O Mecanismo

This series talks about a very polarizing and hot topic in Brazil. The Car Wash investigation is still ongoing, and nearly half the country believes some of its allegations are "fake news". As a result, despite the show's bipartisan view, many party loyalists are furious about the show and have flooded it with 1 star ratings and bad reviews. On the other hand, people who agree with the show's message are giving it an overly good rating without judging the actual quality of the show. Overall, the show follows the same formula as Padilha's more famous Narcos, so if you're a fan, chances are you will enjoy this one as well. The only difference is the lack of action-packed gun fight scenes and focus on politics and money laundering, but the narration and the police investigation aspects are still there. The show really takes off after the end of episode 2, where it loses the introductory aspect, so I recommend making it past those first episodes before making any conclusions.

The show does not portray any of the real life persons and parties as super heroes. In fact, it has an openly anti-ideology overall message, and every character in this show has significant flaws, so personally it's really hard for me to believe this show would be somehow biased towards any party or ideology. My guess is if you believe the facts involving the car wash operation are legitimate, and don't happen to be loyal to any of the people who inspired the show, you'll find this a great political thriller with interesting characters (some entirely fictional, some based on real people) and beautiful cinematography of multiple Brazilian cities.

The series tells the story of an investigation from the federal police and the judiciary system from Brazil called Lava-Jato (Car Wash in english). This investigation has showed how deep the corruption is on brazilian government. Many supporters of the Worker´s Party are saying the series is biased. Yes, it is, but it doesn't run away of criticizing the other side also. So, watch the series and search the internet to form your opinion. There are good sources from both sides. At least you will understand why brazilian people would always joke about how House of Cards was soft in comparison to brazilian politics.

A great series, which shows all the corruption installed in Brazil in recent years. Only those who have pet thugs, and we know who owns them, complains about the series. Usually people against capitalism, but loves Netflix with a Coke on the side. Brazil is rotten with corruption and we know who the culprits are and the series shows this well.

Just reading through the different reviews here and you can get an idea how the audience is divided (or lost) accusing the series of being biased to the left or right political parties propaganda. But this is because the country's population is divided and blinded now and cannot see anything beyond their political parties agenda and ideologies

What the series show in reality, specially in the second season, is that corruption in Brazil dates as far as democracy and that, unfortunately, it is not an exclusivity of the left or right parties, but all over the country's political system.

But by doing this, saying everybody is corrupt, it fails to please both sides interests, because if corruption is all over it, there are no victims or villains, everybody is to blame.

But contemporary Brazilians are unable to see this, just because the polarization is convenient for both sides, and politics became passion, just like soccer in Brazil, with supporters hating and accusing each other all the time, unable to see or recognize their own team mistakes.

As for the series quality, it is a quite enjoyable well crafted and well acted series, although it lingers the events a little too long sometimes for dramatic purposes, or the lack of new events in the Car Wash operation.

Watch it with an open mind and get over your own political convictions.

Padilha understands deeply the reality of the country and knows how to adapt it to the fiction. Unfortunately, sometimes, the reality here is worse...