A new, exciting fall release out of Mexico, this new 8-episode series is adapted from a novel by Jorge Z. Patterson; it is full of intrigue, including murder, political ramifications, affairs, and even a bit of hacking. But is this cocktail working?
Actress Pamela Dosantos is found murdered, and through her stardom, the national Mexican media is all over it. But one video obtained by Tomás (Michel Brown) and posted on social media soon turns it into a national scandal: while the video shows Dosantos exiting a car in an anonymous street, it is soon revealed that she is entering the house of new, powerful Defense Secretary Salazar (Gerardo Lizarde). Soon, the political scandal puts Tomás’s life in danger, while his editor-in-chief at major newspaper El Mundo doubts his ability to crack the case, and resents the fact he was left out of the loop on his scoop. As it turns out, Tomás has good sources, and better than that, strong friends: the titular Circle of the title (renamed from original book title The Corruptors) is made of him and his three lifelong friends: businessman and sometimes source Jaime (Osvaldo Benavides), high school teacher Mario (Raúl Briones) and fierce politician Amelia (Zuria Vega). As the discovery of her alleged links with Salazar rocks Tomás’s world, Mario’s own daughter Viridiana (Mariané Cartas) also takes a keen interest in the case, with some of her friends dabbling in hacking.
Zuria Vega as Amelia and Osvaldo Benavides as Jaime (cr: Juan Rosas/Netflix)
The red herring of the murder of Pamela Dosantos is not exactly the main focus of the show, but instead the rock-solid, lifelong relationship which will be tested in life-or-death circumstances. The show does not hesitate to give us several flashbacks edited to classic needle-drops (from REM to Tears For Fears) in order to show us their core character and insecurities as kids, but also the psychological draw to pursue the bond even as they take successful paths: in journalism, politics or education. Alas, as adults, they sometimes fail to be compelling characters: in particular, Mario as the best friend teacher who is enlisted in dangerous missions seems a bit too far-fetched. Amelia (Zuria Vega) is given one of the most interesting subplots, as she gets away from the party line, which is advocating for stronger security, and has to maneuver to keep her spot, and struggles with anxiety attacks. But as the lone female of the gang of friends, her dynamic with Jaime and Tomás often joins easy tropes.
When Inside The Circle works, it is explosive, with shootouts and chases that are as tense and propulsive as any of the best thriller series out there. But when it refuses to choose between fleshing out its group dynamic and giving us more clues on the trail of finding out what happened to Pamela, it suffers. As a result, our attachment to seeing them taking all the risks in order to uncover who murdered Pamela quickly wears thin. There is a subplot involving Viridiana and her teen friends that does take a little bit of screentime, but with not much to say or develop. As a thriller, Inside The Circle still tends to deliver the goods, but gets lost in too many twists and subplots to serve. Even if none of the leads is necessarily worthy of hate or resentment, they are not some of the most memorable characters you will see this year. As the conspiracy and over-the-top witnesses pile on, the interest in the show gradually diminishes.
If you like Inside The Circle, watch
The Marked Woman
O Mecanismo
Verdict
Despite a dynamic pace and a good handle on action scenes, Inside The Circle is a bit lightheaded and on-the-nose in its character drama, illustrating the struggles of adapting a page-turning thriller into a great series.