As a fan of crime shows, I was intrigued to watch this show. The premise was fascinating; it's been used by notable writers such as Agatha Christie. The critical reviewers comparing the show to 'Columbo', certainly have an opinion, but it's not worth much in the volumes of literature and cinema.
In a ' typical' crime show, the cops & detectives investigate & follow leads. They rule out suspects & generally solve the crime in 60 minutes or within the arc of several weeks. The puzzle of solving a murder is rarely as simple as doing research in a lab where things are 'cut & dry'.
The similarity between 'typical' crime shows & Motive is that the Audience gets to witness the detectives pursuing leads and solving the case.
The STRIKING difference is that in this remarkable show, the producers have the freedom to spend time on the detectives' WORK PROCESS itself. We get to see cops the way they work every day, as cases unfold; not the abbreviated highlights for TV versions.
So, this may not be the glamorous Law & Order, SVU show (which I love!), but this show is a different version of a cop show. It's not competing with Law & Order, Columbo, or any other. It's just deconstructing the job; taking it apart in front of our eyes.
By deconstructing the cops doing their job, we get to see the process in a different light. It may be less glamorous than Law & Order but it's deeper, more character driven and it is fueled by it's core by the case. Peripherally, there is the baggage that normal folks have.
Better than Law & Order, SVU? I could not say. They are both on my watch list & satisfy different pleasures.
In a ' typical' crime show, the cops & detectives investigate & follow leads. They rule out suspects & generally solve the crime in 60 minutes or within the arc of several weeks. The puzzle of solving a murder is rarely as simple as doing research in a lab where things are 'cut & dry'.
The similarity between 'typical' crime shows & Motive is that the Audience gets to witness the detectives pursuing leads and solving the case.
The STRIKING difference is that in this remarkable show, the producers have the freedom to spend time on the detectives' WORK PROCESS itself. We get to see cops the way they work every day, as cases unfold; not the abbreviated highlights for TV versions.
So, this may not be the glamorous Law & Order, SVU show (which I love!), but this show is a different version of a cop show. It's not competing with Law & Order, Columbo, or any other. It's just deconstructing the job; taking it apart in front of our eyes.
By deconstructing the cops doing their job, we get to see the process in a different light. It may be less glamorous than Law & Order but it's deeper, more character driven and it is fueled by it's core by the case. Peripherally, there is the baggage that normal folks have.
Better than Law & Order, SVU? I could not say. They are both on my watch list & satisfy different pleasures.