Eric, produced by Holly Pullinger and written by Abi Morgan (The Split, Suffragette) has finally landed on Netflix after viewers have anxiously been waiting for this thriller series. For starters, Eric has itself to be one of the most successful Netflix series of the year and comes close to Baby Reindeer, which has been under the spotlight for quite some time now. However, looks like it’s time for Richard Gadd’s series’ to take a step back and make room for Eric.
This latest thriller series stars the one and only Benedict Cumberbatch, who people know as love as either Sherlock or Doctor Strange, or the endless characters played by the Emmy Award-winning actor. Cumberbatch, once again, shines through in Eric, and in this review, we will talk a little more about the series, and why we think it deserves to be on your watchlist for the weekend!
Eric Makes a Big Splash on Netflix
The premise of this series is quite simple at first glance. It is the story of a father, who is also a puppeteer, and his descent to madness as he tries to find his son who has gone missing. At a more surface level, Eric doesn’t offer anything far too unique, other than the career choice of the protagonist, however, once you actually watch all six episodes of the series, you are bound to think differently.
If you thought Eric was all about finding a lost boy, you are mistaken, just as we were when we watched the trailer and a handful of promos of the series. This 6-part limited series has a lot going for it, and rightfully so. it is set during the 1980s AIDS epidemic, which in itself offers a subplot that remains in the background throughout the series and should be paid attention to every now and then.
The reason we say “every now and then” is because, on the whole, Eric has a lot going on. Eric is very packed as a series, and if not 6, this series could have lasted for 12 episodes, and no one would have batted an eye, but of late, most series last somewhere between 6-10 episodes, especially on streaming platforms.
So while viewers get only 6 episodes of Eric, it is more than enough for them to decide that it is Benedict Cumberbatch who will be bagging most of the awards and accolades in the coming season, and it would be a waste to even put anyone else in the running.
Cumberbatch does an exceptional job in Eric, where he plays the role of Vincent, a narcissist who has been isolated by his wife amidst a crippling marriage and also by his peers and colleagues.
Apart from Cumberbatch’s performance, Eric, aka the title and the huge Monsters Inc-esque puppet, plays a significantly small role as compared to the other things going on in the series but offers a hint of uniqueness that the Netflix original holds onto.
Conclusion
There’s a lot going on in this series, and you will find yourself glued to it. If not for the plot, if not for Cumberbatch, you will stare at your Netflix screen for just how beautifully Eric has been made and executed, so make sure you don’t miss out on this series!