**Does contain entire season spoilers** **Does contain entire season spoilers**. **And even possible future season storyline spoilers**
Strange how the Icelanders can keep doing it so well. The series 'Trapped' especially the first season showed us how intriguing and absorbing a drama series can be made.
Maybe a constant attention to the screen, the need to read the dialogue rather than fiddle around with other things really does focus and draw a person in to the production.
It gives these foreign language subtitled series almost a novel like structure to it. Almost as if you are reading a book and instead of using ones imagination to picture it all in your mind it is instead played out in front of you.
Of cause there is not a total suspension of all of ones imagination as that is usually put to use considering what has gone on, working out what is going on in that particular scene & episode and contemplating where it is all going. Freeing up you could say some of our AI processing power to be able to utilise it elsewhere then.
In this series I consider the Dog was the key to it all. Many folk just did not realise until much later on that the Minister actually had no dog. (except to him of cause!), That instead it was just a part of his deranged mind, his ever malfunctioning mind. We were never shown a contradiction by another person as to the existence of this dog.
Around his abode the dog fitted in, we initially were given the idea by the producers that the dog was real and actual, a party of the family. Though upon an aircraft journey to some place up north where that hotel complex was being built, later on in the wanderings of the Minister by the roadside along came his dog Leo. (Wasn't on the aeroplane was it, and would not likely have travelled all that distance across land even though on occasion some are able to).
So OBVIOUSLY the dog was not 'real'. Though to the Minister the dog was incredibly real and initially to us it also was real. Maybe before that there was a 'giveaway' sign. But cleverly the producers for a while gave us an insight on the same par to the mental processes of the Minister.
The dog being SO REAL to the Minister even we could see it, not just him stroking & fussing up thin air which would have 'given away' the SEVERITY of his condition from the start. Skilfully we were gradually made aware of his condition.
This then I would say took on a more sinister and frightening tone, that he could not differentiate between real & imaginary. The title of this season for me turned more from being The Minister to The Monster. From Ráðherrann to Skrímsli. (Maybe season two can), keeping the same title logo as seen above with the flag across the face, though with a jif the 'Minister' morphing into the word Monster.
Of cause of no great fault of his own other than not seeking expert treatment he was gradually at an increasing pace turning into a Monster. Exhibiting monstrous overbearing outrageous behaviour for sure.
Highlighting with the brief sexual assault upon his female aid and that piano stool scene shortly thereafter with his giant buttock in show, (thankfully only that!!) that he really had 'gone'. Completely gone.
Underlyingly a modern day Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde screenplay, having aspects of that.
Though the monster was increasingly taking over the Man not due to the use of some concocted potion of chemicals but we find likely due to being a genetic condition and due to the demanding position he found himself in. From a teacher to a Prime Minister of a Nation with all those responsibilities he had to deal with.
Yes this really was an enjoyable series, what more was there to want?. Well acted by all the ensembled cast, they fitted in well, with twists & treacherous turns in the plot with an ending to me that was unsuspected. I didn't think it would turn out like that. (though does it?).
A nice little series then that was not 'milked' as some are into being a 10 episode series or even longer but from how it played out was rightfully kept short and sweet as an 8 episode production. Just the right amount.
Good acting, great story line, nice scenery as well, though to me this time around as wonderful as the Icelandic countryside is that was secondary to the actual performance. It added to it, was a part of the splendour & plot of it all but it was the compelling portrayal of this Man into Monster then at the end thankfully so back into being a reasoning Man once again by the lead actor Ólafur Darri Ólafsson that was the heart of it all.
There was other good acting in this but Ólafur's acting was exceptional. Terrorised people at times by his sheer compelling size & bulk and by the power of his spiralling out of control malfunctioning mind. Terrorised & horrified them increasingly so in a personal one on one physical way, in a way that left them almost in incapacitating shock and there being the bigger terror & horrification of him being in such a position of power. Adding to it all.
Something we see that the victim himself exhibiting this malfunctioning mind struggles without much success to get to grips with, with those around him having to come together collectively with great planning & indeed deceit to deal with this emerging threatening problem.
IF there is a second season, I really can't see where it is all going, ***Future possible season alert!!***.
WILL the Minister actually resign or will the Icelandic people support him and he does carry on and it turns even more sinister & darker. Some sort of Dictatorial nightmare with the Ministers opponents one by one disappearing and great social change.
Then we get to see in a fictional way what it is like to live in a Fascistic type Dictatorial regime, as sadly people of many nations endure. That really would be frightening and compelling to see.
Or will instead his wife Steinunn seek high office with him supporting her as she sought even through difficult times to support him. There could be another season, though it could just be a 8 episode one season and done series. I'd sooner see it get even more sinister.
MAYBE even have a 3rd season, a prelude to it all perchance a 6 episode season, even shorter & sweeter. Set in the Ministers early teaching, political awakening & romantic courting of his wife days, plus his initial mental breakdown, entitled Maður. Man, Minister, Monster. A nice compelling trilogy then. Yea, Producers do that.
OK then I wont be mean instead I'll give it a 10 stars. Having recently given Ms Marvel a -10 star score this one gets the full 10 stars. Ten stars for what it is and for what it could turn out to be.
