Malaka

This series from Spain unfolds in the most incoherent manner. The first episode consists of a series of characters participating in events for which no context is provided. More of the same occurs in the second episode. It's as if many different scenes are shot, put in a jar, then selected randomly and edited in a completely non-linear manner. Try as one might, it's impossible to get any clarity or continuity as a viewer. The timelines are all over the place, and since the scenes do not always follow one another sequentially, the story becomes an incoherent mess. This is not helped with barely audible dialogue and actors delivering their lines in gasping, breathless monotones. What many of them hope to pass off as acting, is just a lot of shouting, baring their teeth and a variety of facial grimacing. This must have been a very low budget production.

Excellent writing and acting. Characters are believable and very human. Life is hard here and there are no easy answers for anyone. We see good intentions in horrible situations, loyalty and disloyalty, love of family that isn't enough...but sometimes it is. What the characters want for their family members is not in their control, no matter how hard they try or what good they want for the future. And it is painful to watch at times. There is a large range of human emotions, desires, triumphs and losses.

It is about a murder, but that makes it sound too simple. It isn't a police procedural, but much more.

Filmed on location, it opened my eyes to how parts of even major cities in Spain resemble the developing world. The places where the druggy classes were filmed were absolutely perfect for this story. Alongside this lawless milieu over the other side of town, existed fabulous wealth and glamorous parties that ordinary people sometimes got an entree into.

The actors were all believable in their roles and I need to make a special mention of some of the more minor characters, especially the criminal ones. Where did they find these tattooed bruisers and yobs from? You could honestly believe that they were the real thing.

There is a "however" though. The series was getting perilously near to a close and we still didn't have a clue as to who had done it - the original murder, I mean. Well, the answer came completely out of the blue and unexpectedly. There hadn't really been any pointers at all.

Nonetheless, on the way to the ending, there had been tales of drug dealers, corruption, double dealing and personal stories that held the attention and made the motivations of the characters more understandable. There weren't enough clues to justify the whodunnit though and these character backstories didn't develop the plot in terms of giving us a chance to work out the killer. I didn't mind. I was having a good time in front of the screen.

I enjoyed the series and would recommend it.