The Fear Index

Whereas most series these days try and squeeze 10 hours or more from one story - Netflix I'm looking at you...

This show is done in three. Enough time to keep you guessing without spoon feeding you the explanation.

Josh Hartnett was a much better actor than I'd previously thought and his partner was good value for money too.

Not enough time for the rest of the cast but they really did do some snappy editing.

Use a Latin translator for more enjoyment.

I devoured the whole series in an afternoon. That wouldn't make a dent on some series.

The topic is interesting, it reminds me of Person of Interest, which is a great TV show about a machine gone rogue.

Unfortunately, they tried to squeeze the story in 4 episodes and things escalate very quicly giving the impression of something unrealistic. An 8 or 10 well paced episodes could have made this miniseries great.

I forgot how much I loved Josh Harnett- greatly missed and underrated actor.

I hope and wish he'd get more roles befitting his fine stage presence...

Strongly recommend seeing this and Lucky Number Slevib - Hartlett is untapped talent...

Setup is not unique, but it has some original angles and thoughts that make it entertaining.

I like that it's short and well paced, instead of dragging the matter like most series do nowadays.

Overall visual quality is great. Same can be said about actor performances.

Although overall its okay, some characters really seem to be acting out unreasonably just for drama's sake, which doesn't make a show great.

Main flaw, as I see it, is that it fails in building up the tension as it potentially could. There is no depth to the suspects, no depth to the main characters, expect a little bit for the protagonist, no small detail to enhance the mystery. Even the "villain" is not explained - movies in the 90's did it better.

Overall, it's a good show to spend an evening, the take is interesting, but it's superficial. The setup of this show is much better than the eventual execution is.

Maybe more will be explained in the next season, adding depth and detail, but it's an unsatisfying drag.

My recommendation: skip this, read the book. If you want to watch a decent Robert Harris adaptation, try "Munich: Edge of War" on Netflix instead.

Ham-fisted direction, limp dialogue, wooden acting, over the top sound track all conspire to ruin what could have been a great thriller.

Having the lead run around pointlessly, full of angst, accompanied by loud thumping music is not a substitute for dramatic tension.