21 Thunder

I gave this two episodes before giving up. This is supposed to be about a U-21 team in the MLS.

First of all: barely anyone of the players look like they're 21. A fair lot of them look almost 30. It can't be that hard to find some actors to fit the bill especially since some of them are overacting as if their life depended on it. To add to that the over-the-top situations half of them find themselves after just two episodes may fit a soap opera, they shouldn't be in here.

Second: if you're going to make a series about football/soccer at least get some people in there that can actually play. The training sequences are horrible, players can barely control a ball, let alone pass it. Same for the matches: what's this obsession with overhead kicks? It's like making a series about basketball where every other game is decided on a full court shot.

If you're watching this on Netflix, chances are Club de Cuervos is on there as well. Which is much much better.

I love 21 Thunder because I can watch it without caring about the sport of soccer, or understanding the rules of the game. Like many reviews have said, the best parts of this show are off the field and that's where the heart of the drama works. Sometimes the direction feels a bit lazy and some scenes feel rushed, but these issues never truly take away from the core essence of the show. The thrills keep coming. I think the series needs another season to continue to develop it's potential. Emmanuel Kabongo and Stephanie Bennett are stand outs for their authentic portrayals of anxiety and confidence as both blossoming and ex-soccer stars. Conrad Pla is also superb, especially in his Spanish-speaking scenes, as the sketchy coach of the 21 under team. You can binge all episodes on the CBC website if you're in Canada. Enjoy! 8/10!

Overall, an entertaining series. Not big into football but I love the location in Montreal. The football action scenes are exciting to watch despite my lack of football expertise. The off field storylines are decent enough to keep me intrigued. The characters are all athletes so they all have to have similar traits when it comes to their competitive demeanor. All of the female roles are slightly unbelievable (team owner, coach, team physician). But at least they're all attractive.

Spoken from a non-football fan, I am now more interested in the sport & I would continue watching this series.

"21 Thunder" is basically a remake of "Inside Edge," (which centers its storyline around Cricket, rather than Soccer). Actually, both series are listed as coming out in 2017, so I'm not sure which was first. But suffice it to say- Inside Edge is a far better version... much tighter script as well as better casting. 21 Thunder is probably not as bad as many of the review it will receive- but does seem a bit amateurish compared to Inside Edge (which has a more sophisticated development of the business side of team ownership & price fixing operations). 21 Thunder also has some casting issues that weaken the series & also result in a lack of chemistry among the characters imo. (by comparison.. I thought Inside did a good job re casting, chemistry, etc.) If you watch both series I think it will be clear how much of a difference... the solid casting & a tighter script.. made in Inside Edge (Amazon series).

I found this show randomly on Netflix. Watched the trailer and I had to start it. From the first episode I was hooked and I finished it in a day. I loved it! I am a huge football/soccer fan and all of the actors are gorgeous and entertaining to watch. I love the characters and the story lines. Of course there are things that aren't realistic but that's television. Overall, I loved finding a show like this and I need more! I can't wait for season 2!