A review of the smash-hit series
If there’s one thing that social media has managed to teach me over the last few years it’s that if you begin to see a multitude of people posting about a TV show, it’s probably one you should be watching. It’s the sole reason why I’ve watched and fallen in love with “Stranger Things” and “Outer Banks”.
I’m not somebody that can sit down and just start a show, I need to hear good things about it on social media or elsewhere. So, naturally, when I started to see people talking about “Squid Game”, I was intrigued. Couple that with my roommate turning on the first episode of the show one day, and I had myself a new show to watch.
The premise of the South Korean show almost sounds stupid: 456 people who’ve had their fair share of bad breaks are willingly kidnapped and taken to a secret location where they risk their lives by playing children’s games for 45.6 billion won, equivalent to upwards of 35 million dollars.
After watching the first episode, my feelings toward the show were quite conflicted. On one hand, it was incredibly intriguing. I like to describe the show as the result of the “Hunger Games”, “Saw” and “Escape Room” all having a baby. But on the other hand, it truly was like watching a car crash. It was just so out there and something that you knew just wasn’t right, but you just couldn’t look away.
However, as I fell deeper and deeper into the series and inched closer to the finale, my intrigue in the show continued to grow. It does a phenomenal job of keeping you on the edge of your seat. In a short amount of time, I found myself getting more and more attached to the characters, knowing that due to the premise of the show, the ending probably wouldn’t be all that pretty, resulting in a heightening sense of anticipation with each episode.
Looking back, if there’s one thing about the show that really jumps off the page, it’s the fact that I truly have never watched anything like it. Although it has its similarities to the aforementioned “Hunger Games”, “Saw”, and others, it has elements that make it stand out.
For one, hearing songs like Sinatra’s “Fly Me to the Moon” while you’re watching people play kids’ games with deadly consequences is a bit strange. Couple that with the different backstories and intriguing subplots, you’ve got yourself a show that is sure to catch your attention.
All in all, I was satisfied with what “Squid Games” presented itself with. I immediately understood the hype and intrigue behind it and am somebody that would be 100% invested in a second season.
Rating: 8/10