Netflix has been ahead of the game when it comes to putting out experimental content on its platform. Much like the choose-your-own-adventure format of Black Mirror: Bandersnatch, the new series Kaleidoscope comes with the intriguing prospect of being an eight-part series that can be watched in any order. While the idea sounds like an unbelievably unique viewing experience, both critics and audiences have slammed the show for lazy writing, convoluted plotting and just being hard to get through. However, author Stephen King feels differently and even has his own suggestion on how the series should be watched.
The streaming boom has unleashed television's potential in ways that planned network scheduling can never achieve. While general TV shows are usually required to fit a 30-minute or 60-minute format per episode with ads, streaming shows can have episodes that range from 10 minutes to 2 hours in one season.
Kaleidoscope is a crime drama starring Giancarlo Esposito that centers on a heist. However, the crime itself takes place in one episode of the show, while the other episodes, which are all named as colors rather than numbers, span 25 years in total, with some showing events before the heist and others in the aftermath. As to which order they are watched in, that is something that Netflix can randomly decide, or you can choose yourself. For Stephen King, the best way to watch it is simply in the chronological order of events.
Kaleidoscope’s Intriguing Delivery Propelled The Series to Number 1 On Netflix
The debut of Kaleidoscope has been popular enough to topple the mighty Wednesday, despite critics and audiences rating the show as ‘rotten’ on Rotten Tomatoes. The main complaint seems to be the writing of the series, which many have called “dumb,” “too much Hollywood drama,” and “cliché.” However, others have felt that the effort of watching the story in random order and having to piece it all together is too much for what the story offers.
The official synopsis for Kaleidoscope reads:
“Spanning 25 years, Kaleidoscope is an all-new anthology series following a crew of masterful thieves and their attempt to crack a seemingly unbreakable vault for the biggest payday in history. Guarded by the world’s most powerful corporate security team, and with law enforcement on the case, every episode reveals a piece of an elaborate puzzle of corruption, greed, vengeance, scheming, loyalties and betrayals. How did the crew of thieves plan it? Who gets away with it? Who can be trusted?”
However, not everyone has been negative about the series. Everyone seems to agree that Breaking Bad and The Mandalorian star Giancarlo Esposito gives an excellent performance at the center of the story, and many also see a lot of potential in the series format. Stephen King’s suggestion to watch the show in order would most likely make the “predictable” story even worse for those who already find the storyline too generic and clichéd. Still, for those who have just struggled to piece together the whats and whys of the plot, it may be helpful.