I'll warn about the spoilers when they start so please continue reading for spoiler free for now.....
I didn't realise how big this show was. It came up on my recommendations and I started watching it at around midnight like I always do. I watched two episodes. Very good. It was only after that I realised the whole world was talking about it-I normally wouldn't have watched it if I knew everyone else was because it kind of bugs me that it's everywhere and I would have watched it after it'd all died down. But this show was so good, I watched the next four episodes in one sitting.
The acting is awesome by everyone. There isn't a weak link. The cinematography is absolutely amazing and it's brilliant to watch. The storyline is mind blowing. I will get to why I didn't give this a full five stars later.
So the story is that a group of people get invited to "play" games from an almost cult like group in a secret location where they compete until one person is left who would then end up winning a lot of prize money. All the people participating are ones that are in financial difficulties and are in desperate need for money. What at first they don't know is that if they get eliminated from a game, they not only lose the game, they get killed. But they have a choice of whether to participate in the games as a majority vote. You know that only one person can win and some of the characters are so cool and/or very likeable.
***SPOILERS AHEAD***
It's an absolutely amazing show. It really is. Very emotional at times and you are rooting for characters when you know they are going to die. It was good that they had a side thing going of selling organs through the black market.
Episode Six "Marbles" was a shocker as so many people and great characters died. It was crazy. The reason why I didn't give this show top marks is because it was painfully obvious that 001 was a part of the cult like group. There were too many clues.
For example, when they are all rioting and he starts to shout that he is scared, the game gets stopped straight away.
When they do the tug of war, he knows exactly what to do to get his team to win (even though they only just did)
When it's revealed that there is someone with a higher power talking through the phone...(who else would it be?)
And most obviously, in Episode Six, you don't see him get shot. It just gives the illusion of him getting shot. Ugh. It was too obvious that 001 was in on it the whole time.
The end. It was OK. I also kind of knew the main character wout want to go back and stop what was happening. But at least give your money to your daughter and help her have a better life first. And 001 is now gone so why are the games continuing? Also seemed a bit ridiculous that a policeman could just follow and infiltrate it just like that.
But the show is amazing. Deserves to be watched and its most definitely open for a second season.