Overspel

Not a bad story. Pretty good weave of marriage problems, big scale crime and corruption, and justice. I was put off by the adulterers who were entirely self-centered and ginned up an obsessive love affair out of what could as well have been a month long one-night stand. I simply could not see what so compelled them about each other. They were not exactly a dynamic duo. Flat, generic love affair at the center of a rather entertaining narrative. Further, they were not sympathetic in their insistence on elevating physical attraction over marriage, and in the woman's case, a child, We did see an increasingly unlikeable side to their rejected spouses, but they did not seem to grow more interesting or insightful with experience, not as individuals, not as a couple. I can recommend the show as it gathers intensity and the plot starts unfolding, but not as a great watch overall.

In 'The Adulterer', a prosecutor's wife has an affair with a defence lawyer, who just happens to be representing a man her husband is currently prosecuting. The setup sounds cheesy, and is certainly contrived. The best thing about this drama is a credible portrayal of life within a family the foundation of whose wealth is organised crime, albeit on a relatively small scale (think corrupt family business rather than full-blown mafia). It's weakness is the one-dimensionality of many of its characters, particularly the smug prosecutor and his almost-perfect wife. Although some details of plot were nicely developed, I didn't really care how the romantic aspects of the drama worked out, or feel any of the sexual passion supposedly driving the story.

... this series not working on a couple of levels, main one being lead-casting... deciding on Sylvia Hoeks' as a character that's a working photographer, devoted mother to a young son, wasn't a proper decision-choice... looking all-time more like the super-model she really is, she's just put on the wrong side of the camera-lens in this story... then attempting portraying her as a nice person, and good mother, again not making logic-sense, for along with another extremely selfish character (her-affair's-lover), she spontaneously-eagerly enters into a steamy sexual liaison with this married (two children) shady lawyer, who finds her absolutely irresistible (least that's believable, as she is alluringly-beautiful) if morally reprehensible given his family circumstances

... and so it goes in what appears absolutely no time, they've moved-out-abandoning their families, setting up their love-nest in her very attractive work-studio on-harbor-edge... throw in some family characters with their own tedious storylines, and you have Overspel (Adultery)... also, it all took far too long in thirty-plus-episodes, could-would-have been better in a third-fewer-shows

... then there's ending's final blow, for all-those anti-adultery-viewers (can't say why), but it's so really nasty how selfishness does all this harm to so many, and then gets-future-finalized in this fashion... ugh.

After having watched all twelve episodes of this Dutch television series, it is obvious to me that this series is one of the best Dutch television series of the last decade: well written, very good acting (espcially by Sylvia Hoeks and Kees Prins) and beautiful cinematography. In "Overspel" the storyline and the development of the characters are more important than fast action scenes. Even though "Overspel" can't reach the extremely high level of the Danish series "The Killing" (a.k.a. Forbrydelsen), I can very much recommend it. For non Dutch readers who have become curious and would like to watch it: the DVD-release has English subtitles.

Addition after watching season 2. Season 2 of Overspel is again of very high quality and the acting is, like in season 1, on a very high level. Especially Kees Prins and Ramsey Nasr are sublime as father and son Couwenberg. Of course Sylvia Hoeks plays her character Iris very convincing too. The tension in season 2 is increasing from episode 1 until the final episode 10. I will not go into further detail, but I've enjoyed every second of this season a lot. I'm looking forward to the 3rd season, which has been filmed already (if I'm well informed), or is in the process of being filmed. Can't wait!

I found this series to be fascinatingly engaging on many levels.. I honestly didn't know from one moment to another what was next.. the acting was superb with a plot that is unique .. I liked getting to know these families and the individuals.. it's a great series where I found myself really bummed when it was over.. I felt like I really knew these people and all they'd been through! Don't miss it!