Summary
Kaleidoscope is a fun, high-stakes series that provides some pure entertainment, highlighted by a great performance from Giancarlo Esposito.
We review the Netflix series Kaleidoscope Season 1, which does not contain spoilers.
We get a unique experience with the Netflix series Kaleidoscope. A heist over 25 years in the making is about to go down in front of our eyes. Do the pieces of the puzzle connect well enough for it to be another hit for Netflix?
Kaleidoscope Season 1 Review and Plot Summary
Kaleidoscope follows the story of a group of people pulling off the biggest heist ever attempted. But, of course, with that comes plotting, backstabbing, and plenty of obstacles.
You know it’s wild that Netflix is taking this risk of having the series non-linear and understanding that they needed to write this in a way that no matter how the viewer watched it, it would need to make sense for everyone. Throughout my viewing experience, I never once felt lost, and I knew where we were in the timeline and never lost sight of the end goal. I give a massive amount of credit to the writers for making this happen
READ: Will interactive movies shakeup cinema?
One of the most important things about a heist is the leader. You see it in the Oceans Trilogy with Danny Ocean and in Fast Five with Dominic Toretto. The leader is someone who fits perfectly with every component of the heist. He isn’t the smartest person in the room, but you would never know that by how he acts. Another note is that he is calm and collected throughout the ride. Finally, the last puzzle piece is how he leads and interacts with the crew.
That said, Giancarlo Esposito is the leader the show needed. He had the confidence, swagger, and ability to take Leo to the level of making every element of the show essential viewing. In addition, Leo had stakes outside the scope of this heist that elevated the story leading to an essential empathy factor with his character. Esposito was not just the backbone of the show but also the emotional support it needed. One hell of a performance from the man at the top.
Esposito isn’t the only actor bringing out their A-game in this series. I must shout out the rest of the ensemble for being vital pieces to the puzzle. That said, my favorites of the bunch were Rufus Sewell for being a great villain, along with problem child Jai Courtney who is PERFECT in every role he plays. Lastly, Tati Gabrielle, who is the perfect liaison between both parties and steals several scenes in this series.
One of my only bones to pick with the whole show was the score/music. I am still not 100% certain about how I felt about it, but at times I thought it took away from pivotal scenes. It was perfect in how they used it to elevate the in-between moments of the show, but other times they used it, it was so overbearing that you could barely understand the conversation. It’s one of those take the good, take the bad things, but they could’ve turned it down a notch when the actors were talking.
Is Kaleidoscope season 1 on Netflix good?
Yes, not only is Kaleidoscope good, but it’s something that I can’t wait to rewatch over again. One of the things my wife picked up on while watching was the colors of the episodes; you will notice that color throughout the episode. Another cool little nuanced thing that the creators put into the show that made them stand out.
Overall, it’s an adrenaline-filled heist series that keeps you on your toes throughout each episode. The show works on so many levels, including a brilliant performance from Giancarlo Esposito. Furthermore, not only do I think everyone will love the series, but I think this will shoot up to the top of the TV charts and stay on it for weeks to come. It’s a fun series that EVERYONE can enjoy.
What did you think of Netflix’s Kaleidoscope season 1? Comment below.
