A Grande Ilusão

I don't understand all the bad reviews.

I mean it has some holes in all episodes but not the first or the last show with the holes in the script.

I saw this leading actress for the first time and I liked her. Acting in this series was on point, as far as I'm concerned.

Also, some people here are asking lame questions like why did some character did this, or that. Some things were just obvious and guys, sometimes you can explain some things simply by yourself, don't expect everything from the directors to give you on a plate. Like, what's the point then?

I find this show interesting, sometimes a little bit boring but yet it kept me interested and confused. Lots of twists and turns. The ending was not at all dissappointing like some people say here, it had to be that way, I didn't see any other ending or way out for the leading actress.

A decent 7 for me. The only thing I was a little bit annoyed was the kids who acted like a little police officers.

It is watchable, give it a shot..

Seems to be a trend making limited series that don't need 8-10 episodes! First episode gets you hooked but you see the signs of the long drawn-out development being framed.

Being fooled in the past from other shows, I now look for reviews that recommend the episodes to skip, that don't provide critical information. The reason for the 6 is the unnecessary episodes.

If you watch episode 1, and skip to last two 7,8... the rating goes up to a 8 for me. No critical information is missing and I like the ending, they tied up most of the plot lines.

Overall a great show, a little overly dramatized for a UK show which tends to be ground compared to US TV.

This was fun and binge worthy, but agree with other reviews that the lead was flat and there was too much filler. The entire military angle felt very Americanized. The clues were well sown, and mystery fully resolved, but there were so many ridiculous things happening to keep the story going. Like the interruption to the one time we actually see supposed career woman Maya working...

My advice: watch this for Sami's storyline. His had the most payoff and by far the most emotional weight. Pretend he's the lead and the Maya storyline is the secondary narrative, it helps adjust expectations and suspend some belief.

The story has some nice riddles and twists to it. The characters are pretty stereotypical though.

Everything seems to be comically over the top: the rich-people-houses, the unnecessary flashbacks (in case you forgot that you saw stuff in the previous episodes), the satirically silly film music (*boom* means: this is important).

The female protagonist is always styled to perfection, doesn't take her chique Trenchcoat off at home. Never mind the pouty lips. Her little girl is the worst child actor you have ever seen. The mother-daughter-relationship is nonexistent.

We laughed about these imperfections and enjoyed the story anyway.

I've watched a lot of adaptations of Harlen Coben's books, many on Netflix, and have read everything he's written. This is one of the better ones that has been set in Britain.

It has the usual issues in that it's really a story transplanted from America and there are the occasional jarring scenes or bits of dialogue that don't belong in a British thriller, but it does hurtle along and is clearly bingeable having got through it all today.

Michelle Keegan does a good job in the lead role as the tenacious investigating mother although I didn't quite buy into her as a helicopter pilot.

I particularly liked - as I always do - Adeel Akhtar - as the likeable detective, his relationship with his DS was very good and real highlight of the series. Joanna Lumley chewed up scenery with panache and was good at being the particularly unpleasant matriarch.

There's plenty of Coben's trademark misdirection and a plot that keeps you guessing right to the end.

I thought Danya Griver as Abby was excellent and hope we get to see more of her. I do have a big quibble with her accent though. Based and always lived up north in the series, with northern parents, but speaking with a clear southern accent really narked me and was really poor. Same with her brother.

All in all it was an enjoyable romp, clearly preposterous, but all of Harlen's books are and they are always great fun. Definitely would recommend this, especially if you're a fan of his books and other series.