The new South African TV drama series, Shadow on Netflix - the first South African produced show to be added to the global video streaming service - is underwhelming, dreary, with not such good acting and is borderline boring, without actually moving borders.
While the character of Shadow is unable to feel anything, viewers watching it will definitely feel some pain.
Extremely formulaic as a run-of-the-mill South African crime-of-the-week procedural episode show, Shadow lacks oomph and that binge-watching quality users pay for with streaming series. Shadow feels as if it was made for ordinary week-to-week television like The Docket on SABC3, the only twist being that the protagonist can't feel physical pain.
With an avalanche of content to watch, that's not enough to make Shadow stream-watch worthy.
Shadow, produced by Motion Story Productions, reminds very strongly of Jongo, that was touted as "Africa's first-ever superhero show" that was broadcast on BET and e.tv, just without the extremely overt supernatural part.
It coincidentally hails from the same production company as the 2016-show and it's clear that Motion Story has learnt and improved somewhat with the more down-to-earth approach of Shadow, although this 8-episode series still also feels underwhelming and borderline boring.
Imagine a South African, more low-budget version of Netflix's Luke Cage from Marvel, like Jongo but without the Jongo blue eyes special effects.
Pallance Dladla is the titular character Shadrack "Shadow" Khumalo (struck by lightning as a child and impervious to pain) and becomes a crime-fighting, problem-solving vigilante after the murder of his 6-year old daughter. Amanda Du Pont is Ashley and Max (Khathu Ramabulana) is one of Shadow's former partners.
Nothing really pops and the acting in Shadow is sad to say, underwhelming. As former TV soap actors, who were more believable in former roles, the problem here is probably more a script and characterisation issue the characters they've portrayed in Isibaya and Generations felt more "lived-in" and authentic.
Several action and weapons scenes come across as very "acted" and fake-choreographed, like kids' lightsaber-playing. How much did everyone involved actually practise?
Again, similar to The Docket, the hunt for a killer is the overall series' story, with episodic dilemmas ranging from abuse and bribery to stalking as the "crime of the episode".
Is there a hook to want to make a viewer immediately want to watch the next Shadow episode on Netflix? No. Does Shadow offer something revolutionary, outstanding and mind-blowingly different in terms of narrative, visual style or acting besides being that it was produced in South Africa? No.
Shadow, directed by Gareth Crocker, is filled with predictable TV tropes, none of which are actually upended to surprise, tantalise or grab the viewer to want to watch more. Little in or from it willmake a viewer go "wow".
Shadow's episodes and stories feel forgettable and fail to tread new ground, with a slight build-up of tension and never enough pay-off.
Some of the same frustration and criticism about a lack of forward momentum and development that applies to Marvel's Iron Fist on Netflix is applicable to Shadow - viewers wait for "more" to happen in terms of a bigger and better story that draws you in, actual character actualisation, and to make you forget that you're watching a show, which doesn't happen.
Why Shadow is on Netflix isn't clear. It feels mundane, run-of-the-mill and like yet another retread of what there's exists a lot of already - and done better - from the BBC's Luther to the SABC's Zero Tolerance.
Shadow on Netflix is unnecessary TV pain you can do without.
ALSO READ: Netflix's first locally-acquired South African series, Shadow, stars Pallance Dladla and Amanda Du Pont.
ALSO READ: How bad is Shadow as Netflix's first South African series? Apparently very, as Netflix SA cancels a planned media event and isn't giving screeners to critics, saying the Motion Story Productions drama already got enough coverage.
