astazg-84625

20/20 used to be a compelling, well produced show for great many years. Enter the 2022/23 season - Just what has happened?! Gone is the captivating storytelling which is now being replaced with rush-for-ratings productions of inferior quality. The scripts are incoherent, the editing seems to be done by interns. The choice of music is beyond questionable, not to mention the sound level which many times surpases the narration. Add to it the completely unnecessary, cheap special effects, and you have the recipe for one inedible smorgasbord. The producers should rethink the road ahead, and perchance follow the example of one Keith Morrison who manages to turn even a relatively uninteresting subject matter into a compelling story, with no tricks or gimmicks used.

The story examines one of the most controversial cases in Mexican history, featuring Florence Cassez and Israel Vallarta, a French woman and her Mexican lover, who were accused of pursuing kidnapping for ransom and ultimately jailed, based on the false evidence by the corrupt government and its newly-established federal anti-crime agency. The process and the outcome will depend on the highest levels of Mexican and French governments, exposing massive corruption and human rights violations in the process.

The first couple of episodes are a bit challenging to follow, since they contain the chronological layout and many characters - all of which will ultimately become clear as the story unravels. My only objection is a lack of more detailed background on Florence and her brother (namely, their activities and life in Mexico prior to her arrest), which would serve as an enlightening factor in better judging her character and motivation. On the other hand, hats off to a fantastic group of Mexican journalists who helped to evaluate and expose the intricate levels of corruption, and whose courage and conviction makes them the true heroes in the whole unfortunate saga. The same goes for the production team which brought this story to light.