same goes for Society at large and the concept of “Perfect marriage”. The Narrator, voiced eloquently by Dame Julie Andrews in her charismatic voice adds a flavour of zing to the story. She not only chronicles the story but is also London’s most notorious gossip columnist. This makes the narrative quite intriguing as the viewer wants to figure out her identity just like the other characters in the show. The friendship between Eloise Bridgerton ( Claudia Jessie ) and Penelope Featherington ( Nicola Coughlan ) is very refreshing and they come across as the most appealing characters of the show, without whom it would have reduced to just a love story. They may be the misfits in their very homes but they keep the pace of the story alive and gripping! Daphne’s ( Phoebe Dynevor ) freshness, Duke of Hastings ( Renge - Jean Page ) charm and Lady Danbury’s ( Adjou Andoh ) elegance, all add to the aplomb of the show! It is absolutely binge worthy and Season 2 is eagerly awaited!

After binge watching the thrilling Mirzapur S2, I needed something to soothe my excited nerves and was recommended A Suitable Boy ( A limited series by Mira Nair ) based on the novel by Vikram Seth. The immensely talented cast, the soulful music and the narration of the story without any bias was absolutely delightful! It was like a breath of fresh air. It was a bit slow in the beginning but I personally enjoyed its pace. Watched the first two episodes dubbed in Hindi and then switched to English. The subtle nuances added to the flavour of the story narration. The feeling of liberation for many characters toward the end of the story is both beautiful as well as thought provoking as it means different for different characters. Tabu, Ishaan Khatter and Tanya Maniktala have surpassed themselves in portraying their characters and have also kept the weave of the story gripping! Will recommend this work of art for pleasurable viewing experience !

The much awaited CARGO released on Netflix and the rave reviews it is receiving are impressive! Cargo is India’s first Sci - Fi movie with a twist! It has a pace of its own which grows on you. Loneliness is a theme which has been wrapped carefully in the philosophical fabric of the story. Shweta Tripathi and Vikrant Massey have portrayed their complex characters with utter ease. Indian Mythological characters are interestingly woven in the narrative. From Prahastha to Ghatotkach they each bring their own back story which gives it an extraordinary touch! Massey’s character gifts a watch, a symbol of time towards the end of the story. I see this movie as a gift to the Indian audience which is breaking stereotypes and what is heartening to note is that the audience has also realised that it is about time to truly appreciate this gift!

The panoramic views are breathtaking and soul satisfying! The actors are brilliant !! However the story, unfortunately is not the real “Hero”. There are also no “unexpected endings”, twists and turns in the plot. In short, it’s predictable. It’s a wee bit slow for my taste. There were times when my mind drifted elsewhere. Why then did I finish this series? I guess I just went along the flow and it wasn’t exactly boring. I enjoyed watching the characters and the plot line unravel. It was also interesting to have a different perspective on the issue of infidelity. Hope’s ( an important character ) self realisation at the end is quite insightful. She’s also the most complex character of this show and has been portrayed remarkably with ease by Annette O'Toole. It’s a show with its own sweet melody! Let its pace grow on you. Happy Watching!

Netflix’s first German language web series - DARK is quite a compelling watch! It’s an interesting blend of thrilling Mystery and dramatic Science fiction. Its masterfully planned out plot is impeccably executed by the co - creators of the show, Baran bo Odar and Jantje Friese. Kudos to them and the entire team of Dark for unravelling this gripping tale of time travel! I loved how the story unfolded through family photographs and how they play an important role in the plot line. The Golden watch, the name “Charlotte”, the silver St. Christopher pendant, the yellow raincoat....have been woven beautifully in the loop of time and have become symbols and mementos in their own right. The small sleepy German (fictitious) town of Winden is the perfect backdrop for the story. Family secrets intertwine and inter personal drama is panned out from 1953 to 2019 and beyond. The existence of a wormhole in the cave system beneath the local nuclear power plant, and the happy dose of bright colours of the 80’s may make the series seem similar to another popular Netflix web series titled Stranger Things but that comparison fades away quickly as the plot becomes complex, the web of characters take root in the town’s intriguing past and the viewer gets engrossed. The show has a distinct visual style.Shots are long and drawn out. The astounding sound track and background score of the show live up to its name and the music like Time is “alive” in this show! The pace of the show is slow but gratifying. There are times when one is pressed to pause and think. S3 pales in comparison to the first two seasons. It’s also a bit morbid. However, the thread of the story line continues to keep a strong grip on the viewer. Pace picks up in the second last episode when all threads are connected to each character to form the complete story web. The fine art of story telling has given enough weightage to each character and bound them well to each other and to the tale. Louis Hofmann as Jonas Khanwald has given an outstanding performance! He’s played this complex character with utter ease. Be patient and the viewing experience is guaranteed to be unique!