The Widow

First off, yes, Kate Beckinsale's Botoxed lips are noticeable but not all that distracting. If you knew what she look like without them (lovely), then you wonder "WHY?". If not, it's not a big deal. I loved the premise, the scenery is lovely, the supporting performances pretty strong, and the plot engaging enough. I like a couple of the sub-plots involving sympathetic (if complex) secondary characters. They don't seem extraneous to me, just a welcome distraction. There is enough tension to keep me worried....but never for too long. Unfortunately, she takes risks without seeming to break a sweat that just stretch credulity too much. She puts others in danger, which is one of my major pet peeves with action shows or those involving revenge and single-minded quests. I think Beckinsale's acting is pretty good, but her character is underdeveloped in a lot of ways. She is supposed to be psychologically damaged and complex and twisted but she never seems multi-dimensional enough to make it work. Still, it's decent watch. I'm not sure they need another season though.

I would class The Widow as very good overall. There's always a risk with eight part dramas that you got a flat lull in the middle, this one doesn't suffer from that, it's dramatic and entertaining the whole way through, until the final episode, which isn't great.

Superb acting throughout, everyone is excellent. Beckinsale does a great job, I just wish they'd given her a better hair extension, which doesn't alter with fights, chases, or anything. Ólafur Darri Ólafsson and Shalom Nyandiko are both superb throughout.

It has some terrifying moments of realism, the militia and child involvement the main ones, but there are times when you feel the need to suspend belief.

Very watchable, but who was Owen?

In spite of what a lot of other people say, I thought it was excellently made with a lot of twists & turns. It's about a widow, Kate, who thinks she sees her husband in a clip on the news who has been reported dead for 3 yrs but body never found. She goes on a quest to see if he is possibly alive & exactly what happened. Nothing is what it seems, her life is put in danger along w/friends who help in her quest for the truth. I figured out several conspiracies but the show keep me intrigued as you discover the corrupt agendas of the govt & people involved as the story plays out. You also see the deplorable side of the Congo rebels or milita killing innocents while they kidnap the children training them to be killers for their cause or just be the hired help. It's a suspenseful journey for truth & justice not just for the widow but for the oppressed!

As with many of the other reviewers. I was completely enthralled from episode 1 until the end of 6. Then episode 7 starts and I immediately began to feel the let down. By the time episode 8 hits I'm left asking myself "really is this it"? This show had so much potential but it sputtered at the end.

This story started off very well and can certainly be called a thriller, lots of intrigue and mystery. The scenery in the DRC is a true reflection of what the place really looks like, as well as the behavior of its notorious corrupted leaders, militia and elite citizens.

One can imagine truth in this story, but fortunately it is a fabricated tale and enjoyable to binge watch. Kate Beckinsale's performance was admirable, but the end plot less so.

Life in the DRC is not pleasant but many happenings seen in this series is based on fact.