Suspicion 1x01 Persons of Interest with Episode Criticism

The premise

In New York, the son of media tycoon Katherine Newman is kidnapped by kidnappers wearing the masks of the British royal family. Shortly thereafter, leaked video from a security camera goes viral and the lives of five apparently unrelated people are turned upside down because the police believe they are cold-blooded accomplices.

Well stolen

What may sound unexciting on paper at first turns out to be the beginning of a possibly extremely interesting and unusual thriller series over the course of the first 45 minutes of the new Apple TV+ series Suspicion. The material is based on the popular Israeli production "Kfulim" (in German: Doppelganger), which has so far had two seasons with at least 18 episodes in its home country and follows a similar plot. In the original it is the Iranian defense minister who is kidnapped and in the British remake it is the son of a powerful media entrepreneur. But that doesn't detract from the effectiveness of the plot. Screenwriter Rob Williams has cleverly adapted the material and created a series with a high level of production and a healthy dose of suspense, at least on first impressions.

Questions upon questions

The pilot episode is superbly timed and promises an exciting season right from the start. In the first few minutes we witness how an unknown youth is kidnapped from the corridors of a posh hotel by a ruthless gang. Who is the young man and why did the kidnappers choose him? And why in such a prominent and camera-secured location? Of course, the pilot episode doesn't answer all of the questions that plague the attentive viewer throughout the episode. In addition, new puzzles are constantly being added. Who is the black woman whose wedding day we are witnessing, who is the Indian man sitting at his father-in-law's outdated computer? And why does the camera follow a lecturer getting out of her car in Oxford? And what do all these people have to do with each other? Questions upon questions that seem to follow one another without any connection.

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Top craftsmanship...

Of course, the basic meaning soon becomes clear and the tension increases with every minute. Also because director Chris Long (The Americans) and cameraman Adam Suschitzky (Fear the Walking Dead) come up with some ideas. In addition to typical settings such as observing eyes in the rear-view mirror of a car, or the camera's view of the shoes of a man who has just got out of a car, there are also more rarely used perspectives. Again and again, the series creators throw in small snippets of surveillance cameras in found footage style, which can always be found exactly where the five protagonists, who will be discussed below, are staying.

The trick works particularly well because the kidnappers mentioned above were also observed through the eye of a corresponding device and the recording is now being used to inspire half of Great Britain. Long also manages to avoid overly hectic editing and gives his protagonists time to establish themselves. In short, the episode scores with an unmistakably British touch that conveys both coolness and efficiency and thus stands out pleasantly from similar US productions.

... And the acting is impeccable

In addition, there is the restrained but haunting score by Gilad Benamran (Fauda), which is fitting for a thriller, as well as a great cast.

Media mogul Katherine Newman is portrayed by Ms. "Kill Bill", Uma Thurman herself. As Jemma Simmons from Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. well-known Elisabeth Henstridge is the teacher Tara. Kunal Nayyar (Raj Koothrappali from The Big Bang Theory) tries his hand at a serious role this time, playing misunderstood computer experts Aadesh and Georgina Campbell (Krypton, Broadchurch) as a bride caught in the whirl of events.

There are also Saturn Awards winner Noah Emmerich (The Americans) as Scott Anderson and well-known Scorpion star Elyes Gabel as the shady Sean Tilson. The concentrated load of acting power is already noticeable in the pilot episode. So it's extremely exciting and entertaining to watch the different characters as their fates are inevitably linked, great.

Conclusion

The VoD provider Apple TV+ is perhaps still one of the most underrated providers on the market. Like the Spielberg remakes Amazing Stories, For All Mankind, Foundation or See, Suspicion is also one of the high-quality productions. A strong cast, clever camera work and great timing make you want more. If the season manages to keep the arc of suspense and present an exciting yet believable resolution, there is certainly nothing standing in the way of a second season.

Suspicion: Series trailer

Finally, here is the trailer for the new series "Suspicion", which started today on the Apple TV+ streaming service:

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