Echoes

I am getting a bit tired of reviews which begin with, "too complicated" or "lost me." Are we really becoming so lazy & impatient that we can't handle the occasional narrative challenge? "Not realistic" or "believable" is another common critique. Really? Because (news flash) no movie or series is "real." Isn't that the point? That we watch these things to escape reality & to be entertained.

I will admit that I was a bit disoriented at the conclusion of the 1st episode but unless the viewer is especially dense, it is not difficult to reorient & follow the narrative twisted by a set of twins who once vowed to share everything. I am not a fan of spoilers so I will just say that I enjoyed this so much that I binge watched the entire series because it was just like reading a really good book- I could not put this one down until it was over.

I read that there is no season 2 but that is ok by me. The ending did not disappoint.

On the one hand, I understand the negative reviews; it had a messy start, a convoluted plot, some holes in the story, and an ending that could leave a lot of viewers dissatisfied, not to mention vapid to hammed up acting from the supporting cast. On the other hand, I can appreciate what the show wanted to be. I'll also be the minority and say that Michelle Monaghan played a difficult role and despite a shaky start, she gradually was able to immerse herself into her characters and give a complex performance (again, I'm the minority on this). Indeed, the show felt like a Lifetime production. It didn't seem to have a high budget, and it's most evident in the last episode, where the special effects were used with the faintest subtlety...I overall thought it was an easy watch, cringy at times, but I got through it-I am an Echoes survivor...and I closet-enjoyed the show.

Not as bad as the other reviews say. Is it perfect? No absolutely not, but it's worth a watch. Few nice twistes in it. It's not impossible to follow as some say - maybe don't sit on your phone doing other stuff while watching a show and then complaining it's difficult to follow.

There's good & bad elements to this show, with a very smart although convoluted twist/misdirect standing out as a huge positive that nearly counteracts the sometimes inexcusable acting, over-the-top drama, and unrealistic plot turns. Overall, being only 7 episodes, I would recommend it for someone who has Netflix and is looking for something to get into requiring minimal commitment. It is a good thing it isn't any longer of a series though, because this show would definitely prove that too much can be a very bad thing. 6/10; an intriguing mystery that is weighed down by being a little too heavy handed.

I always stop by the reviews if I start watching something and it's a bit meh, as if they're dire I normally give up, BUT for some reason I persevered on this one and it's by no means as bad as some of the reviews make out. It's not what I would call a "thriller" but there's enough twists to keep you interested and make it past some questionable acting.