Copycat Killer - Imitazione di un crimine

This Series Left me speechless by the end, with multiple twists and turns shifting the expectations again and again. Chris Wu being the lead is what truly solidified my rating as his character was much different from what I'm used to. In a role where the director would apply more pressure for sympathy, Hsiao-Chi Kuos Traumatic past takes a backseat while still being prevalent. Where other titles would make this character very vulnerable Copycat Killer Lets Hsiao-Chi Kuo be a more stoic and stable character throughout the majority of the series. Every Character is given the opportunity to grow and learn from the experiences in the series that makes you care about them. The killers motives were very unique as well with Jia-Wun Shens Character being particularly heartbreaking. By the end every characters story ended at the perfect time with the right outcome leaving no extra weight for an unneeded cliffhanger.

A killer is targeting women in Taiwan in a way that ensures maximum media coverage in the 1990s. This includes making calls to a specific news station. The crime shares distinct similarities to a previous apparently solved murder. The prosecutor in charge becomes convinced that the cases are linked. As the series progresses we follow the prosecutor, and his police colleagues, as well as characters at the TV station. Tensions raise when somebody close to a member of the investigating team is snatched on a night out.

I thought this was a really good addition to the crowded serial killer genre. The identity of the killer becomes obvious a little earlier than I expected but that wasn't a problem as watching the authorities working to catch him was still gripping. We get a nice twist with a few episodes to go; this is neither too obvious nor unbelievable. The cast do a really solid job making the characters feel believable. I enjoyed the nineties setting; modern enough not to seem dated but old enough to avoid certain modern technology that would make solving the case easier. Things do get a little melodramatic towards the end but not enough to spoil my enjoyment. Overall definitely worth watching if you like the genre.

These comments are based on watching the series in Mandarin with English subtitles.

No Spoilers GRIPPING CRIME SERIES COPYCAT KILLER NETFLIX

PLOT: A serial killer takes advantage on the media interest over his murders, manipulating their victims, police and the media, turning the murders into a spectacle.

I don't always say "drop everything else and watch this" but this is one of those rare gems.

Based on a book by a Japanese author, this Netflix series from Taiwan is 10 episodes long and with eah episode the tension mounts.

Just when you thought you had figured it all out, it completely throws you off and you will have t55o reassess your theories on who or what.

The best part of this series is you will feel like you are reading a book and not watching a commercial adaptation made in a hurry.

The nuanced storytelling and the excellent background music really stand out as you binge through the episodes.

This is one of the best crime series out there at the moment and it's gripping from start to finish. No melodrama no modern day gimmicks in this 90's story.

This show started off very promising until it became clear that the writing was just not upto the level expected of a good serial killer drama show. All the major characters involved in solving the crime/s i.e the Prosecutor and Police Task Force act illogically and irrelevantly throughout the whole show making the viewing rather infuriating.

The directing, production values and cinematography are all top notch however. The acting is generally pretty good except for a couple of actors.

There is a good show hidden underneath but unfortunately the creators were unable to execute it successfully due to subpar writing.

Was introduced to this show when looking to fill the post-show blues after watching Light the Night.

The storytelling was a little confusing in the first few episodes when characters were introduced one after another and the plot of each episode seem to be quite siloed. The timeframe of the show was also confusing as there was little to done to suggest it was the 90s. (Some parts of modern Taiwan does resemble the 90s.) This was complicated by the non-linear timeline at the beginning which shuffles between different years.

However, the plot took a turn in the second half when the storylines start to weave together to form an engaging plot. Relationship between the media, the judiciary and the serial killer becomes clearer.

Overall, the pace and level of detail was just right. It is well-balanced between dialogues and action. All the characters were pretty well-developed for a short 10-episode drama, except the lead himself. A stronger link between his personal story and his career as a prosecutor could have added more dimension to his character.

I can't help but compare it with Taiwan's top Netflix series from a year ago which happens to be of the same genre - Light the Night. In my two cent, Copycat Killer pales in comparison as the plot was much simpler with less suspense build-up. Pacing was probably the only aspect it had triumph over Light the Night. Nevertheless, one thing I noticed and appreciate about Taiwanese mystery thriller is the way it contextualise to their local culture and societal issues. Looking forward to Taiwanese films and series making a comeback!