Shadow TV-Show Review 2019 Cast Crew
Star: Pallance Dladla, Khathu Ramabulana, Amanda Du-Pont
When it comes to superhero television, there really is not a harder market to enter it. Among the universe of X-Men, DC Comics and Marvel, Netflix Original Shadow does not have a lot of room for maneuver available to cut a portion of the pie. Having said that, the distinctive South African style and episodic format work well with some well-written characters, which makes this a good series of superheroes, although well rehearsed.
Shadow does not waste time and goes directly to the heart of his drama. Tormented by a tragic loss in his past, a former policeman is struck by lightning and inexplicably given the rare ability not to feel pain afterwards. At least not physically anyway. Along with best friend Max, Shadow uses his powers forever, tracking down several crime bosses who have eluded the police, helping his close friends and family, as well as those who request his help to make the city a place safer. It is a well-rehearsed routine, but despite this, there is at least one attempt to inject some originality into the individual episodes. Whether it's a deadly game transmitted over the Internet, a sex trafficking network or a murderous attempt to turn your victims into snow globes, here's a level of unpredictability that helps drive the series.
Most episodes also act as independent cases and, in most cases, are concluded at the end. However, there are exceptions and some episodes have some problems that extend to later ones as well. At first, it seems that the main threat of the season is a man named Ivan Marx, but after the third episode, this changes to a much more rigid format of independent episodes. It is not until the penultimate episode that we look much more closely at Shadow's past, which returns to the forefront of affairs, through a long-time revenge against a man named Cyrus.
Sun-drenched African places really help make the show feel a little different from the normal American views that dominate this genre. It's great to see this beautiful continent also get a well deserved time air and some of the shots do a great job to see how impressive is South Africa. Like other Netflix programs of this caliber, there is great skill in the work of the camera and it can not be denied that the program has some really nice shots.
The chemistry between Shadow and Max also works very well here and there are genuinely fun exchanges between them. Rounding out this duo is a host of other colorful personalities who have their own backyard stories explored here. There are some obvious clichés throughout the group and Shadow's problematic past is something that has been done so many times in superhero shows that it almost becomes a routine to expect this. Some of the villains also feel a little archetypal, but the cast gives the best of itself with the scripts that are given.
It's not perfect and, sometimes, Shadow pales in comparison to other superhero deals. The unique location in Africa helps it to stand out a little and, certainly, it is also pleasing to the eye. While it is far from being something like the first season of Daredevil, Shadow offers enough to make it an entertaining watch, with a satisfying ending that links everything with a small bow. However, here there are no surprises and this is really a case of what you see is what you get. Fortunately, Shadow becomes an entertaining watch, despite the obviousness of its history and rhythm.
Shadow TV-Show Review 2019 Cast Crew