Mad Dogs is about 4 former friends who go to Belize to reunite with another friend who has taken early retirement. However they are inadvertently thrown into a hilariously dire situation involving drugs, money, a boat, police, criminals, corruption, the US government, smallpox, and a cat. This sounds like the sort of comedy that we've all seen before but it is very far from it and, without spoilers, I'll tell you why.
The drama. In most of these kinds of shows/movies the main characters are very shallow, with their main characteristics serving to make us laugh. Here, though, each character is completely three dimensional and fleshed out over the 10 episodes with back-stories (without flashbacks thankfully) and real traits and flaws. This is a drama first and foremost and the show never forgets that, effectively building up tension in every episode. We quickly learn that these friends perhaps don't like each other as much as they appear to and we get to watch the relationships evolve so organically over a long period - thanks in part to this being a 10 episode show rather than a 2 hour film. Even the aforementioned cat is given enough story for the viewer to care about his character. The acting from the main cast is flawless and convincing and managed to hold my attention throughout the entire season.
The comedy. I believe this is why opinions on the show are divided. This isn't a typical American comedy show about funny characters making witty comments at each other to make us giggle our way through 10 episodes. The characters play everything out with straight faces and, in fact, comedy is used pretty sparingly throughout the season. However, when it is used it is used to great effect and made me laugh out loud and rewind several scenes to see them again. One notable early example is the cat's first appearance in episode 1 (you'll know what I mean when you watch it). The comedy is extremely dark but also extremely entertaining and managed to surprise me and give me a welcome break from the tension that builds up throughout the show.
The style. The benefit of this show being available to stream is that episodes don't have to be cut to a specific time. This is used and the camera lingers on the characters faces to convey their emotions without them needing to talk and to build the suspense whilst also allowing the viewer to gaze on the beautiful, vibrant scenery. The style really complements the mood of the show, elevating it higher than many other shows that may try the same thing.
Overall, Mad Dogs is a show that delivers emotion, suspense, comedy and originality within a genre we have all seen before. It kept my interest from start to finish and now all I want to do is experience it over again. My only hope is that they don't try to drag it out with more seasons and just let it exist as the self-contained work of art that it is. This is my first new show of 2016 and it has already set a new benchmark for other shows of its kind. It is excellent and I fully recommend it.
The drama. In most of these kinds of shows/movies the main characters are very shallow, with their main characteristics serving to make us laugh. Here, though, each character is completely three dimensional and fleshed out over the 10 episodes with back-stories (without flashbacks thankfully) and real traits and flaws. This is a drama first and foremost and the show never forgets that, effectively building up tension in every episode. We quickly learn that these friends perhaps don't like each other as much as they appear to and we get to watch the relationships evolve so organically over a long period - thanks in part to this being a 10 episode show rather than a 2 hour film. Even the aforementioned cat is given enough story for the viewer to care about his character. The acting from the main cast is flawless and convincing and managed to hold my attention throughout the entire season.
The comedy. I believe this is why opinions on the show are divided. This isn't a typical American comedy show about funny characters making witty comments at each other to make us giggle our way through 10 episodes. The characters play everything out with straight faces and, in fact, comedy is used pretty sparingly throughout the season. However, when it is used it is used to great effect and made me laugh out loud and rewind several scenes to see them again. One notable early example is the cat's first appearance in episode 1 (you'll know what I mean when you watch it). The comedy is extremely dark but also extremely entertaining and managed to surprise me and give me a welcome break from the tension that builds up throughout the show.
The style. The benefit of this show being available to stream is that episodes don't have to be cut to a specific time. This is used and the camera lingers on the characters faces to convey their emotions without them needing to talk and to build the suspense whilst also allowing the viewer to gaze on the beautiful, vibrant scenery. The style really complements the mood of the show, elevating it higher than many other shows that may try the same thing.
Overall, Mad Dogs is a show that delivers emotion, suspense, comedy and originality within a genre we have all seen before. It kept my interest from start to finish and now all I want to do is experience it over again. My only hope is that they don't try to drag it out with more seasons and just let it exist as the self-contained work of art that it is. This is my first new show of 2016 and it has already set a new benchmark for other shows of its kind. It is excellent and I fully recommend it.