Obsession: Netflix's Steamy Thriller Going Viral For All the Wrong Reasons
Everyone is talking about the new Netflix series, but is it really worth your while?
If you haven't heard of Netflix's Obsession, you have probably been out of the loop for the past week.
Everyone seems to be discussing this steamy miniseries that has stirred controversy among viewers.
The story, based on Josephine Hart's book Damage, centres on a graphic love affair between a distinguished surgeon and his son's girlfriend, who men tend to obsess over. Naturally, the series is replete with graphic sex and BDSM scenes, suspense, jealousy, suspicion, and drama.
The fact that the brilliant Richard Armitage and the incredible Charlie Murphy portray the two main characters only adds to the public interest. However, those who have watched all four episodes of the new viral thriller claim the show is somewhat cringeworthy and regret having watched it.
Critical and audience reviews alike suggest that Obsession has gone viral for all the wrong reasons.
The show's IMDb rating is 5.1/10 based on 2.3k viewers. The Rotten Tomatoes score is even lower, with a 43% Tomatometer based on 14 critics' reviews and an audience score of 20% based on 50+ audience reviews. Let's look at what critics and viewers dislike about the show.
Aside from delving into the uncomfortable theme of a son-girlfriend-father love triangle, critics pan the show for its messy storylines, non-existent character development, and lack of chemistry.
There appears to be a competition among critics for who can best describe the actors' facial expressions in the show's numerous sex scenes. A BBC Culture reviewer compared their faces to those people might make when 'clearing the gutter', while The Guardian wrote that the characters look like they need to use the bathroom.
iNews simply labelled the show a 'shagfest' and awarded it one star.
Viewers who took to rating and review sites to post their comments echoed the sentiments of professional critics. Many found the thriller boring and weird. Despite being only four episodes long, the pacing seemed too slow. The scenes meant to be steamy come across as bland due to the lack of chemistry and emotion between the characters. For many, the show was a disappointment.
'It's like being at a funeral full of zombies for a whole day,' one of the reviews reads..
Overall, the majority of reviewers say the show was a waste of time..
Sources: BBC Culture, The Guardian, iNews