Blecaute

I'm at a crossroads with this. I tuned in to hear some Spanish and got quite hooked on the story, as there was some real intrigue and the potential for a good yarn. However, I'm just over halfway through the series and it seems to have deteriorated into a 'whodunnit' with so many characters and possible motives being thrown at the audience, through its time shifts to before and after the crime, as to become quite tiresome. It's a shame, as there is much good about the show, not least some of the acting, which is excellent; but as others have pointed out, it badly needs an edit to condense it down to a more manageable duration. It takes real skill to draw out a story for as long as this without losing the audience's attention and in this viewer's case I'm not sure I care enough any longer to find out who did it. I've picked up a few handy Spanish colloquialisms on the ride so far, though, which I'll put to use on my next Iberian foray.

The reason that the BBC version is only 10 episodes is not because it is edited, it is because they have left off the final six.

The mystery is solved in the tenth episode, but from bits and pieces on the Telecinco website, you can work out that there are a lot more twists and turns to follow.

Perhaps the BBC decided that the plot twists were already dizzying enough and no more was needed. I was reasonably satisfied with the 10- episode ending, but it does not correspond to the 16-episode one.

Loved the beginning, it would have made a great 8 episode serie. But for whatever reason, they decided to turn it into a 16 very long episodes. Especially the last 6 ones are sloppy, confusing. Come on, spit it out, stop beating around the bush!

And what about a change of clothes from time to time, dears? All the characters wear the same ones all over the show!

Last but not least, two characters made it much less enjoyable than it could have been:

Eva Duran, with her always sad angry face, sad angry eyes and sad angry hairdo, yelling all the time, just unbearable. And this ridiculous little bag she's carrying all the time, during trials, investigations, as well as this awful brown-ish coat,. She's supposed to be sooo hot. Well, she's sooo not. She's dull, insignificant, annoying.

And Marta Hess. Lo and behold, here comes the smartest one in the room (in every room, for that matter), walking like she owns the world, always a smirk on her face that makes you want to slap her. And yes, she's got a leather jacket, if you didn't notice it. Who casted that drag of an "actress"?

The problem with these kind of details (some would say), is that once you saw them, you can unsee them, and they spoil the fun big time.

Really enjoyed the first 10 episodes albeit annoyed with the BBC that originally their website suggested episode 10 was the series finale. Glad that they have now clarified on the website " When will the remaining episodes of I Know Who You Are be shown? I Know Who You Are will return to BBC Four later this year. The programme was originally produced as two seasons, however, its Spanish broadcaster subsequently decided to show both together as one long season. BBC Four is showing the final six episodes as series two. We'll update this FAQ when we have more information." http://www.bbc.co.uk/faqs/i-know-who-you-are

The premise of "I Know Who You Are" is fascinating. A man is found wandering a few kilometers from the site of a car accident. He apparently suffers from amnesia, unable to say who he is or to recognize any of his family or friends. The wrinkle is that a passenger, his sister-in-law's stepdaughter, was apparently in the car as well, according to blood stains found on the seat, yet is nowhere to be found. What happened? Is this man really suffering from amnesia? And where is the missing young woman?

The series would have been perfect for 10-12 70-minute episodes but unfortunately drags on for 16. Just as the intrigue hits its peak, the storyline gets bogged down in too many plot twists and turns that take far too long to unravel. Although the final episode neatly wraps up the mystery, you have to plow through a number of episodes where the plot winds and wanders before you get to the conclusion.

Another aspect of the series that makes it tough to swallow is that there isn't a single likable character in the bunch. While the actors who play the leads are quite good at their craft, the characters they play are far from sympathetic.

Overall, I liked "I Know Who You Are" despite its flaws. The first eight or so episodes as well as the final episode are brilliantly done, and the cast is first-rate. While the series gets a bit too clever with all its plot twists, at least the ending is satisfying enough to merit a mildly positive (6 out of 10 stars) rating.