Vodník

I have somehow missed all the previous miniseries, so I have some catching up to do, although I'm rather apprehensive. Monsters of the Shore is clearly considered the best, and yet I didn’t find the series very convincing. Great moments alternated with poor ones, I was annoyed by the constant effort to turn this into a work of art of the year, which was completely pointless and didn’t do the story much good. On the other hand, the atmosphere was great, so it was a shame that it wasn’t backed up by better writing so that I could give a higher rating. (10.05.2019)

The first episode is from a genre textbook. A 30-year-old murder, unclear children's imagination, and divine work with sounds and camera, which maximally exploits the atmosphere of a burned-down village, entice the viewer to the fullest. However, when the second episode starts to overtly omit certain motifs and characters, you don't have to be very sharp to realize who left the murdered child in half. From the moment with the photo album, it becomes pure "lazy writing," when everything breaks apart in the most banal way, and despite the undoubtedly impressive final monologue in the forest, it is simply a failure of several creative elements. Actually, given the development of some characters, it seems to me more interesting that the murderer's identity could have remained forever hidden. (15.04.2019)

Investigator Marie Výrová (played by the extremely passive Klára Melíšková in the lead role) deals with a case from the late 80s, the injustices of one big family, and really takes her time with it. The plot, which previously would hardly be enough for a one-hour production, now lasts over three hours. The individual performances of some of the actors are not necessarily bad (Marika Procházková is very charming), but watching the dead ends of a statute-barred murder for three episodes is too much. Moreover, the point is obviously exaggerated and doesn't make much sense in context. However, in the end, this crime story is probably one of those that conservative viewers like to watch, because they can listen to conservative opinions, remember the era of perestroika, and see their favorite TV faces again, and that's it. How else can you defend a subplot built on manipulation by a high-ranking member of the Communist Party, supported by an additional post-revolutionary story when this seasoned communist was confused by the changes that occurred? Not to mention the portrayal of the lesbian character as inherently negative, of course. Rather than having any quality, Monsters of the Shore is a total cliché. (14.12.2023)