‘Bodies’ reviews round-up: Netflix’s ‘time-hopping murder-mystery’ is ‘gripping’
The first reviews are in for Bodies and it sounds like it’s worth a watch!
Netflix’s “crime procedural with a twist” follows four detectives in four different eras of London as they find themselves investigating the same unidentified body in Whitechapel in the 1890s, the 1940s, 2014 and a post-apocalyptic 2050.
The eight-part British drama series is based on Si Spencer‘s mind-bending 2015 graphic novel.
Poldark fans will recognise Kyle Soller – aka poor Francis Poldark – in the cast, alongside Jacob Fortune-Lloyd (The Queen’s Gambit), Shira Haas (Unorthodox), Amaka Okafor (The Responder), and Stephen Graham (Line of Duty).
Watch the official trailer here:
“When a body – the same body – is found on Longharvest Lane in London’s East End in 1890, 1941, 2023 and 2053, one detective from each period must investigate,” the synopsis teases.
“As connections are drawn across the decades, the detectives soon discover their investigations are linked, and an enigmatic political leader – Elias Mannix – becomes increasingly central.
“Did he have a part to play in the murder? Or is something far more sinister at play? To solve the mystery, our four detectives must somehow collaborate and uncover a conspiracy spanning over 150 years.”
All eight episodes of Bodies began streaming exclusively on Netflix on Thursday 19 October.
We’ve rounded up a spoiler-free selection of reviews to help you decide if you’d like to watch the show:
“Netflix’s Bodies is almost impossible to define – and that’s one of the best parts of it.
“Part mystery, part police procedural, part character drama, part dystopia (plus more parts we won’t spoil here), it’s a much-needed breath of fresh air.” ★★★★ – Radio Times
“Though it takes a fairly conventional approach to its craft, the unconventional premise behind Bodies — a time-hopping murder-mystery — will keep you modestly near the edge of your seat…
“Despite its ambitious scale and grand Netflix budget, some of the filmmaking can feel more ITV than HBO.” ★★★ – Empire
“Ambitious, tense, explosive: this genre-blurring whodunnit travels time to visit four detectives investigating the same murder – in different eras. It’s exceptionally good value…
“The modern-day stuff is thrilling and tense; in the past, it is cartoonish and cod-historical. But as the first episode came to an explosive end, I immediately started the next. And the next, and the next, and the next.” ★★★★ – The Guardian
“All of it has us interested in seeing where things go next, and that’s exactly what the first episode of such a mind-bending story should be doing.” – Decider
“Bodies is seriously binge-worthy TV. It’ll leave your mind blown and you screaming at the screen with all its twists and turns.
“A heads up, though, it’s not one to just watch in the background while you’re working from home. There’s so many different plots and timelines to explore, that you seriously need to concentrate to truly enjoy and appreciate the show. It’s super satisfying when you begin to see storylines and arcs click into place, and riveting when you see them twist into a new lane.” – Cosmopolitan
“Po-faced time travel woo-woo in need of a sense of humour … An intriguing sci-fi concept and a cracking cast should make this mind-bending detective drama tick, but it’s an over-earnest muddle.” ★★ – The Telegraph
“As TV streaming services drift ever further towards saturation point, Netflix does at least have a stand-out idea on its hands with its latest detective drama.” ★★★★ – Evening Standard
“I can’t say Bodies always makes total sense, but it achieves a healthy balance between amusingly ridiculous and just-plain-ridiculous, with its audaciously high-concept narrative consistently elevated by a top-notch cast and strong production values across several time periods.
“…it’s a decently considered dose of mid-intensity time-travel thrills, a satisfying gift for science-fiction fans.” – The Hollywood Reporter
Si Spencer’s graphic novel Bodies is available on Amazon.