Epitafios - Tod ist die Antwort 2

Quite by accident, I stumbled upon the first episode of a great miniseries.

Everybody smokes and nobody calls for backup. That is an apt description of Epitafios, a 13-part miniseries that showed on HBO Signature.

But it is so much more. It has to be because it is in Spanish with English subtitles. That may turn you off and, if it does, you are missing one of the best crime dramas ever. In fact, the story is so compelling that you don't even notice the fact that it is subtitled. The acting, the music, the story will grab you like no other crime drama.

I like Tom Shales of the Post's description: Epitafios" is as gripping as its murders are ghastly, a spiraling reverberant circle of horrors that keeps widening as the bodies pile up (more than two dozen killings by the time the series ends) and the killer's motives become clear, if perverse. The film breaks rules in somewhat the tradition of Alfred Hitchcock's "Psycho": Hardly anyone in the cast seems safe from extinction and could become the killer's next conquest at any moment. No one is safe. One of the main characters bought it the first episode - when have you ever seen that happen?

This is a series that I lost sleep to see.

After five years, Julio Chávez and Cecilia Roth return in Season 2. I will have the same anticipation for each episode as I do for True blood.

Not the most intelligent crime show I've seen, but entertaining enough to hold my attention. Could easily trimmed down to 6, maybe 8, episodes. Murder after murder of characters that contributed nothing to the plot, they existed to be killed. I watched the series on HBO on my AppleTV -- I used the 10-second skip ahead function quite a bit.

At times the writers have the characters do some pretty idiotic stuff. For example, a police detective calling someone at the airport to tell them their life is in danger, but doesn't ask where in the airport he is is and tell him to stay put. It continues with the potential victim leaving the safety of the customer service desk and runs randomly through the airport to eventually hide in a restroom. In another scene the female lead gets a Skype call from the killer who gives her a message to give to the detective — she calls him on his cellphone and asks him to come over so she can tell him what the murderer said… ummm, something urgent related to an ongoing mass murder investigation and you can't just tell him over the phone, the one you're already talking to him on? I found myself saying and thinking the phrase "what idiots" many times throughout the series.

Still, there's enough of a plot to watch it through to the end. I do like how they identify the killer around the 4th episode, instead of waiting until the end and just pick a character — more enjoyable when the viewer knows and watches those investigating figure it out.

They talk fast, the subtitles flash by — around episode 3 my brain seemed to adapt and there was a lot less skipping back to read what I missed.

Season 1 didn't exactly motivate me to dive into season 2 — maybe someday when there's nothing else to watch I'll take a look. I'd like to see a version of this story re-done by the people behind the series "24" :-)

Understanding only English and not liking subtitles, I was hesitant to watch this series when a friend of mine said it was fantastic. I saw there were 5 shows out of 13 in the series that were available for me to watch so I figured one wouldn't be bad. I was GLUED to the television for 250 minutes as I had to watch all 5 episodes back to back. My back was sore, my butt, I had to go to the bathroom 3 times and read the subtitles. This was THE best series I've ever seen. The music was absolutely fantastic at the opening and closing. I spent an hour just finding the soundtrack of the opening which runs 1:17. I would like to know if there indeed is the entire CD. The acting is great, the plot fantastic and this series should win an academy award. It is utterly unbelievable. Congrats to HBO for showing this series. Now, I need to locate the entire 13 episodes to buy for my library.

James Cram

I'm re-watching the series on DVD and love it just as much as the first time. Yes, the body count gets ridiculously high, and I can't believe there wouldn't be more detectives working on such a high-profile case, and Renzo would have been replaced around victim #10 or so, but all the characters have so much passion! Also, as a writer, I'm fascinated when other writers break rules, like bringing in a central character (Marina) fully halfway through the series. And how often is the dramatic and romantic lead a paunchy little guy with a bald spot? My favorite character is Renzo's dad, who is smarter than everyone else in the show put together, including his son. Does anyone know if there's a second season out there?

This series was a surprise. Being shown now in this country by HBO Latino, it was one of the best received programs in South America last year. We watched in Argentina when it made its debut, but we couldn't resist in watching it again as HBO is running the serial. The talented Alberto Lecchi and Jorge Nisco directed with assurance and panache. "Epitafios" is perhaps one of the best things ever made of this genre. The series was written by Marcelo and Walter Slavich and it cries to be shown on American television.

"Epitafios" grabs the viewer from its powerful beginning. Viewers are advised there is a lot of gore, as the people in charge of the production don't spare anything, so beware. The story holds the viewers in suspense from the first installment to the end.

The powerful cast is wonderful. Julio Chavez, plays the former police detective that is drawn back to investigate who is the serial killer who has one of the sharpest minds and keeps eliminating people that are tied to an incident that happened a few years before. Mr. Chavez is perhaps the best excuse to watch "Epitafios". Paola Krum, Cecilia Roth, Antonio Berabent, Villanueva Cosse, Lito Cruz, are seen in supporting roles, yet everyone plays as an ensemble.

"Epitafios" will not disappoint lovers of this genre.