Strange how the Icelanders can keep doing it so well. The series 'Trapped' especially the first season showed us how intriguing and absorbing a drama series can be made.
Maybe a constant attention to the screen, the need to read the dialogue rather than fiddle around with other things really does focus and draw a person in to the production.
It gives these foreign language subtitled series almost a novel like structure to it. Almost as if you are reading a book and instead of using ones imagination to picture it all in your mind it is instead played out in front of you.
Of cause there is not a total suspension of all of ones imagination as that is usually put to use considering what has gone on, working out what is going on in that particular scene & episode and contemplating where it is all going. Freeing up you could say some of our AI processing power to be able to utilise it elsewhere then.
In this series I consider the Dog was the key to it all. Many folk just did not realise until much later on that the Minister actually had no dog. (except to him of cause!), That instead it was just a part of his deranged mind, his ever malfunctioning mind. We were never shown a contradiction by another person as to the existence of this dog.
Around his abode the dog fitted in, we initially were given the idea by the producers that the dog was real and actual, a party of the family. Though upon an aircraft journey to some place up north where that hotel complex was being built, later on in the wanderings of the Minister by the roadside along came his dog Leo. (Wasn't on the aeroplane was it, and would not likely have travelled all that distance across land even though on occasion some are able to).
So OBVIOUSLY the dog was not 'real'. Though to the Minister the dog was incredibly real and initially to us it also was real. Maybe before that there was a 'giveaway' sign. But cleverly the producers for a while gave us an insight on the same par to the mental processes of the Minister.
The dog being SO REAL to the Minister even we could see it, not just him stroking & fussing up thin air which would have 'given away' the SEVERITY of his condition from the start. Skilfully we were gradually made aware of his condition.
This then I would say took on a more sinister and frightening tone, that he could not differentiate between real & imaginary. The title of this season for me turned more from being The Minister to The Monster. From Ráðherrann to Skrímsli. (Maybe season two can), keeping the same title logo as seen above with the flag across the face, though with a jif the 'Minister' morphing into the word Monster.
Of cause of no great fault of his own other than not seeking expert treatment he was gradually at an increasing pace turning into a Monster. Exhibiting monstrous overbearing outrageous behaviour for sure.
Highlighting with the brief sexual assault upon his female aid and that piano stool scene shortly thereafter with his giant buttock in show, (thankfully only that!!) that he really had 'gone'. Completely gone.
Underlyingly a modern day Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde screenplay, having aspects of that.
Though the monster was increasingly taking over the Man not due to the use of some concocted potion of chemicals but we find likely due to being a genetic condition and due to the demanding position he found himself in. From a teacher to a Prime Minister of a Nation with all those responsibilities he had to deal with.
Yes this really was an enjoyable series, what more was there to want?. Well acted by all the ensembled cast, they fitted in well, with twists & treacherous turns in the plot with an ending to me that was unsuspected. I didn't think it would turn out like that. (though does it?).
A nice little series then that was not 'milked' as some are into being a 10 episode series or even longer but from how it played out was rightfully kept short and sweet as an 8 episode production. Just the right amount.
Good acting, great story line, nice scenery as well, though to me this time around as wonderful as the Icelandic countryside is that was secondary to the actual performance. It added to it, was a part of the splendour & plot of it all but it was the compelling portrayal of this Man into Monster then at the end thankfully so back into being a reasoning Man once again by the lead actor Ólafur Darri Ólafsson that was the heart of it all.
There was other good acting in this but Ólafur's acting was exceptional. Terrorised people at times by his sheer compelling size & bulk and by the power of his spiralling out of control malfunctioning mind. Terrorised & horrified them increasingly so in a personal one on one physical way, in a way that left them almost in incapacitating shock and there being the bigger terror & horrification of him being in such a position of power. Adding to it all.
Something we see that the victim himself exhibiting this malfunctioning mind struggles without much success to get to grips with, with those around him having to come together collectively with great planning & indeed deceit to deal with this emerging threatening problem.
IF there is a second season, I really can't see where it is all going, ***Future possible season alert!!***.
WILL the Minister actually resign or will the Icelandic people support him and he does carry on and it turns even more sinister & darker. Some sort of Dictatorial nightmare with the Ministers opponents one by one disappearing and great social change.
Then we get to see in a fictional way what it is like to live in a Fascistic type Dictatorial regime, as sadly people of many nations endure. That really would be frightening and compelling to see.
Or will instead his wife Steinunn seek high office with him supporting her as she sought even through difficult times to support him. There could be another season, though it could just be a 8 episode one season and done series. I'd sooner see it get even more sinister.
MAYBE even have a 3rd season, a prelude to it all perchance a 6 episode season, even shorter & sweeter. Set in the Ministers early teaching, political awakening & romantic courting of his wife days, plus his initial mental breakdown, entitled Maður. Man, Minister, Monster. A nice compelling trilogy then. Yea, Producers do that.
OK then I wont be mean instead I'll give it a 10 stars. Having recently given Ms Marvel a -10 star score this one gets the full 10 stars. Ten stars for what it is and for what it could turn out to be.