What Is the Story About?
Netflix’s latest original series ‘Obsession’ is centred on a brilliant surgeon, William Farrow (Richard Armitage), and his erotically-charged illicit affair with his son Jay’s (Rish Shah) girlfriend, Anna Barton (Charlie Murphy), while his loving wife Ingrid (Indira Varma) is blissfully clueless of her husband’s transgressions. Soon, William’s affair turns into an uncontrollable obsession with Anna, leading to devastating consequences.
Obsession is directed by Glenn Leyburn and Lisa Barros D’Sa, written by Morgan Lloyd Malcolm and Benji Walters and is based on Josephine Hart’s 1992 novel ‘Damage’.
Performances?
None of the performances in Obsession sticks out as extraordinary. Richard Armitage and Charlie Murphy are both average in their roles, which is made worse by the fact that they share zero chemistry. Rish Shah and Indira Varma are dependable as ever, but have precious little to do in the series. The rest of the cast is adequate.
Analysis
Obsession is easily one of the worst series to come out of Netflix in recent times. The story is so far-fetched and hard to believe—not to say irritatingly stupid—that one is compelled to wonder how it got the green light at Netflix.
The silliness starts from the first episode itself. Surgeon William Farrow is living ‘the’ life – he’s brilliant, well-respected, rich, has a lovely wife and a family that dotes on him – in short, he has everything a sane man could ask for. Which is why what follows in his life the moment he sets his eyes on Anna Barton is insane, to say the least. Why a man would chuck all of the above for a woman he’s just met, and who happens to be his son’s girlfriend, is beyond understanding.
Scarcely credible story aside, even the sex in the series — all copious amounts of it — is boring and cringey. It’s neither aesthetic to the senses, nor is it erotic enough to tantalise. And the least said about William’s shenanigans in Paris, the better – including the bed-humping scene in the hotel room, as well as the sleazy quickie in the seedy alley.
The uninteresting sex, along with the barely-there storyline that is stretched thin by the end, only serve to get on our nerves at the banal idiocy of it all. Additionally, there’s zero thrill or suspense in the story to keep the viewer engaged or hooked to the narrative. Why it’s labeled as an erotic ‘thriller’ is beyond us.
The characters are so shoddily written that you feel nothing for them, except maybe for the poor wife and son of the dumbass surgeon. Anna’s back story, revealed in the final episode, leaves one cold and unmoved. It’s not the actors’ fault though — the story itself is mediocre and not worth recreating. It leaves you tearing your hair out in frustration by the end of it.
To sum it up, Obsession is a series that is best avoided, more so, if you value your time and sanity.
Music and Other Departments?
Anne Dudley’s musical score beautifully sets the edgy, suspenseful mood of the narrative. Unfortunately, the fine music is wasted on the mediocre story. The cinematography in the series is superb, as are its production values. Editing is a bit shoddy at places and needed to be crisper.
Highlights?
None
Drawbacks?
Mediocre story
Terrible sex scenes
Poorly written characters
Ineffective storytelling
Did I Enjoy It?
No
Will You Recommend It?
No
Obsession Series Review by Binged Bureau